Machu Picchu

My first view of Machu Picchu! It really is as incredible as one might think. I recommend you all go right away!

Andes, at the base of the Amazon.

One of the many llamas we saw there! We even saw one hiking up Wayna Picchu.

At the bottom of the photo is the Inca Bridge. It was built as a secret entrance for the Incan army.

On the second morning, we woke up at 4am and got in line for the bus to Machu Picchu at 5:15 so that we could get passes to hike up Wayna Picchu- the mountain in the distance. They only allow 400 people on this mountain each day, and everyone know that this is THE hike to do while you are there, so that's why waking up so early was necessary.

View from the top! We hiked almost straight up for about an hour- it was so incredible! There are ruins up there as well. Look how small the ruins seem below!

Masters domination

Standing on a cliff, with the trees below!

Pretty incredible, huh?

In the afternoon on our last day at the park, the storm clouds rolled in. It is the rainy season in Peru, which is considered the tourist 'down' season as well. Most go from about May to September, when it is dry. We very much lucked out with the weather because prices are low, the weather was warm and no rain!

This was the end to my phenomenal adventure in South America! I really do hope to return someday- I'd like to spend much more time in Argentina and go to Iguasu Falls and the other side of Patagonia! But that will likely be a long ways away...

Thank you to those who read this blog! I know I will look back on it with fond memories and it was fun to be able to share all of this with my friends and family. Chao!

Final days in Chile

My dad and I on a boat tour of Valparaiso. My dad and his friend, Jeff loved Valpo as much as I did!

We toured a vineyard in Chile- Cousino Macul.

The underground cellar.

We also went hiking just outside of Santiago.

Las Cascadas de las Animas.


A glimpse of Cusco, Peru. This is in the Plaza de las Armas. I really liked Cusco- it was the center of the Incan empire and then taken over by the Spanish. There are amazingly old cathedrals and churches throughout the city. We spent a day in Cusco to aclimate, then 2 in Machu Picchu, then one day to see the sights in Cusco and another day in Lima, Peru and we flew out very early the following morning (about 4am).

Chao Chile

Alejandra and Hector, good friends of Erika, had me, my dad and his friend Jeff over for a final 'asado' or a long bbq, basically. It was nice to have my dad meet my host family and I think they really enjoyed the exchange! We at GREAT food-- lots of salads, good meat, wine, pisco and about 3 desserts, too!

My host family.

Just part of the feast.

With Alejandra and Hector.

These photos come from a final dinner with my study abroad group! Our professors came and we had a big meal at a restaurant in Valparaiso.

Me and Emy- my service learning partner for the semester.

CSBSJU Study abroad group! We had 6 boys, out of 27 people in total. I had a great time getting to know this group and we are already planning our Chile reunions when we return!

A group of lovely ladies!

Patagonia

Parque Nacional Torres del Paine

A guanaco [type of llama indigenous to S. America] crossing the road on the way into the park.

This is before you even get in!

Jumping for joy inside the park! We took a sort of bus tour for our day in Torres del Paine. Ideally we would have liked to hike more, but we would have seen way less of this huge park and it was great for the little amount of time that we did have. We had two hiking opportunities, which we took advantage of.

A waterfall. The water is that lighter blue because it comes from a glacier, instead of regular lake water.

That is a hotel where it is $1000 a night to stay in! Maybe someday...

The view from where we ate lunch.

In the back left, you can see a glimpse of Glacier Gray. This ice is obviously remnants of that glacier.

Seno Otway Penguin Colony

near Punta Arenas, Chile

Strait of Magellan

On Sunday, our last day, we took a ferry across the Strait of Magellan to the region of Tierra del Fuego, an archipelago at the southernmost tip of S. American mainland (taken straight from Wikipedia). We went to the largest town called Porvenir, which is actually pretty small with not much to do. We did go to a musuem and learned about the Selk'nam indigenous people in Tierra del Fuego, had some delicious king crab in a restaurant and headed back to the ferry!


OY! My Dad leaves for Chile tomorrow and will arrive Wednesday morning! I have to do a final for one class and finish up a few other loose ends in other classes, but I can see the light at the end of the homework tunnel!