Every October Colombia mandates that schools take a week off for vacation. For this extra free time we joined another family for a trip to Peru and Ecuador. It was 9 days packed with flights, busses, trains, taxis and even a boat. The only mode of transportation we didn’t take was helicopter… and since none of us intended to be med-evac’ed we have to live with the disappointment. Since a vacation like this is lived through experiences, it’s hard to really describe the many things we did… so I’ll just share the top 5 moments of this trip!
#5- Basilica in Quito- Ed always calls me a cathedral snob.. but after touring Europe and seeing some of the largest cathedrals in the world it’s hard to be impressed by every one. The Basilica in Quito surprised me! It was huge, decorative and full of amazing stained glass. I also enjoyed how the architects used animals from Ecuador in the designs- such as the gargoyles were alligators, turtles and lizards.
#4- Islas Ballestas- About 4 hours south of Lima is a national reserve home to a large number of wild-life. In order to see the islands through we had to take a boat. While on our way towards the islands we had a group of wild dolphins give us a show. The islands themselves are home to sea lions and all sorts of birds- including penguins. This was my second time here (also hit this place up when I was in Peru in 2009) but both times were amazing. Nothing beats seeing God’s creation in it’s natural environment!
#3- Cuy- Commonly known as guinea pig- it is a traditional Incan food, now served to tourists and found all over the Andean mountains. What did I really think? Well it was a little greasy and doesn’t have much meat. But it was a fun experience none-the-less.
#2- Ecuador- Literally translated as Equator- we were able to visit a point where the northern and southern hemispheres meet. What’s interesting is the monument is actually about 500 meters off from the real equator. When first built the line was miscalculated and it was too late to adjust the monument. Oh, well! It makes for great photos!
#1- Machu Picchu- the ruins of the Inca capital. I have always heard it was breath-taking and it did not disappoint. To arrive to the hidden city we had a combination of a plane, mini van, train, and bus. It was worth the hassle of transportation and exploring was absolutely amazing. As with any amazing site pictures cannot do it justice.
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