Do the Peru

So, I did do the Peru. And here are the photos to Peru-ve it. Finally posted (a characteristically overproflicitude of) pictures from Christmas through the first part of January. Allow me to present some more highlights before you find enough time in your busy, Real World life to let the photos & captions relay some of my fortunate life in the past weeks.

Cusco: Heart of the Incan Empire and Tourist Consumerism. Lots to see and do, and I got to meet up with some friends from college (go Model UN!) and the language school in Ecuador because it was SO the place to be during the 2007-2008 transition. http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Cusco

New Years Eve, in Cusco: http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/NewYearsEve
No better way for a gringa to keep herself warm in the outdoor cold air than boxed wine. The Plaza de Armas in Cusco was full of festivity - tons of people, fireworks, booze, and running around the plaza!

Sacsayhuaman: An important Incan site overlooking Cusco City, though my favorite part is the name, for it literally sounds like Sexy Woman. Maybe because that was my nickname in high school. http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Sacsayhuaman

Sacred Valley: And bathrooms must be sacred, too, because they were kept well hidden. This day tour of Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero was more exercise than the endurance class 24 Set at the gym, with all of the climbing, walking, and continually trying to find our guide among the millions of other tours (akin to the skilled game of ¿Donde es Jualdo?) http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/SacredValley

The Big MP: You just have to go there, I cant really offer you much with photos. Except a glimpse at the constant rain and fog on the day we went (of course, it was gorgeous and hot the day prior). My friend, Al Paca, "hung out" with me. http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/MachuPicchu

Puno: More of a place you just sleep in while visiting Lake Titicaca, we took an interesting day bus tour there from Cusco to make it more of an experience (and by interesting, I mean that I do not remember anything about any of the places we went, but I like the photos! I will just make up stories about their relevance when I show the pictures to my family, which I mention because only people who are FORCED to love me will endure the hours of going through my South American photos one by one. Mwhahaha, that´s love). http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Puno

Lake Titicaca: The floating islands of Uros are amazing, with people going about their daily life activities (which now include hosting a crapload of tourists, sigh) on these man-made masses of floating reeds, which truly did float my boat. Or at least the one made of reeds that we took a little ride on. We also stayed with a Quechan host family on Amantani island, who endured me butchering their language as well as Spanish. But they still gave us great food and dressed us up in traditional garb for a fiesta! http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/LakeTiticaca

Arequipa: Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, in my opinion only because of the intriguing Santa Catalina convent. My inner Japanese tourist had a field day taking shots of the vibrant colors, interesting architectural angles, and scary religious figures. http://picasaweb.google.com/dcromp/Arequipa

Woooo Peru.