Posted in Peru on Sep 8th, 2008
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Glacier, Cerro Pisco
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Not an old friend – Large Seracs – Tough hike – Supine form – Dangerous in many ways
I have a very different relationship with the mountains than I do with the ocean(link). Having spent much more time in the mountains I have seen first hand their various moods and I am much more respectful of them than the ocean. I would never call a mountain a comfortable old friend – it is far too tempestuous and moody. Mountains are far more beautiful than the ocean, but more deadly. Maybe it is because I became familiar with the ocean as a child, while I was already a sceptical adult when I got to know the mountains. A child finds fascination and wonder in everything while the adult opinion is tempered by the fear of downside risk.
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Posted in Peru on Sep 3rd, 2008
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Hostal Colonial,
Trujillo
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First impressions – Peruvian paradise – Peruvian hell – Peruvian aesthetic
Strictly speaking, these are not our first impressions of Peru. We visited the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Nazca in 2005 and we loved it. It is hard not to like Peru, it seems to have the best of everything. The rich rainforests of Manu for the birdwatchers and insect lovers, spectacular Inca ruins, with Machu Picchu being the crowning jewel, the jagged peaks of the Cordillera Blanca for the trekkers and climbers and the amazing Nazca lines for, well, everyone.
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Posted in Ecuador on Aug 31st, 2008
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Cruise Begins!
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Low expectations – Aboard the Isabela II – Daily activities – Haunted ship – A bad spiritual experience – Cruises are great!
My expectations were very low for the first cruise I have taken. Being stuck in a metal can on the high seas with no avenue of escape was not my idea of fun, and with Neena being prone to seasickness both of us were quite apprehensive about our sea voyage. Since one can see certain islands in the Galapagos only by ship we were forced into making a booking for a five day cruise.
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Posted in Ecuador on Aug 27th, 2008
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Genovesa
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Pilgrimages – Tombs and events – Darwin’s heritage – A laboratory
The religious world is peppered by pilgrimages. Jerusalem, Rome, Santiago de Compostela for the Catholics, the Haj for Muslims, Varanasi, Vaishno Devi, Tirupati for the Hindus, Bodh Gaya for the Buddhists. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place or shrine of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith. The sites tend to be either a tomb of a saint that furthered the cause of the religion or a place where an event of great significance happened.
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Posted in Ecuador on Aug 21st, 2008
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At Tortuga Bay
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An old friend – Mass of Penguins – But lo! – Big wet doggies
Most of my life I have lived by the ocean and my relationship with it is that of a comfortable old friend. In fact I think I am a little too comfortable with it since I have nearly forgotten how quickly its moods change and how dangerous it can suddenly become. Leave a calm lagoon and fast currents can ensnare a swimmer, leave the lee of an island and the waves can suddenly mount to swamping behemoths. All this I know in theory but the ocean has never frightened me and always brought things of wonder to my attention.
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