March 5th - I walked so far up a mountain I stopped breathing and saw Jesus

Many people have commented on how jealous they are of the warm weather I am currently experiencing here in Peru. I want to paint a little picture for you all so you know that it’s not all sunshine and roses here. The days, yes, are beautiful. The mornings start out cool but by 9:30 or so the sun is in full force and it is gorgeous out. Now, the nights are completely different. Around 7:30 pm it starts to get cold until it eventually reminds me of a night back in the Midwest. How cold you say? Well they don’t exactly have thermometers around here but I can tell you that I, fully clothed, slept in my bed with 4 blankets while wearing alpaca gloves and a scarf. Even then I was shivering uncontrollably. So there, you can’t be jealous of me anymore unless you get your kicks from hypothermia.

So this morning we arranged a tour guide to take us on a 4 day/3night trek through the jungle to Machu Picchu. This excites me more than you know…ah history. After a quick bite at the local Paneria we encountered last night while wandering in the San Blas neighborhood, I decided to rest up for what was sure to be a long day. You see, I decided to climb a mountain.

SO: This shout-out is for all the girls currently walking up and down a stationary stairmaster in the shell or serf. COME TO PERU! You have so many opportunities to climb like a madwoman and you can actually get fresh air. Weird concept, I know.

So, while a taxi would have been much faster, Holly had told me that it was completely doable to walk up to Saqsaynaman (pronounced: saxy woman). So, I hiked many a stone staircase to the top of a very large mountain. Now, for all you who are not in the best of shape, this trek would be pure torture. It took me roughly a half hour to get to the top and I was so out of breath and I thought my heart might explode due to the added pressure at over 11,000ft (Note: It did not). So, I stopped to rest next to the entrance sign before yet another 3 flights of stairs and shared my break with two very cute llamas. (See pictures as soon as I add them). Well, having forced as much oxygen back into my lungs as I could, I continued up the stairs. I didn’t get very far before I heard giggling behind me. The llamas were following me, at some speed I might add. So I hopped on the good foot and hiked up the stairs. I didn’t get very far still being quite tired from the trek but the llamas were steadily making their way towards me. Do llamas bite? Would they like to nibble on something other than the mountain side? I don’t know but the Peruvians down the way kept telling their kids not to touch them or go near them so I figured they aren’t the friendliest creatures, especially when they are wild and on the run. So I hid. And secretly wanted to go back and pet them. Llamas are the coolest things and the Peruvians dress them up and put colorful yarn on them so they’re even cooler here. So, after all that I got up to the entrance to the Incan ruins and being to cheap to buy a tourist boleta to actually see whatever was up there, I crossed over to the next mountain where dun ta da da was Christo blanco. A huge statue of the big JC just overlooking Cusco, surrounded by spotlights at night. I’ve never seen a Jesus so white, so big, and so heavily surrounded by wired fence. As if I was going to pick him up and take him home as a souvenir. I can barely close the one bag I do have! Maybe I could fed-ex Him back home…..there’s an idea.

Note: I found out post-cards cost like $5, no not 5 soles. Umm…I love you all but I have a feeling I won’t be sending those out. Maybe I’ll hand them to you when I get home, that’s kind of special right?



Tomorrow: 7:30 am begin the hike up Machu Picchu. Oh happy day!