Peru Part 1 ~ Cusco & The Sacred Valley

Our final destination is Machu Picchu, but we begin our adventure in Cusco. Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and is in the central southeast region of Peru. We spend 2 days in Cusco to attempt to acclimate to the altitude. Cusco is 11,152 ft above sea level and for some of us the altitude takes effect almost instantly.  We experience mostly headaches and shortness of breath. Sleep is difficult the first night...

Unfortunately I am already sick on arrival to Cusco.  I think I picked up a bacteria from something I ate in Lima.  I have a fever and generalized malaise.  I am dehydrated and very weak. The altitude only intensifies things for me.  Lucky for me I am traveling with a bunch of nurses and Kristina gives me an IV with some fluids and within a few hours I am feeling much better.  We stay at a small bed & breakfast the first night. It is called Second Home Cusco.  The owner is amazing and I highly recommend this place to anyone traveling through the area.  On arrival to the B&B we are greeted with cocoa tea. Cocoa tea is thought to help with altitude sickness. It is mild in flavor, but has a lot of caffeine.  This tea will be part of our morning routine for the next 7 days.

We spend two days in Cusco and the surrounding area known as the Sacred Valley. Cusco is a great little town packed with lots of culture.  The quechua women are dressed in bright costume and carry their babies in brightly colored blankets. The quechua are direct descendants of the ancient Inca civilization.  The streets in Cusco are extremely narrow and are made up of mostly cobblestone. The buildings have bright doors with cut stone and adobe.

Here are just a few of the photos I took in Cusco....

Such a cutie...

I tried the Alpaca and the Guinea Pig.  Alpaca tastes like lamb and guinea pig tastes like chicken. Let's just say I won't be craving either of the two.

roof top dining in Cusco

We spend our second day in Cusco touring the Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley is a valley along the Urubamba River, nestled in the Andes mountains. It is an area with a mild climate and very fertile soil. I can honestly say this road trip offered some of the most breathtaking views that I have ever seen .  We go to Ollantanyambo, Salinas, Chincheros and the Pisac Market, stopping many times along the way.

"propina, propina, propina"

hand weaving alpaca gear

Salinas Salt Mines

Next post coming soon...Part 2 - The Inca Trail & the trek to Machu Picchu

Nicaragua

"Live in the present moment." You've probably heard this phrase before...seems like a pretty basic concept right?!?! But how often do we truly find ourselves there? More often than not we are caught up in the day to day experiences we call life. We are influenced by others, whether it be positively or negatively and our interactions and experiences with them create "moments." Life is a series of moments so it is important to make each one count....you with me so far??

I find my happiest moments when I am helping others, when I am surrounded by positive energy (i.e. positive people), when I am traveling, when I am surfing, ultimately when I am doing things I enjoy....

I was recently told that I should feel blessed for the experiences that I have had. I am blessed, without a doubt. Traveling has brought me perspective and experience. It has afforded me the opportunity to meet new people, experience new culture and provide nursing care to those less fortunate. It has allowed me to step back from the "day to day" and truly enjoy being present. It has allowed me to create these "moments" that are my life.

This last trip to Nicaragua was amazing. The purpose of this trip was to surf and for me there is no better way to feel present. When I am in the water I am happy, content. I am creating moments that I will remember for years to come. As I reflect upon this year I feel fulfilled. I feel fortunate. I feel blessed.... I can only hope that next year is just as amazing.

Here are a few photos from our trip...enjoy!

atarina

Catarina

View from the top of Christ on the hill

San Juan del Sur

Quality time with the locals

Rad sunsets in San Juan del Sur

The beaches!!!!!!!!!

"The road is long and in the end the journey is the destination."

A brief encounter with the Pacific Northwest

This past week I got to travel up to the Pacific Northwest for the first time. A nursing conference in Seattle...sounds fun right?!?! Why not extend the trip a little, throw in a road trip to Vancouver and travel with one of your best friends (who also happens to be a nurse). Now we're talking fuuun!!

First stop Seattle....

There is something I love about being a tourist in another city, especially when it's a fun city like Seattle. In typical tourist fashion we hit the major attractions: Pikes Place Market, the Space Needle, the original Starbucks, the Waterfront, & Kerry park. Fortunately Seattle is not very large and on foot we are able to see most of the city in a day and a half. Here are a few photos...

Pikes Market Place - Started back in 1907 this market is a great place to find local fish, fruit, coffee, wine & honey. It has become a tourist attraction and is open year-round.

Space Needle - This landmark was originally constructed in 1962 for the World Fair and now serves as one of Seattle's top tourist attractions. For $18 you can ride the elevator to the top and get a 360 degree view of Seattle. Eating or drinking at the top is a little pricey and unless your starving I would recommend eating somewhere else around the city.

View from the top of the Space Needle

Kerry Park - This park is on the south slope of Queen Anne hill at the corner of 2nd Avenue W. and W. Highland Drive. On a clear day the view from the park encompasses downtown Seattle, Ellliott Bay, Bainbridge Island, the West Seattle peninsula and Mount Rainier. We were lucky enough to hit Kerry Park on a good day and got to see Mount Rainier off in the distance.

Starbucks - The original Starbucks located on first & Pike, opened its door first in 1971.

Vancouver - For a first time visit to this city we couldn't have picked a more perfect time of the year. It was overcast, cool & rainy most of our time in Vancouver, but it was still insanely gorgeous. The fall colors were vivid and a stark contrast to the lush green that was scattered throughout the city. Here are just a few pics I took on our walk along the Sea Wall en route to Stanley Park.

Wanderlust

By definition wanderlust is a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world. Hmm....sound like me?!? The more I travel the more I want to travel. I am itching to go somewhere exotic...warm water, good waves, delicious food. But time is money and I lack the two so I decide it's time for a road trip. Road trips are simple right?!? Vehicle. Road. Go.

So here it goes....

Traveling along the coast of California with no real plans and no final destination I find I am completely and utterly at peace. I am happy, content. Cliffs, the ocean, redwood forests, fog and rolling hills all rolled into one. A little surf, some camping, quality time with my amazing husband, endless opportunities to take pictures...sounds perfect right?!? We end up in Santa Cruz stopping many times along the way. 4 days, 1100+ miles...Here are some pictures from my journey.......

Morro Bay
A small fishing village located in San Luis Obispo. Hoping for some waves, but settling for a picture of the big rock.

The Redwoods.....
Amazingly beautiful and TALL...Redwoods grow in a very narrow strip along the coast of California. The strip is about 500 miles long and about 20-30 miles wide. The area has frequent thick summer fog, moderate year-round temperature, and considerable winter rainfall. Redwoods can grow up to 350 feet and live for up to 2000 years. Impressive right?!? Lucky enough to get a camping spot in Big Sur we were able to camp amongst these beautiful trees. 

Big Sur
This area includes approximately 90 miles of coastline and offers some of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen.

McWay Falls

Located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park this 80 foot waterfall flows year-round.

Pfieffer State Beach
A two mile hike from the road to get to this beach. Easy on the downhill, but straight hills on the way up. For $5 you can park in the lot down by the beach.

Bixby Bridge
Historically important because it introduced automobile travel to Big Sur.

 

Santa Cruz

Steamer Lane

RESPECT THE LOCALS!!! Santa Cruz surfers are no joke. The "lane" is by far the most famous surf spot in all of Santa Cruz. Apparently it is the most dangerous spot to surf in Santa Cruz and people actually die out there on a semi- annual basis. Glad I'm reading this now...
My strategy...
Wait on the inside section. Be vigilant. Wait for the bailout or the dude ripping it to fall off. Paddle hard. Ignore ominous cliffs that stand two feet in front of you. Work your ass off. Try not to piss off the local chick that is paddling directly at you on every wave. Don't trip when a seal puts her/his face on your board. Don't be disappointed by wave count.

The road is long and in the end the journey is the destination....