Random Photos

Some photos from Bolivia and Chile:

Hat vendor at the El Alto market - Bolivia

La Paz, Bolivia

La Paz, Bolvia

Isla del Sol - Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

El Alto market - Bolivia

Feeding the pigeons - Plaza Murillo, La Paz

Southeastern Bolivia, somewhere near the Chilean border

Bolivia

Bolivia

La Paz view from El Alto

Atacama Desert, Chile

Using the blown out white line on my camera to my advantage

Notes from Machu Picchu

Notes - February 2, 2011 - Agua Calientes, Peru

"I wouldn't call myself a Coldplay fan. Off the top of my head I can't name any songs and I certainly wouldn't pay the exorbitant amount of money to see them live. Yet, it is strangely comforting to hear them come on the TV(which only gets 3 channels) in a dark, musty and run down hostel in the middle of Peru when you've had minimal recent contact with anything familiar. Some random song I had heard dozens of times as background music came on while I was balancing on one foot on a dirty, wet sock to avoid skin-to-floor contact. It is the first hostel I've ever stayed in where I was afraid for my skin to make contact with anything and everything. And I had seen some crappy $7 a night rooms previously.

About 30% of the walls in the building are made of heavyweight cardboard, foamcore or flakeboard. Fortunately our room had 4 walls. Everything is always damp whether it was ever actually wet or not(and consequently smells moldy) due to the fact it apparently never stops raining from November through March(rainy season). A missing doorknob on the outside of the bathroom serves as a "lock." A 2 foot square conveniently missing from the shower wall serves as a window and ventilation. And a bare bulb dangling from the pale green, water-stained ceiling is the only source of light. Yet, all being said at $7 a night for a private room with a window and a hot shower it is entirely doable. It was the best of 6 hostels we saw and being a backpackers destination they know some people are willing to spend $7 for anything. In Agua Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu, you are here for ruins, hiking and nothing else. Set in a beautiful location 3.5 miles from Machu Picchu, it is tucked away in a tiny valley with enormous mountains and cliffs all around. It is a poor town with tourism practically being it's only source of income. It's always dark and rainy, every local wants to sell you something, every restaurant has nearly identical menus and there is almost nothing in the way of nightlife. Oh, and of course there are hot spring pools on the edge of town(agua calientes).

Today has been the highlight of my trip so far and to say the least, Machu Picchu far exceeded any expectations I had. The morning started off rainy and foggy with minimal visibility. So at 6:00am Camila and I wandered the ruins with no knowledge of what was 30 feet ahead.

For this exact reason I enjoyed Machu Picchu even more. Walking into the park, the first real sight you get of the ruins is from the typical view point you have seen in a million photos. But the fog gave us no clue of that. The rainy season is the low season for obvious reasons and for now the place was empty. For the first 2 hours it felt like we were exploring the entire mysterious ruins on our own.

Soon enough the rain subsided, the fog dispersed and Machu Picchu and its surrounding, jaw-dropping beauty began to reveal itself. The ruins themselves were spectacular, though I'd seen enough photos in the past to know what to expect. I found myself more blown away by the mountains in every direction for as far as you could see. Near vertical cliffs with bright green vegetation sparkled with near constant moisture, while clouds permanently clung to the towering peaks. I was in a trance. Every few feet I couldn't help but stop and stare and take an excessive number of photos. It made Lake Tahoe look like New Jersey. To say the least I had never experienced anything similar in my travels. Especially on the hike up to Huayna Picchu for 360 views that would impress anybody. Guaranteed. The views were all dramatic and the experience in general was unforgettable."

Entrance to Machu Picchu

6:00am

Llamas

Llamas

Machu Picchu revealing itself

8:30:am

The road up to Machu Picchu from Agua Calientes

Río Urubamba

Machu Picchu

Huayna Picchu - hike to the top

View from the top

Very steep steps to get down

Mountains above Urubamba on the drive from Ollantaytambo to Cusco

Peruvian countryside

Sacred Valley



Peru

Random Photos

Some random photos from my trip:

Bolivia

Southwest Bolivia

Sand boarding south of Antofagasta, Chile

An example of the problem with my camera. The blown out white strip on the left is present in all photos except those taken at night with a slow shutter speed. It forces all photo to be cropped down or made into panoramas, like the ones above and below.

Skateboarder - Antofagasta, Chile

Antofagasta

Antofagasta

There are thousands of stray dogs roaming the streets throughout many countries in South America. They were always present during my trip from Lima all the way through Bolivia and into Chile. They are largely ignored by most people and never seem to be talked about. I find this minority population fascinating. They hang out in the same places people do. On the beaches, in the markets, in plazas and main streets throughout cities and towns. Most are friendly and some will follow you for hours hoping for food, but also looking for company. A significant number are malnourished, have diseases, injuries and other ailments. Dogs in major cities have better chances of survival, but those in small towns or seasonal tourist areas struggle in the off seasons. I photographed dozens of dogs during my trip and soon will release a portfolio of the best images.

Return from South America

A few days ago I returned to New York City after an exciting, productive and exhausting two month journey through Peru, Bolivia and Chile. As usual, after returning from an extended trip, I seem to be stumbling through life filled with a variety of confusing and conflicting feelings. I am happy to be back to see friends and family, to do the things I love in New York (mostly involving eating) and to upload and begin editing thousands of photos. I am slow to get back to the grind of daily life, but equally anxious to find work, pay bills and begin saving for my next trip, whatever that may be. And of course, my greatest desire is to be back there, exploring a land that is unfamiliar, inspiring and overwhelmingly beautiful.

Processing two months of photos, notes and memories is no easy task when practically every day was filled with something of significant interest. I'll begin with a few unedited entries from my notebook.


"Peru has been a great time so far, despite the fact I was quite sick for the first eight days. Last years trip to Chile and Argentina yielded minimal stomach issues from drinking the water and eating whatever the hell I wanted. So I assumed Peru couldn't be much different. Unfortunately, years of grossly extended five second rules and minimal hand washing couldn't prepare me for Peru's substandard sanitation conditions. In hindsight, my first meal in Peru probably shouldn't have been a plate of ceviche, 4 pisco sours and a glass of water. But was it the best ceviche of my life? Yes. Was it worth eight days of hugging a toilet? Probably.

Across the country the standard of living is significantly lower than anywhere else I have been, so far. Bolivia will not doubt surpass Peru. The overall lack of control and law is refreshing. A majority of driving laws are generally ignored and looking into poorer neighborhoods it's hard to imagine things like building permits or safety inspections exist. Being from a well-to-do American suburb where you can't fart without getting glared at, I always appreciate disorganization and a lack of law enforcement.

As a whole, Peruvians appear to be hardworking, but it is never really clear what they are doing. Walking through the streets you'll pass a man moving dirt from one pile to another. A woman sorting potatoes into seemingly uneven piles. A man building a wobbly brick wall in the middle of a field. And women with huge blankets on their backs filled with food, salable goods and a baby or two trekking for miles, uphill, in the middle of nowhere, at a slow and steady pace.

To say the least, I find life in Peru quite fascinating. Markets, corner stores and bus rides are more interesting than they have ever been in the US. It is a country with incredible food (with the ability to ruin weak American stomachs) rich culture and breathtaking scenery. It is a place where everything is cheap, and you can always get it cheaper. If you know how to ask. Religious celebrations are an excuse for the police to turn their backs and allow everyone to get wasted in the streets and dance, eat and fight all night long. In Lima, the traffic may be beyond obnoxious, the pollution terrible and the city less than exciting. Yet, they have some of the most incredible sunsets I've seen in years and some excellent restaurants."

Sunset - Barranco, Lima

Sunset - Miraflores, Lima

Sunset - Miraflores

Best raw fish I've ever eaten - Edo Sushi, Lima

Peruvian countryside