The Incan Empire of Peru (Part 2 of 3)

I know, the suspense from Part 1 is killing you, right? :) Here's Part 2 of 3 of my 2011 Peruvian adventures!

After departing the Peruvian Amazon, we headed to Cusco, the historical site of the Inca Empire. As you can imagine, it's completely surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful Incan ruins. And centuries later, the intricate stones stacked upon stones still wedged together with not even the space for a piece of paper. The Killke occupied the region from 900 to 1200, prior to the arrival of the Incas in the 13th century.
At an elevation of over 11,000 feet, you will inevitably experience some sort of altitude symptoms upon arrival. If you're lucky, you'll just feel a little tired, have to deal with a dull headache for a day or two, and feel short of breath just simply being. That's all. After arriving in Cusco, our first priority was DRINK AS MUCH COCA TEA AS POSSIBLE. Cup after cup.... It's said that the plant is to help with elevation sickness, and I couldn't agree more! Whether it be my body's innate ability to handle high altitudes or the gallons of Coca tea I drank... I seemed to be fine.

We then began to explore the central part of Cusco, checking out the main square, some restaurants, and the many historic, stone buildings. Many of which were scavenged from Incan stonework by the Spaniards when they arrived from Europe.

The next day, after a lovely night's sleep - hey, you don't realize how awesome a warm bed is until you're sleeping in a netted room in the middle of the Amazon during wet season - we headed out to explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas! Let me tell you now, this is such an incredible experience! It's so hard to fathom completely in-tact buildings and stonework from thousands of years ago until you see it with your own eyes. And not only is the age of the work impressive, but the fact that these stones are so tightly morphed together (without ANY modern day tools). It's still a mystery and we can only speculate how this was done.

Our stop at Pisac taught us that those terraces in the hill sides - they're not actually CUT into the hillside, they're built on TOP of the hillside, in layers. from small sand to pebbles, to stones, all the way down to larger rocks. All of this is to help irrigate crops in the most appropriate way. And get this - they all still work just as good all these years later.

And, this was the burrial site of all Incan V.I.P.s - only the best of the best were burried here. If you look VERY closely - you can see small dark dots in the top right hill of the picture below - these are individual catacombs.

From Pisac, we journied on along the valley, passing cabbage trucks, stopping for delicious Peruvian food with (interestingly enough Inca Kola), and some pretty incredible views of the Andes Mountain range.

Ollantaytambo, with it's Temple Hill, terraces, and Storehouses, this is a very popular stop on the Sacred Valley route. Some of the largest single shaped stones on our journey were found here - estimated at over 50 tons per stone! It's incredible when you think about the mountains they had to cross to be moved to this location.

From Ollantaytambo, we headed to even higher elevation to Chinchero.

In Chinchero, we had the honor of meeting some local women and learning how they make their yarn, dye it, and craft their beautiful masterpieces.

Here is one of the many stones (not even the biggest!) at Saqsaywaman. These stones are proven to be quarried from 3-5 miles away over several mountains. It's still a mystery how the Icans managed this. Some say extraterestrials, some say simple man power. Whatever it was... it was AMAZING.

Slightly further from Saqsaywaman is the very small outpost called Puka Pukara. A small stop used in Incan times to tally what goods were coming in and out of Cusco. It was also used as a smoke signal point to send messages far distances at quick speeds.

A very common sight...

And for anyone who recieved a hand made token from Peru, it likely came from here. This hole-in-the-wall shop in central Cusco is a consolidation of the works of art of 4 different Peruvian women. Even more exciting is that I purchased all my goodies using only Espanol! :) Yay me.

In central Cusco, you'll find the stone with the most edges and the smallest Incan stone!

On our last night in Cusco, we hit the town and tried Alpaca meat with quinoa!! Very yum!

Tales from the Peruvian Amazon (Part 1 of 3)

In August of 2011 (yes, better late than never), I was lucky enough to fulfil a lifelong dream of traveling to Peru. The trip consisted of three drastically different regions of Peru: The Amazon, Cusco/Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca in the high desert. This post will begin with the Peruvian Amazon.

This trip is most definitely not for the impatient. To get from Seattle, Washington to Puerto Maldonado, Peru took no less than 4 planes, 1 van, and 1 boat -- totalling 5,692 miles and 28 hours.

We flew over multiple mountain ranges: Cascades, Rockies, and the Andes (below).... the Amazon...

And slowly descended into the dense, green Amazon Jungle until we touched down at the small and very understated Puerto Maldonado airport. Yes, we were the only plane on the old, beat up tarmac. The luggage rolled around on an open, circular belt with the baggage handlers clearly in view. Really, it takes the fun out of guessing when your bag will circle round!

We took all sorts of transportation to get to the Tambo Jungle Lodge, most important being the long and narrow boats we had to take up and down the Madre de Dios. The river, for all intensive purposes, was considered the Highway and the primary means of transportation. The ferry, very unlike those in Seattle, transported one vehicle at a time with as many people that could fit around the vehicle without falling off into the murky waters.
*Note that on not-so-nice days, it's very likely you and your belongings will become drenched with muddy river water and blasted with cold winds before you reach your destination. Body-sized water proof bag recommended.

We settled into our jungle lodge, mosquito nets and all, noticing our walls literally consisted of screen and patched together wood boards, freely welcoming cockroaches and other creatures of the sorts. Please let me give you this bit of advise -- cockroaches love the scent of tootpaste. Hide your toothbrushes in sealed containers. That is all. We then ventured to the main lodge to enjoy our first meal of chicken, rice, and olives cooked and served from a giant banana leaf. BTW, Mom, not sure what you were thinking all these years -- banana leaves are where it's at!

The next couple of days were spent exploring the Amazon, high AND low, day AND (unfortunately due to large tarantulas) night, as well as hot AND surprisingly very cold. We hiked the floor of the jungle, took boats up and down the river, paddled our way around Lago Sandoval, explored the trees on a canopy tour through rope bridges and zip lines. Every which way -- you name it.

We saw nearly everything possible to see...including something large, fast and heavy tromping through the jungle on our night walk while (great idea from our tour guide) all of our lights and head lamps turned off. To this day, I have no clue what was stalking us. In addition to the mystery predator, we saw:

Giant Otters, Capybara (giant guinea pig), Black and Speckled Camen, Coati raccoon, Sloth, Tamarin Monkey, Common Squirrel Monkey, Howler Monkey, Long-nosed bats, Slender Anole (tiny lizard), Hoatzin, prehistoric bird, Vultures (Black Greater, Yellow-Headed), Harpy Eagle, Macaw, Horned Screamer, Antinga bird (only 700 in the area, 1,800 in Peru), Cormorauts, Tiger Heron, Egert - Cocoi Heron, Grey-necked Wood-rail, Multi-colored Paradise Tanager, Yellow-headed Parrot, Mealy Parrot, White Winged Swallow, Kingfisher (social tropical), Yellow-rumped cacique, Red-capped cardinal, Pink-toed and Chicken Tarantula, Horned and Kapok Spider, Walking leaf, Owl butterfly, Cockroaches, Grasshoppers, Ticks, Fire Ants, and Leaf Cutter Ants.

 

 

On our last evening in the Amazon, we enjoyed some freshly caught catfish from the river, prepared in a traditional way -- cut up and shoved into a bamboo shoot, cooked and then pulled out. A sort of fish sausage, if you well. Very delicious! And great company from all over the globe!

Our time in the Amazon felt so short; however, the amount that we did and the number of Amazonian wildlife we saw was incredible. The people we experienced were so very friendly. Our guide, Victor was so knowledgeable. And I had a blast trying to speak Espanol to the girls who worked at the Lodge. As we were packing to leave on our last day, one of them had worked up enough courage to shyly ask "Picture?"

Whitney Houston - A True Icon

I was so shocked to hear of the passing of Whitney Houston on February 11, 2012, initially thinking it was some kind of Internet hoax. A true talent was taken from us much too soon. Thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, and the millions of fans who she never met but had such an amazing impact on.

Although she went through some rough times, like so many do, it was unfortunate that it was splattered all over the media. I'll always remember her at her best. And will always remember her beautiful, flawless, angelic voice. One that will likely never have a comparison.

When I hear her music, I immediately think back to my childhood and the meaning that each of her songs has had in my life. Here are some of my favorites from the great Whitney Houston for your reminiscing pleasure.


I Have Nothing @ the 1993 Billboard Awards

I Wanna Dance With Somebody - Music Video

One Moment In Time @ the Grammy's

I Will Always Love You @ the 1994 World Music Awards

National Anthem @ 1991 Super Bowl




Whitney, we will always love you!

4 Reasons You Will LOVE Campfire Beans (recipe included)

I tried this dish while home for a holiday a couple years ago. It was just so delicious I had to snag the recipe. Since then, I've made it a couple times and thought it was worth sharing along with 4 reasons why you will absolutely love it.

1. The way I make this is by tossing everything into a crock pot. By the end of the day, it's filled the house with a mouth watering, comforting smell and all that's left to do is scoop up a bowl and enjoy.
2. With all the beans and meat in this dish, it's bound to give you a kick of protein and fiber like you've never known. Unfortunately, I'm not nutritiously savvy enough to count up the serving size stats, but when just one can of beans alone packs 14g of protein per serving, you know you're in for a muscle building treat!
3. This large sized recipe makes quite a lot of servings, even if you're feeding hungry football players. So it's great for parties or if you don't want to cook for a week.
4. There's bacon in here. And let's be real, who doesn't love bacon??

Campfire Beans

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Ketchup

1 teaspoon dry mustard (I never have this so have never put it in)

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1/3 cup sugar (granulated)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 lb ground beef - brown & drain

1/2 lb cooked, crumbled bacon

1/2 lb cooked bratwurst (although, I don't like this so I either don't put it in or replace with mini hotdogs or some other kind of goodie I have in the kitchen)

1 - 15 oz can Kidney Beans, rinse & drain

1 - 16 oz can Pork & Beans

1 - 15 oz can Chili Pinto Beans in sauce

1 - 16 oz can Green Lima Beans - rinse & drain

In a large mixing bowl, combine first eight ingredients; mix well. Add cooked beef, bacon, and bratwurst. Stir in all of the beans. Pour into a 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 1 hour or until heated through. *Alternative: I always pour into a crock pot and let simmer all day. Much easier. :)

Serving ideas: I love serving this up with grated cheese on top. Also good with crushed saltine crackers.

Enjoy!

7 Reasons Why The Hunger Games Is A Must-Read

The Hunger Games Trilogy

After hearing all the rave reviews for the Hunger Games trilogy, it's no wonder it was my very first purchase on the new Kindle I got over the holidays. Just a couple pages into the first chapter, I found myself instantly hooked and unable to put it down. That is, only until my eyelids grew heavy in the wee hours of the morning.

Admittedly, I finished all three books in the matter of a week or so and am now currently going through some serious Hunger Games withdrawals! For those of you who have read the Hunger Games, you know what I'm taking about -- constant mental references to characters in the book, sporadic impulses to reach for the book, shaking, etc. For those of you who have not read this trilogy, here are 7 Reasons Why The Hunger Games Is A Must-Read.

Note: I've done my best to eliminate any spoilers from this for those of you who have yet to enjoy this written treat!

1. Reality. The Hunger Games represents the disconnect between entertainment and real life. Take reality shows Survivor and The Real World, mix it with the ancient Roman Coliseum and add a healthy dose of forced violence and death, and you've got the Hunger Games. Today, you see producers get sucked into the ratings and what makes good TV, but we all somehow seem to forget these are real people and real lives. Hunger Games just amplifies this actual reality to show how sad it is that we've been sucked in so far to not see how desensitized we've become.
2. Politics. The book highlights the corrupt workings of government and political leaders for the benefit of their own. I guess there's always got to be a villain but it sure makes you see red when the selfish, cutthroat, and very ruthless leader does anything he can (bribe, poison, murder) to stay ahead. So many reflections back to evil dictators of our own, current reality.
3. Love. Who can't resist a sweet love story and the uncertainty that is tangled in a love triangle? This is really one of the pieces that keep you tied to the book, page after page. I won't say much more here so that I'm not spoiling anything! But it's good. :)
4. Characters. This was the first book I've ever read by Suzanne Collins, but I do have to say it's obvious she's a pro at character development. Each character came to life with her detailed descriptions and had me attached from the start - laughing, shedding some SMALL tears, on the edge of my seat with curiocity throughout all three books - wondering what would happen next to the characters you grow so attached to.
5. Survival. Okay, living in the concrete jungle that most of us live in, we don't necessarily have expertise in survival techniques. While reading the stories of their survival in the Hunger Games, it made me realize how worthless I would be in any legit survival circumstance. Make sure to grab a pen and paper to take notes of edible plants, fire starting techniques, and hunting and trapping tips.... Lord help us when the apocalypse comes.
6. Eye-Opener. After having traveled to underprivileged countries myself and seeing the kind of poverty some people only read about, The Hunger Games draws a lot of similarities. Families starving, hunting for food, government restrictions on food and supplies. It makes you appreciate what you have. I walked down the home goods isle of Marshall's the other day. It was filled with vases, figurines, carvings, wall hangings, all things that have used precious resources to create. And here we are spending our money on them so they can sit on shelves in our homes and get dusty when people around the world are barely scrapping by to feed their family. I feel ashamed to admit that I have done the same. I do pledge that I'll use this story and all the experiences I've seen firsthand to change that.
7. Future. What if we continued to fight each other in wars? Continued to pollute the atmosphere with our cars and factories? Fill our water with waste and debris? This story takes place in the future after the human race has nearly extinct ourselves through hate and war, people living amongst cumbled cities. The foundation of this book portrays a very possible future world if our human race continues with violence. In the Hunger Games, the world as we know it has come full circle from a life of extravagance to a very basic way of living.  

Bravo, Suzanne Collins! Bravo!

2012: The Year of Running!

If it's on "The List" (conveniently located to the right column of this blog), then it must be done. And, yes, that includes a full marathon. After today, I'm signed up for three half marathons and my very first FULL MARATHON -- not including the many other runs ranging up to 20 miles in order to train for this beast.

This makes 2012 is the Year of Running! Part of me thinks I've lost my mind and I did slightly begin to hyperventilate as I signed up for my third half marathon of the day... but I think this will be a good thing.... right? :) It will definitely be an interesting ride and I look forward to pushing myself to the limit to see how far I can go -- physically, yes, but metnally as well.

As the great Arnold Schwarzenegger once said...

"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent."

Here's the line up so far of official races in addition to the training schedule I will torture myself with - who's joining me?!?1

April 15 - My dad and many good friends will be joining me back home in Corvallis. Thanks for inspiring me to do this, Ali!

Website: www.corvallishalfmarathon.com

May 6 - Venturing up north to Canada for what looks to be an incredible route! Get ready to rock Vancouver, Erik!

Website: www.bmovanmarathon.ca/ 

May 20 - Headed down to PDX to spend some quality running time with my friends Brittany, Dave, Erik, and who else?!?!

Website: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/portland

June 23 - The big day.... the FULL MARATHON. One way or another, with all of you as my witnesses, I WILL finish this.

Website: http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/seattle

Who's with me to see what you can really do when you don't let your mind stop you??

I won't give up on us...

Love this song....