Giving Thanks at Machu Picchu, Peru

Happy Thanksgiving 2010 is all I have to say. Who knew that I would be standing on top of

David Wolfe and Peru Gang, Wayna Picchu

WaynaPicchu (the mountain which watches over the ruins) giving thanks this year. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate than to be taken with all its glory. To sit and wonder why I am so blessed in this life. To bow down to the young and ominious Andes in all their jagged rock and green vegetation. To celebrate living on this planet. That’s a reason to give thanks, a big thank you for being alive in this moment in time. Pacha mama (Mother Earth) is a great source of energy in all her magesty.. if you attempt to tap in, you’ll feel it, experience it, relish in it. She’s alive and kicking and we are all connected to her in a very big, big way.

Our group (David Wolfe’s Adventures) wanted to be one of the very first people in line to get the stamp we needed to climb Wayna Picchu. They only allow

Early Morning at Machu Picchu

400 people access to this spectacular view of the valley, a very steep and windy trail that takes about an hour and half… but worth every breathtaking stone

Early Morning Bus Line, Aguas Calientes

step. So, all 40 of us were up at 2:30 in the morning to stand in line for the very first bus which left Aguas Calientes at 5:30am. Yes, it sounds a bit ridiculous, but I like many of us, have waited a lifetime to visit the sacred site.. so I was ready to do whatever it took. I was impressed with the determination of our clients – who believe it or not, managed to be on time and prepared for the rainy weather which unleashed itself at about 3am. Fortunately we were able to wait for the bus underneath an awning. To tell you the truth the rain felt soooo good, so cleansing. I have been in Peru for two months now and had not seen rain – even though it is the beginning of the rainy season. The farmers have been praying for a good downpour so they can finally plant their crops. Did I mention I hate lines so, so, so much? It’s what we had to do though. Other groups were right behind us and by 3:30, the line was 4 blocks long.

The drive to Machu Picchu is only about 20 minutes by bus up a very windy (and I must say ugly road). I wish

Machu Picchu, Peru

they hadn’t put the road in because I think to see Machu Picchu you should have to work for it, climb the stone

In Silent Awe

steps up for the 2-hour trek. I know it is not feasible as a business… but damn, the road they cut into the mountain side is just plain ugly from above.. and distracting.. and to accessible in my mind. It was still raining when we arrived and rushed to get in line. About 50 hikers were already waiting. It was foggy as hell, like you couldn’t see a thing. You didn’t know how tall and gorgeous the mountains were around, couldn’t really see any of the ruins. Our group belined it up to a watch tower – the perfect place to catch the sunrise, although this day it wouldn’t happen. Still, even without a visual, you could feel the magic. Since I’ve been practicing more of a barefoot lifestyle, the shoes came off and my feet instantly started taking in the energy of the Apus (mountain spirits) as we waited for the fog to lift. So quiet, so serene, so spectacular

A Picture's worth a Thousand Words

even seeing a small portion of the terraced walls through the fog. A couple of us ladies decided to join hands and stand tall and ask the universe for blue skies, for a better visual to experience this sacred site for all that it is worth on this day of giving thanks. Intention is a magical thing. Soon we had a big hole of blue sky and the fog started moving and lifting. Our entire group started oooing and awing as the grand ruins, the lost city of the Incas introduced itself to us.

Time and time again I kept thinking… how did they do this? How did they manage such greatness on top of such a steep mountain? How did they choose this protected spot? Where did they go? Will they return? Photographs galor, smiles and hugs… lots of tears. I couldn’t help it, I was so filled with emotion and ended up crying and laughing the entire day. Yes, I had seen pictures of Machu Picchu – it is the most recognizable sight in South America.. but somehow a picture can’t capture the grandness or greatness. Not until you are fully presesnt and surrounded does the magnitude finally seep in. Then take it a step further, take your shoes off and feel the energy of this sacred sight. Not

Ladies taking a moment

kidding, about 30 of us did just that and I swear it is the only way to experience the full picture. If you are quiet enough, aware enough, you can feel the energy whizzing through your body… the energy of lifetimes before you… generations who have existed… and then past, opening space for new cultures and  progression. Of course, all of our technology in this lifestime doesn’t compare to the brilliance of the Incas and the Atlantans before them.

I wanted to run, to explore every inch of this holy place.. but that’s not realistic with the amounts

Sean and Juan having lunch

of tourists and tour groups filing in.. so we all kept a fairly slow pace as we weaved in an out of the terraces, walls and royal structures. Our guide gave us the lay of the land, three areas.. one for agriculture, another was where everyone lived, the residential area.. then there is the sacred area for ceremonies and the astronomical area. The set up is astounding and inside I kept thinking, I want to live like this! Forget about the cell phones and computers – let’s create some more roofs and move here, it’s bound to be one of the safest places on earth in the next couple years. As crazy as it sounds, I felt

All smiles at the top of Wayna Picchu

so at home, like I had been here before, perhaps in a different life. What was life like? I could close my eyes and almost see the population walking around doing business. Machu Pichu was a grand trading station for all of Peru and beyond. To date, they’ve found more than 9 separate long trails coming from all directions which lead to Machu Picchu. So far, 45-thousand kilometers, or 30 thousand miles of Inca trails have been discovered… which they believe is still only half. I mean the information is just jaw dropping. This empire was huge. The biggest fact that blew my mind was that the Incas did not build these structures.. rather took the area over. There’s speculation that the people from Atlantis actually built the site some 12-thousand years ago.. then abandoned it for some mysterious reason. The Incas took over and inhabited the place for some couple hundred years.. till they too, abandoned ship, but why? Why would two civilizations both abandon what appears to be heaven on earth?Why did they leave, where did they go.. will they ever return? Or did they leave… could they have just changed form.. maybe the gorgeous trees around the site are all Atlantans.. maybe they went inside the mountain to give strength to the Apu. Who’s to say. All I know, is I feel blessed as ever to afford the time to visit, explore and

Unbelievable Structures, Machu Picchu, Peru

relish in this ancient and mysterious site.

David and gang all seem to make it up to the top of Wayna Picchu and although the group was fragmented on the way up – as we all are in such different condition.. it was nice to meet at the top and to celebrate together in all the glory which was laid out before us. No words needed to be spoken, but you can imagine the looks we all exchanged. My friend Kyra and I found a spot to sit and meditate just below the top and the rest of the group.

The Watcher of Machu Picchu

Again, I couldn’t contain the emotions I was feeling. I wanted to fly. I felt I could fly. I could look to the skies, the mountains the river below and feel the energy of all of them. I was connected, so deeply connected to Pacha Mamma.. she knows I will do anything to save her and protect her. I felt like I was floating most of the time. Our friend Evyonne – who’s scared of heights – challenged herself to the top. We were so proud of her when she came tumbling into our laps. What success, what strength and determination. Such a glorious day. We spent most of the day way up top looking down on the ruins and taking in the mountains

Groovinda digging the view

around us. On the way down, we decided on a different route which took us to these stone houses, almost still fully intact, perched on an outcropping. About 15 of us gathered in the house for some praise and some kirtan. A couple of us girls wanted to take it to the edge, so we climbe down on this platform which literally hung over the river. This, I thought to myself, must have been a very special spot.. but for what? It didn’t matter… it all was truly amazing. Our group definitely was in a different realm than most tourists. One tourist came running up to the top, breathing so heavy he broke us out of our dreamy silence. I asked him to settled down and sit with us for a while.. he responded he had no time, that he ran up tot the top. Then he grabbed his camera and did the most “rambo” like snapping I’ve ver heard or seen. Like a machine gun, he

Brilliant Art

started firing off pictures. Talk about a jolt. His energy came at us like a serpent.. which we had to do everything we could to protect our own positive uplifting and nurturing energy. This is what is wrong in the world. People have no time to stop, to take in the beauty and to respect and honor our great world and all of its diverse beauty. We spent all day on Wayna Picchu. In fact, we were escorted down by one of the guards who was trying to close up shop. My what he must have thought. 25 people, all barefoot and smiling, happy and full of hope. He didn’t

Heading down after a spectacular day!

seem to mind and I along with Sean our spectacular photographer made small talk on the way down. I’m sure we were a different kind of group for him… but somehow, I think he was enjoying our vibe.

My nurturing side was fully present and I made sure everyone was drinking water and such, making sure all knew we only had an hour before the last bus which we MUST be on. Otherwise it was a 2 hour hike down. The group spread out as each felt the need to spent a couple lasting moments to themselves. I met up with a small group and David overlooking another soldier of a mountain. We sat on the terrace and shared mangoes, grenadillas and anything else left as food. The rain was coming our way and we could see a rainbow trying to emerge, however it couldn’t seem to land, rather floated in the sky. Peace, breathing, balance, gratitiude.. a slice of heaven.

Sign of Hope, Aguas Calientes, Peru

As we managed our way onto the bus, each buddy checking for their other halves, an unbelievable scene started to emerge. The rainbow gathered itself and exploded across the sky. I’m not kidding about its strength. In Ecuador I would see a couple rainbows a day.. but this was unreal, the strength, the colors…. Like Mother Nature was bidding us a farewell like no other. Camera’s were going off. We managed to get the bus driver to pause for a moment. One rainbow turned into two, then 3. It bursted into the sky the entire way down the mountain. Stunned, the bus was filled with oooohs and ahhhs. I was sitting next to David and we just kept looking at each other, smiling and shaking our heads. How could we be so lucky, so blessed to witness such greatness. When we arrived at the bottom, tired, dirty and full of bliss… Sean, Yvonne , Justin and I split from the group heading to the hotel to seek out the end of the rainbow. It was crazy, in Aguas Caliente life seemed to be carrying on as normal. Could they not see the beauty above them. The rainbow was now fully across the sky, tears of joy raining down on us. All I kept thinking was…. I am so blessed, I am so in love with this world, I will never take for granted the beauty that has been created for all of us to enjoy. Thank you Planet Earth!

I just got back from an impulsive trip to Lake Titicaca – which was spectacular and much needed water therapy! Sunday I was here at

Arriving at Tequile Island, Lake Titicaca

the hostel in Cuzco talking with a German girl and realized that my time in Peru this trip was winding down, and I hadn’t done as much far away exploring as I’d hoped. Could it be the bus rides to get here from Ecuador ruined me?

I start work this weekend as David Wolfe’s retreat is coming to town and my friend

The high seas of Lake Titicaca

Matt and I will be doing the raw food for them for 10 days. Then I only have a week left before I go back to the states.. and so much to do, visit the jungle, visit the coast, visit Titicaca and the floating reed islands. That later seemed the most doable in a 3-day trip, so I packed a bag and grabbed a taxi to the bus terminal.

Sometimes things just go like clockwork. There was a bus leaving within the hour. A

Gorgeous day for boating!

7 hour bus ride got me to Puno around 10am. I headed straight for the easiest hostel which was right on the main gringo strip – Hostel Monterrey. The guy at the front was a total sweetheart. He got me checked in for 8 soles (basically $2.50) then directed me to the nearest bar. Not that I needed a drink, but I definitely needed to walk after 7 hours.. and as a solo lady traveler, I like to pay attention at night. So I walked up and down this pedestrian street trying to catch some air. I did find one place still open, a raggae Venice looking hole in the wall, that happened to have some pretty good scotch, a night cap never hurt anyone J

I knew I had to get up extremely early to catch a boat to one of the islands. There are dozens of tours offered but I’d rather go it alone and work it out with the locals. I got to the port about an hour early and figured out my round trip for 25 soles ($8.00)

Visiting the Reed Islands and Uros People

now I just had to wait. The scene got pretty ugly really quickly as hordes of tour buses sped in and deposited their large groups.. off the bus, onto the boat and off. I have to say they have it down to a science and I was sure glad not to be in that scene as I watched from afar with some “momitas” who were running the small tiendas where you could buy food and water. I was told the islands have no water and since I feel dehydrated most of the time at this altitude, I bought tons!! I also didn’t have a clue where I was staying or the meal situation, so I bought enough food to sustain myself – not great food.. but snickers satisfies right?

Lake Titicaca is super stunning. It is situated where the Andes meet the high plateau grasslands, like this great big blue gemstone in the middle of all this arid land. The lake is South America’s largest lake and the world’s highest navigable lake with passenger boats. You can definitely feel the altitude in your breathing.. even though when you are looking at the clear blue-green waters, it’s hard to remember you are so damn high. 3826 meters.. around 13 or 14-thousand feet. Now I’ve been living at 11-thousand in Cuzco, so I much more acclimatized than some others on the boat. Still I made note of the extremely thin air.

Tequile Island, Lake Titicaca

I decided to stay the night on the island of Tequile.. which takes somewhere between 3-5 hours (these boats go really slow). The lake is basically split down the middle by

Locals on the Island

the border with Bolivia, so tourists have two options. One is to go out of Puno (which is what I did) and either day-trip to one of three islands, or stay the night. The other option is to take a bus around to Copacabana, Bolivia and visit their famed Isla del Sol. I just didn’t have the time.. but damn I need to visit the Bolivian side sometime, I just saw pictures on the bus ride home of there, highly recommend it.  Tequile is a fairytale on its own. Only 7 km long, this island of 2,000 has no roads to speak of and some very steep stone walkways and steps. It takes a workout to experience this quiet and tranquil way of life. The locals here are in hella good shape, they have no choice!

Local who lives on the island, Uro tribe

On our way out to the island, we stopped by Uros Islands or Isla Flotantes.. which are probably what Lake Titicaca is most famous for. Haven’t heard of them? They are the unique islands made entirely of the totora reeds that grow in abundance in Lake

Woman from the floating islands selling her art

Titicaca. The people of Uros managed to figure out if they weaved enough reeds together, they would float and sustain a community. It’s amazing to see and experience. The first step onto the island is a crazy spongy one, you have to have faith the damn thing is going to hold. There are dozens of these islands each holding 3-7 families. The Uros people began their floating “life” as a way to isolate themselves from the aggressive Colla and Inca tribes. Nowdays it is pretty damn commercialized and they people know exactly how to pose for pictures and to bargain prices. Most don’t speak Spanish but either Quechua or Aymara, two native tongues. They use the reeds for everything. Boats, benches, houses, islands, arts

Primitive Meals

and crafts.. they even eat the reed, so it provides food too – don’t know how good it is or how

Life on a floating island

nutritional.. but pretty darn incredible huh? I just had to buy something from these people and help support their livihod. Maybe I’m a sucker.. but it is beautiful artwork and it afforded me a great conversation with my friend Julia who has 5 kids, bless her heart. It was nice to hear 4 o them were at school. It’s a life of hard continuous work. The Uros must lay down new reed every two weeks so they can keep up with the amount rotting away on the underside. They assured me some of the islands had been around for 20 years, so they must be doing something right. Imagine though, it’s like winter proofing your house every two weeks. We in America just don’t know what hard work is sometimes. As our boat passed through, we saw all sorts of men and women harvesting

Island Life, Tequile, Lake Titicaca

reeds for who knows what reason. Could be a patch job on the ole island, or time to make a new boat. The trip was already worth it and I hadn’t even reahed my destination.

I had some really cool moments on the boat trip. One was sharing my ipod music with one of the local gentlemen. If you can share 5 songs with another culture what would they be? A very hard questions and at the time, I went with old stand by like Paul Simon and the Steve Miller Band, mixed it with some Bob Marley and the Shins. I stayed up on the top deck the entire time, a lot of it by myself which was perfect. I got to meditate and soak in all the gorgeous healing energy the waters provide.. and to BE in the present. Such an amazing scene, I think I smiled the whole time.

When we arrived, the chore became hiking yourself and your possessions up to the town square which  is located in the middle of the

Tequile Island, Lake Titicaca

island with great views. I grabbed a quick lunch at one of the only restaurants there (everything closes for dinner) and a beer never tasted so good. I then quickly found a family to stay with for the night. There are no hostels or hotels here. While touristy,

Happy and Peaceful, Island Time

most come for just the day.  I had been told to get a real taste of island life, you stay the night, so that’s exactly what I did. I negotiated a room plus dinner and breakfast, dropped my bag off and went exploring. Oh what a damn cute island. The locals have obviously been doing some work. There is one main stoned path that reaches from one end to the next. I first took this path out to this white sandy beach, where I instantly took off my shoes and waded in. I had the intention of skinny dipping in the clear blues waters.. but also didn’t want to scare or offend anyone, so decided to keep the clothes on. The water was perfect temperature. Cold definitely, but not like glacier cold, like the lagoons at Ausangate. This water was refreshing and crystal clear. It reminded me somewhat of Lake Tahoe.. but with a much calmer feel. You could easily mistake Lake Titicaca for an ocean if you didn’t know. I then jammed it down to the other side of the island to visit the ruins. Stupid me forgot my camera so I only had an instant to work with, which sucked… tied to only 27 pictures There are paths and walkways weaved all over this island and it could be very hard to navigate in the dark, I made note. I hit the ruins at the most

Tequile Island, Lake Titicaca

perfect time to catch a sunset. Ahhhhh, the peace and quiet of the island absorbed my thoughts. The ground below me, the wind in my ears, my heartbeat, the warmth of the sun. This is what it means to be connected to Planet Earth, to truly relish in her divine beauty. Love you Titicaca, thank you for existing and for affording me this pleasure!!

Made it back to the house just in time to sit and break bread with another young couple. I pulled out a bottle of red wine and some nori and olives to “perk” up an otherwise very bland dinner of potatoes, corn, rice and eggs. That’s the big downer about these islands. It’s too high of altitude to grow really good vibrant colored

The Perfect Ending to the Perfect Day!

vegetables and fruits, so they stick with the basics which can grow.. and have to buy the rest from Puno. Of course, we are talking about very low wages and well, a red bell pepper I just don’t think they would pay for. We ate by candlelight and watched the most spectacular lightening storm roll in on the other side of the lake. Cloud to cloud lightening all night long, seriously. I got up to go to the bathroom around 3, the light show was still going off, so I grabbed my sleeping bag and sat outside for a bit. Such a cool scene to have all the stars above and the ominous clouds and lightening strikes in the distance.

I managed to make it up before sunrise and to hike up to another section of ruins for meditation. Cold and windy, then the sun hits and life seems to just glow. The boat to come retrieve me and others was scheduled for 2pm, which was a long ways away and I had explored every inch of the island. What to do. After talking with some locals, I heard of a collectiva leaving around 9am from the other side of the island, so I put on my backpack and hoofed it over, passing so many children on their way to school. You wouldn’t believe how steep of a hike they have each day just to go to school. Again, I realize that perhaps we don’t’ know what tough is in America. These kids were so happy and smiley and they all were eager to say hello at the tall redheaded gringa. The boat didn’t leave on time, however it did go. I wish I had a picture. It was me and 10 local guys all dressed in their regional attire, red stocking caps which resemble Santa’s helpers, black pants, brightly colored thick cloth belts, little vests and huge smiles. Oh how I wish I had a picture to share!

It’s a good thing I took an early boat as absolute drama at the bus terminal. Turns out there’s a protest happening down the way and no busses are leaving for two days… 2 days!! That just can’t be. I need to be back in Cuzco to meet my group. How can this be? Only in South America. I was told it was way too dangerous for any bus to try to get through and that the roads were blocked off. Shiiiiit. Fortunately I happened to be there when two guys from Spain said screw it and talked two taxis into taking 8 of us backroad around the protest to a different town where we could catch a bus. It was like a damn movie I tell you. Super back dirt roads in the middle of nowhere. These taxi drivers were angels and I think they enjoyed the renegade trip. It was super dusty and dirty and took about 2 hours.. but all of a sudden we popped back out on a paved road and the town of Juliac was 30 minutes away. Grabbed a bus… and just like that, I’m back in my bed in Cuzco with visions of Titicaca to put me to bead. Ahhhhhh, such a nice trip!!

Mountain Animal

If you didn’t know, llamas and alpacas are the animals you see most here in Peru, at least up at this elevation. I had never really given them much thought before arriving here. They are awkward cute animals who seem one part curious, the other half scared to death. There are actually two more types which are less known called the Vicuna and the Guanaco, four in all. The llamas is the largest of the four and is used as a pack animal as well as for its  wool. Believe it or not, these funny looking animals can carry up to 55 pounds which is large compared to their size. Alpacas are much smaller and will be a lot furrier most times. They are almost exclusively used for their wool which is finer than sheep’s wool and the preferred type used for clothing – althought I’ve seen many

Giving Animals

restaurants with Alpaca on the menu as well as the poor little guinea pig – so sad!

On my bike trip to Pisac, I stopped by this farm which happens to be an association of several indigenous towns. They’ve banned together to generate money and have established somewhat of a petting zoo and educational establishment about the use of their dear animals. It proved to be a much needed break from the bike (my seat was killing me) and such a wonderful experience. One of the “tour” leaders allowed me to put my bike on the side so I could  walk around in all my biking gear and check the place out.

The wool from both animals is truly part of their tradition and how many indigenous people in this area still make their money. Man oh man what gorgeous designs and patterns they can make, such a useful skill to have. I was told by one woman they she learned how to weave when she was just 7 years old. She looked to be about 25 now.. and so very fast at her work. I find speaking Spanish affords me much

Gorgeous and skilled Peruvian at work

more opportunities to connect with people. While the rest of the gringos snapped away pictures without asking or even trying to muster up an “hola” hello, I sat right down and started chatting with the cutest little boy and

My spirit child

his mom and what looked to be another friend. They were all dressed up in their traditional wear and their purpose was to pose for pictures. You can imagine their surprise when I started to speak to them and ask questions. I love connecting with kids, probably because that is about the level of Spanish I speak these days, although it is getting much, much better. I managed to get the boy laughing at my terrible language skills and facial expressions. Once you get the kid, the adults usually follow which they did. Love this little boy. Actually I fall in love with kids here in Peru over and over again. Guess my clock is ticking J Although the place was quite touristy, I loved seeing communities to ban together and benefit from the flux of people coming through the area – good for them I thought. They each take turns posing for pictures and showing foreigners the fruits of their labor. Incredible work, the time-consuming skill is one to always respect. Handmade products.

One part of the place was set up exclusively to show visitors how they take the natural wool, spin it into thread (you see a lot of women sitting on the

All Natural Wool and Dye

sidewalks in Cuzco doing this while they wait to sell items or wait for the bus, basically I’ve seen women hiking

Estefen, 3 years old

the hills spinning.) then dye it with natural plant and minerals to get vibrant colors. Of course more cute kids were helping out with the whole process. This little one Esteven must have only been 3 years old! His sister just

Starting at a young age

5 and both were putting in some colorful work. One of the bright magenta colors comes from squishing parasites that grow on the outside of cactus leaves. They pick them off, then squish them and use their “blood” as dye. I love, love, love the idea that all the colors are natural and from plants and other earth matter – just like they’ve been doing for decades!

After spending about an hour completely enthralled at the process, I just had to buy something. One thing is for sure, their beautiful work is not cheap, no way you cut it.. you are paying for this skill. Since I was on my bike I didn’t want to get anything to heavy – I was already having a

All Natural Dye

tough time climbing hills, no more weight needed.  I ended up buying a hat and a couple book marks, each with

Feeling the love!

its own unique patter. Some represent the area in which they live, their tribe or maybe the most important items. I saw some spectacular tapestries for the wall, such vivid colors and seriously cool designs.

I know this is weird, but I want to learn how to sheer an alpaca. They say one can produce up to 8 pounds of wool every two years. I also wouldn’t mind learning how to weave – you never know when it might come in handy. I’ve had to really hold back from buying everything in sight. I’m in love with all the vibrant colors they like to wear, even more so now that I know the long process it takes to create. One woman might work on a mantel piece for more than a month before completing it and putting it up for sale. It makes you appreciate every piece you buy and wear, no factories here.. at least not yet!

Pisac Ruins, a room with a view

and faith. I sometimes now want to pinch myself to be sure I’m in the right lifetime, because the adventure and exploratory missions are so profound these days. I know I’ve been shaped through the years of crazy travel experiences, but now this soul journey –spirit quest – is kicking my ass it so many fantastic ways. I’m learning to stretch and grow a dwarfed side of my existence on this earth.  It is the art of being quite, connecting with planet Earth, immersing into a different culture, honing intuition, being present in every moment letting go of expectations and relishing on the enlightened path. There’s nothing like a magnificent ancient civilizations imprint on this earth to make you feel so insignificant, to realize how far away from nature we’ve become. The Incas are teaching me thousands of years after their existence.

Absorbing the Energia

I know, even I think I can sound so hippie these days, but I write every honest word I am experiencing as I grow. I’m seeking like the rest of the millions of people on this earth. The good news is that number is increasing as times get worse and more confusing, deceitful. There’s hope though, I feel it in my bones and my head is in the right set of clouds I think. That has a lot to do with my new friend Alex Putney, who’s breaking all molds in his theories for the future. He told me about Pisac, that it would be a special and unique adventure… then I decided to add more thrills to it all by setting out on a mega day – I can barely keep my eyes open as I log the days activities – my body is already asleep and it is now just the direct route from my head to my hands.

Pisac is a pueblo (town) about 34 km northeast of Cuzco. Although it is much lower than the big city, as it sits at the entryway to the Sacred Valley here in Peru, there’s a mega ass hill to climb to

Riding bikes into the town of Pisac, Peru

get to that valley. When I asked while renting my bike, they said it is very much up and down – the road to Pisac. I forgot that locals are used to climbing all the time. San Francisco has nothing on Cuzco. Just to get to my hostel from the main plaza, I climb over 200 steep steps – and I picked this hostel to be closer to Sacsayhuaman, a very energetically charged ruin which sits about 1000 stairs more above the downtown area. I love riding bikes, that’s no secret. I love a challenge, a good suffer fest to remind myself I’m alive. I just forgot how much suffering I might do at this elevation. Although I’ve been here for days now, altitude can always be felt at 11-thousand feet. I got myself somewhat conditioned by hiking up to Sacsayhuaman every morning to meditate. But my lungs hadn’t been put to the test yet.

So at 5 am (which is my usual wake up time it seems here) I got up, fixed myself some tea and a green drink (I’ve introduced it to a the family who runs the hostel, alright reviews which I see as a good sign). and looked at the ominous skies. It had rained and thundered last night (so welcomed, so cleansing as long as your not caught out in it). I was told it was to rain all day, although there was a break at the moment. My young good looking friend Julio which I met at a restaurant here was the one who came up with the bike ride idea… and I

Mi Amigo, no show!

didn’t want to cancel, so I packed a bag full of goodies, including an extra pair of clothing in case I got absolutely soaked, gloves, hat, warm stuff and headed down to the plaza to grab a rental. Leo – the young Peruvian who practiced his English on me the day before met me at the shop at 7am. Now, for $20 I was hoping for a bit better looking bike. It was definitely more like a downhill mountain bike instead of cross-country and I started kicking myself right away for not looking at the bike and checking it out BEFORE the trip. But the tires

Biking to Pisac, the Sacred Valley, from Cuzco

were inflated, the brakes worked and I could adjust the seat, so off I went. Julio never showed, so I was on my own. Instantly the road climbs up at out of Cuzco, the same road I could see on my way up the old steps to the ruins each morning, so I knew a couple of the twists and turns. I made it about halfway before my heart was going to jump out of my body and I had to get off and walk. Hey, no ego here, not at this point in my life, not at this altitude. Once up on the plateau it seemed like the climbing never ended and I started to reconsider my day. However, the scenery continues to blow my mind. I had a “get it together” talk with myself. Yes, I was suffering and my legs were already tired. But then I would look at the dozens of Peruvian women and men heading down to the market with piles on their backs twice as big as their bodies. They did this climb up and down from their home every single day. We don’t know suffering, true suffering. These indigenous people only know a life of hard physical labor and I’m constantly dumbfounded by their endurance, their extremely simple lives, great smiles, warm hearts and twinkling eyes!!!

The burning legs, the throbbing butt pain (its been a while since I’ve been on a bike and the seat was massive crap) loads of sweat and heart-throbbing cardio

Sacred Valley of Peru

was ALL worth it when I reached the top of the climb. I saw a totally different side of Peru. I could see lush green valleys hidden away between the ominous Andean Peaks. It was a bit like seeing the Emerald city in the Wizard of Oz for me. I took a rest and just sat and stared at the scenery, so very different from the red clay barren hills surrounding Cuzco. So this is where all the great agriculture takes place. Mother Nature is so damn wicked!! This world we live in is so diverse and gorgeous – if we actual practice giving time to notice.

I found myself whizzing down the valley on the other side with the biggest smile on my face. Lots

The colorful people of Peru

of simple adobe houses, lots of lamas, lots of true indigenous people on their way to the fields, all in their brightly colored clothing. The contrast was a feast for the eyes. I didn’t even bother with pictures as I really am trying to practice being fully present and in the moment. Oh what a fantastic morning. The weather was cooperating, the sun was out and the ground was fresh. And of course, the air here while lacking in oxygen, is so super clean; it’s a pleasure sipping it in!

Pisac is a pueblo that sits down the valley; the road literally zigzags back and forth for miles. At first, the town doesn’t look too impressive. A large gathering of mud houses, tile and tin roofs. The central meeting place for the miles and miles of farmland. It pretty much revolves around one very touristy square with a market. On Sundays, this market draws thousands – that’s why I was visiting on a Monday J I needed food and fast after expending so much energy. Now I always carry a picnic lunch – which is how I’d much rather eat and it

Fresh Empanadas

allows me to be as raw as I want, plus it is cheaper. But I needed a little fix. The restaurants around the square were just waaaay Americanized for me and I refused to go into any one of them. Instead, I talked with locals and found what was the real fare in this town. Empanadas, freshly made in these huge clay ovens, and they had veggie ones too, all for 2 soles. which is less than $1. I grabbed a couple to go, found a lovely family who allowed me to leave my bike at their house (guy forgot to give me a lock) and prepped to take it the ruins of Pisac – ahhhhh, I’ll always remember Pisac and already want to return and take more time.

How to explain, to really allow you to understand the amount of effort it takes to get to this sight. You basically climb a huge ass steep mountain from the moment you step away from the central square. The amount of work and effort building this entryway to the ruins was mind-boggling. It

Some of the hundreds of terraces on the way up to the ruins

starts with a serious of switchbacks through these steep terraced rock walls, hundreds of them. The guidebook said this is where they grew their food; I guess it was too dangerous in the valley at the time of their rule? As I sucked in and out as fast as I could to get oxygen to my heart and brain, I just kept thinking of the millions of hours and thousands of people it would have taken to finish this task. I mean extremely heavy stonewalls, one after another on a really steep face of this mountain. The stone steps just kept going. When I arrived at what I thought from below might be the top, I was met with thousands of more stone steps climbing up, up and up. A Peruvian man in front of me did it all without stopping, slow and steady. He was like this scout leading me up the hill. and kept me from blowing up. I had to give my heart a chance to recover almost every 50 feet. They were welcomed stops too, to take it all in. The pueblo below was now very far away. One mis-step could be trouble. My legs were already tired from the bike ride, now they were being put to the test. I actually laughed at how much they

Soaking in the vibe!

were shaking as I put one foot in front of the other, stone step by stone step. The ruins are a serious of outcroppings and villages, which seemed to go on and one up the ridge.

I couldn’t resist, stopping and sitting down in the old windows, between the ancient stones and meditating a bit. If you can quite the mind enough, you open yourself up to receiving and the energy these beautifully carved stones give off is insane. My friend had told me about it, but to experience it was out of this world. I closed my eyes and focused, both hands touching the sides of the giant window frame. The zap took no time at all.  I could feel the energy pulsating through the palms of my hands and down through my sit bones. I was a conduit, receiving magical energy from every direction. I didn’t think, I just felt, experienced this connectivity I could have sat there for eternity getting off on the surges. With my eyes closed I was totally somewhere else. When I opened them back up, it was like going through a time warp, I was suddenly zapped back to reality – and what a reality it was. Before me I could see up and down the grand valley, the lush green fields below, the red adobe houses dotting the land. As I looked out across the layers of huge mountains I instantly understood why they chose this spot thousands of years ago. Simply heaven on earth. What I would give to truly see Pisac in all its glory days. I wish I knew what was the purpose of each room, each viewpoint. Only about 20% of the empire is still standing, which is an incredible feat on its own. They built their empire to last, that’s for sure.

The next section weaved you in and around natural rock formations, still following the stone steps (dumbfounded at what labor it took to even place each

Pisac Ruins, ceremonial section

narrow step. At one point closer to the top you come to this sheer face of more stoned terraces and very straight narrow steps in the middle. In my head I could hear drumming and imagined some great ceremony about to take place above. Up I went… as I finally approached the main site of Pisac, which was used for ceremonial purposes. To my delight, I heard music resonating through the valley. A local was playing what I can only describe as a flute inside one of the incredibly preserved rooms. The sound made my whole body tingle. I immediately sat down in the middle of the room and closed my eyes… and received the glorious offering for my ears. I was at such peace. Complete therapy, cleansing of the chaos, returning to the sacred womb, going deep within. I don’t know how long he played or how long I sat there but no one else seemed to be around. Thank you universe for this blessing. I ended up buying the flute, which came with a good lesson from this young and talented boy. I will add it to my collection of instruments I’m trying to learn to play.

I spent hours and hours walking around the site, touching the perfectly put together stone walls, feeling their energy and trying to imagine what life was like here in the thick of it. The acoustics inside these small walled houses I’m guessing was incredible. I would stick my head into one of the carved out squares, almost like a window and sing my heart out, lots of Ohmmmming too. Again I say, the vibrational energy was so intense, I had such a wonderful time playing. So much so that the only thing that took me out of my bliss was the sound of huge rolling thunder. I had not been paying attention to the weather but while I had my head between rocks, two very dark and dangerous looking fronts had moved in from both sides of the valley. It was time to get down and fast. There was a part of me so curious to stay and feel the full wrath of these storms from the ancient site. I had visions again of a ceremony taking place, the thunder, the lightening, and the gods speaking to the Incas. The scene had to be absolutely unreal. I could see thunderbolts striking down to the ground from some of the darkest clouds I’ve seen in a long time. With every clap of thunder, the entire valley echoed, the mountain vibrated, a very low and deep rumble. One completely stopped me in my tracks. I wasn’t scared at all, simply amazed at what I was feeling. I am so small, I am so humbled, and I am so blessed for this experience.

My adventure racing skills definitely came in handy as I skirted down all those damn steps as fast as I could, with one eye constantly on the sky. I managed to make it down before the rain set it and watched it unfold from the safety of one of those gringo restaurant decks, beer in hand. I will be back Pisac. What a great introduction to greatness! I understand more and more why I was drawn to this area at this point in my life.

Sacsayhuaman Entrance

These ruins perched high above Cuzco instantly found a place in my heart and deep in my soul. It only took me two days to understand that just past the crest of one of the northern mountains lies an intriguing structure, you just have to climb a thousand stairs to get there!! It’s probably good I waited a couple days to give my body time to acclimate to the 11-thousand foot elevation of Cuzco.

The view from Sacsayhuaman above Cuzco

This huge ruin is the closest accessible ruins to Cuzco.. which made me originally think it would be so touristy and hordes of people (and it may be during the day). One lovely woman gave me the best advice, go there early in the morning.. for free. Yes, they charge for every ruin here, although you can get a tourist “boleto” ticket which allows you to visit many sights.. but just once. Since I’ve always been an early riser and can’t seem to sleep past 5 am here, I decided it was time to visit. (side note, seriously, the sun rises at 5:30-45 and it is fully light out by 5am. I’m not sure how it works here in November or how at this elevation in between all these mountains the sun comes up so early, but I’m going with it).

The ruins open at 7am and that’s when guards and people start arriving. I figured a good two hours by myself would be ample. I threw on my blue poncho which has traveled everywhere with me, my security blanket if you will, and climbed up, up and up. I saw not a soul. It was so quiet, so peaceful. I decided to avoid the actual entrance which brought me up the back side of the ruins. I honestly gasped when I first saw the huge stone zig-zagged wall. How in the hell

Precision work

did they move these stones? How did they cut them so precisely that they fit together exactly like a puzzle.. a gigantic one!!! There are 22 zig-zags which legends has it represents the teeth of the Puma. This ruin makes up the head of the Puma which is the design Cuzco was built upon. They are magnificent!! I immediately went up to the wall and touched my heads and forehead to  it. If you are quiet enough, you can actually hear a buzz of energy. I could feel the

Sacsayhuaman Ruins

energy coming off the rock through my hands. It was mesmorizing!!! I took hours walking in and out of the dozens of structures left – even though what we see today is only about 20% of what was here originally.. which just makes my jaw drop when I think about it. Between the wall and the opposite side which is Rodadero hill, there is a huge flat green field, so I walked to the middle, laid out my yoga mat, sat down and closed my eyes. Here I could be. I focused on staying open to the energies whirling around me. For a moment I felt I traveled somewhere else. When I would open my eyes, I was zapped back to present and time and again shook my head in amazement – that I was looking at proof of an ancient civilization, I was sitting in front of  these incredible structures that have survived and that I was here, right now! When you are faced with such greatness, like being in the mountains for me, you realize how small a part of the world you are.. but we ALL are a part of this living breathing planet and universe. I asked no questions to the universe, I said nothing, but relished in the peace and quiet. I felt balanced and happy. I felt home… strange huh? It was for me.

Meditating on one of the ancient benches carved into Rodadero Hill

Tour groups started arriving and I could see the guards pacing the grounds asking for tickets, so I quietly removed myself from the middle and went up on Rodadero Hill. I soooo wish I knew the importance of this entire site, but when the Spaniards captured the city, they tore down most of the structures on this site to use

The view from Rodadero Hill, looking over the jagged walls of Sacsayhuaman

the rocks for their big houses in town. There’s such a lack of evidence now to really know the precise meaning of Sacsayhuman although they believe it had huge religious purposes. On Rodadero hill, there are these crazy straight and even benches carved out of the stones. The hill itself is like on big rounded stone. These benches are mind boggling. How the heck did they build these with such primitive tools.. or am I making an assumption that the Incans were primitive.. maybe we are the ones who are primitive? I had to sit down in almost every one. They all pointed toward the city.. and had killer views. I could imagine women of royalty sitting in each one of them during a full moon or some other ceremony, looking down on the field and the going ons (the field is suspected of being used for all sorts of athletic games). Again I sat and closed my eyes. For some reason, it’s been the easiest time I’ve ever had meditating. I have no idea how long I sat there. I do know a guard came up and then decided to leave me alone (I heard foot steps so I barely opened one eye).

When I looked at the time, I had been absorbed into Sacsayhuaman for 5 hours!!! I could have stayed all day.. but needed to meet a friend in town. No worries, I’ll be up again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next!

It was my first view of Kyoto from high up. From a distance it looks like just another big city in Japan, heck even walking the streets feels like just another big city, but it’s true charm comes from getting off the beaten path, taking that small side street, wandering the footpaths between neighborhoods, exploring into the hills and parks – that’s when you fall in love with Kyoto.

Another half an hour walk put me at the steps to Kyomizudera, one of Japan’s most popular temples. It stands 4o feet tall and has an impressive large deck held up by a hundreds of  strong pillars. Here the crowds got pretty intense as it has one of the best views. It’s also where you can pray for love – another big one on my list. Supposedly if you can close your eyes and safely walk from one stone in a straight line to the next stone about 50 feet away, you’ll be sure to find successful love. I missed the first time, shiiit. I’m not sure how but I veered waaay off to the left – which means my desire for love won’t be fulfilled. I’m not a quiter, so I tried again and this time, I hit it right on the money. A group of Japanese girls had been watching and cheered for me as I made it, it was a really fun “girls” moment. I decided not to take chances so I paid to pray, then bought a good luck charm AND a fortune in English.. which made me feel better. Another woman in line with me pretty much had the same luck and we both bought all the same things.. then laughed and laughed. I love when you can communicate without speaking each other’s language. I planned on taking some holy water to ensuring even more success but the line was entirely too long and I just couldn’t hang, I had to find some lunch.

I had asked around and was told there was a great little rice and noodle joint I should try nearby, but hell, the line was a block long, so I just picked whatever I could from a street vendor – which happen to be grilled eel that cost me $16… shiiiit – super good, but not worth the money. Eel has something to do with bringing luck in the new year, but I couldn’t quite make it out. I weaved my way through some of the charming old time streets and filled my backpack with all sorts of little gifts for friends at home before arriving at my third and final temple, Nanzenji. This place is huge. It started as a retirement villa for an emperor but ended up being dedicated as a Zen temple in the 1200’s. This place just seemed to go on and on and on. I paid and prayed at as many shrines and temples inside the complex I could before running out of money. Did I mention that it gets damn expensive to hopefully get your prayers answered? I think the holiday season is when all the shrines and temples make their money to support them the rest of the year!

I hopped a bus back into the center of town to go to Nishki market, the main market where you can buy just about anything, maybe even a kid. I only really wanted to go to one store – the famous knife store Aritsugu. I mean, a chef really gets into their knives and these babies are super expensive in the states, pretty damn pricey here too, but of course I dished out a healthy handful of Yen to get my own knife, complete with my name on it – in Japanese of course, the best souvenir possible for me.

The crowds were just too damn intense for any other shopping, besides it was time to get ready for new year’s night… a big night out on the town – well not really. My plan was to go to my friend Masako’s house an hour away – which I did and had a wonderful dinner with her family. We then planned to go stand at a temple and pray in the new year.. but did I mention how damn cold it was? I think she wanted an out and somewhere lost in the translation, I was put back on the train home… which had me bringing in the new year at a transfer train station. Well, you just can’t win them all! So much for the sacred night of New Year’s in Japan! I never liked the expectations which come with this night anyhow…  besides I prayed all day for the great year to come. I think I’m safe!!!

Vilcabamba locals

Now or Never, Ever, Nuptopia 2010. The conference was to be two weeks long and filled with interesting speakers (like myself) and to hold space for discussion about the future and our global situation. Galen’s hope was to come together, learn, grow and start taking action where we see fit.

During opening ceremony Mother Nature took center stage with the most incredible rain I’ve ever seen in Vilcabamba. It was soooo loud that I couldn’t help but look out and stare and laugh. Yes, she was present and wanted us to know she was listening and supporting. The valley needed the rain so badly, it usually doesn’t come in such doses. You got to just love nature, love, love, love planet Earth! The rundown of speakers was incredible and as we went around the circle introducing ourselves, I knew this was a special group and that I should prepare to listen and learn. It was also an incredible way to realize what a unique group of people live right in town. Yes, I see them at pot lucks and knew what some of them did, but I had no IDEA how talented and knowledgeable our community was!! I learned all about the benefits of MMS – so cheap and accessible for people of all economic status looking to heal. At it is providing some amazing results for all sorts of diseases and illnesses, and quickly too – which is why in America they are trying to ban it from use. Can you imagine a world where people could heal themselves without spending tons of money? The medical and pharmaceutical businesses will never stand for it, they’d lose big time!! I also listened to my friend from Guayaquil talk about alkaline water versus acid water (which I’ve been doing now for years). I even got to speak about what raw foods means to me and about the raw lifestyle, what it is, how it works and about reconnecting with our life force, our food. I had such good feedback afterward, it just made my heart sing to share my knowledge with others in a very comforting and open platform!

One guy I met that night said he would be talking about heart beats – it immediately got my attention as I’ve been really into giving heart hugs… do you know what those are? It’s when you hug someone (which I LOVE giving out hugs) so that your heart connects with theirs. Try it.. it feels soooooo goood. Anyhow, I had no idea that over the next 4 days I would be in such deep discussions with this gentlemen. His name is Alex Putney and he calls himself an amateur scientist. What he is proposing is an entirely new concept of  how our earth works with energy, giving and receiving it and how we are all connected to the frequency of our planet. This is far more intense than the ley line theory which believes in a grid system. Alex proposes something mind-blowing and has so much information to back it up. It all makes so much sense. For me he painted a magnificent picture for the future.. meaning 2012.. and according to him, something huge will happen, but it will be beautiful, breath-taking. Those of us who are seeking our higher self and trying to get more in touch with our purpose, our souls and connecting to the bigger picture will have a much easier transition into what is to come. He doesn’t KNOW.. but his theory sounds spot on to me. Anyhow, check out his website because I feel this guy is going to be of utmost importance in the future and I’m so glad we connected and are friends. I warn you, his website is instense, so much information, you must go in with an open mind – seriously I can only be on it for about 20 minutes before I’m on overload. Alex and I laughed many times about that – I was so open and honest about it all being over my head ☺ Ok, his website is www.humanresonance.org. Alex just bought land in Ecuador as well, not in Vilca.. but in the mountains between Quito and Guayaquil.

Our friend Akai that lives in the area and his gorgeous pregnant wife talked about Pranic energy and breath work. They are our token “Breatharians” who

Vibing Zamora, Ecuador and Podocarpus National Park

live off  sunlight and air.. although they do drink some fruit juices. I know it sounds crazy – it did to me too when I first heard about it. When you meet them though, they are glowing, the most loving two individuals I’ve ever set eyes on, oozing love. They have to be on to something, though I’m not ready to give up food, especially as a chef ☺

Another one of our neighbors here in Vilcabamba gave an amazing talk about hypno-therapy and transgression. I could have listen to him for days and I can’t wait to set an appointment with him in the upcoming months. He can help you delve into your past lives and start figuring things out. Yes, I know again this sounds strange but I really believe in past lives – hugely!! In fact many people I know do.. my friend Alex seems to already know two of his. I’ve been made aware through clairvoyants of two of my previous lives which I’d like to explore more!

The topics were all so interesting and so related in the lifestyle many of us are choosing to live, one without stress and deadlines, one filled with love, breathing, compassion and gratitude.. one where we are all seeking a higher self – and becoming aware of our obstacles in this lifetime. Hey, don’t every forget everyone has shit they are dealing with, lots of baggage… but when you finally choose to deal with it, do the work no matter how hard it is – and it can get very hard to look at yourself and all your shortcomings. It’s also a wonderful transformation when you know yourself thoroughly and can ignite beautiful change in yourself.. which then helps our planet. I started with yoga, then raw foods, now I’m meditating every day and tuning into my intuition. I’m listening to my body, my vessel, and it is speaking loud and clear. I’ve learned how to walk forward with no fear and to have faith in the universe that it will provide, I will ask in form of intention and manifestation and it will answer by providing me the means to the end result. It can happen for you too, you just need to take that first step, no matter what that step is, this transformation, your transformation is up to you! Maybe attending a conference which seems out there is YOUR first step. I promise you, there’s nothing better than being around like-minded people who’ve made the choice to transform for the better.

Nutopia, for me was a huge success and one more eye opening experience.. or maybe I should call it, one more sign that I am heading in the right direction for me, onward upward with love, light and happiness!!

Local "Mamita" with her alpaca

My really close friends are so used to my crazy schedule, so this won’t come as a surprise to them.. but I’m now in Cuzco, Peru. When I left the states a couple weeks ago, I was returning to

Getting into the local culture

Vilcabamba, Ecaudor, a place I’ve called home for this year. When I arrived however, my living arrangements were changed drastically. I had been staying at my biz parnter’s guest house and looking after her land, creating a huge organic garden for her and supervising construction. However Jan backed out of our business Raw Trips. She had told me I could stay at her place till January. When I arrived, she asked me to move out. WTF!!! Yes, that was my first reaction. She’s been going through some trying times and I have a feeling she’s projecting whatever on me. We had no big fight, no disagreement, she just said she wanted me out. This really came as no surprise when I thought about how business partner’s go. In fact, I guess I’m nieve to think that friends who go into biz, then one backs out, can still be friends. I had absolutely no hard feelings about the business, got over that really quickly when I saw it was a silver lining for me, the universe was taking care of me – I needed to have faith in that!

the city of Cuzco

Anyhow, long story short, the next morning I had this strong urge, like my gut was yelling GO TO CUZCO, PERU. Now, I’m just learning to really listen to my intuition. It is something that is becoming stronger and stronger the more raw food I eat, the cleaner I get inside and the more I pay attention to HOW I treat my body and soul. If you know anything about Cuzco (which I didn’t except that it was close to Machu Picchu, South Americas most

Cuzco's famous 12 angle rock

spectacular archaeological site) you know it was the center of the Incan Empire, a city formed and planned out thousands of years ago. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city of the Americas. This city is also known for its spirituality and magical energy. It is the hub of South American travel , similar to Nepal, Tibet. Both cities attract thousands because of their unique destination and age-old cultures. I already had plans to come here in mid-November to do the raw food for a tour group. My great friend Matt Samuelson, master raw food chef, asked me to help him with David Wolfe’s retreat over Thanksgiving, and I of course said yes. I mean, what an experience! First I love “cooking” for people and spreading my love through food. Second, I got to do it on the run – which is becoming one of my specialties as I teach all over the world. Third, I got to hang with a bunch of like-minded Americans in a wonderfully old and sacred spot!

Ecuador

So I spent a week in Vilcabamba visiting friends, soaking up the slow-paced life, hiking the hills and attending Nutopia – a conference my friend put together about conscious living these days. I spoke the first nigh about raw foods and it was super well received. Of course, by now the community knows what I can do and are always excited to try my food. Basically I spent a week talking myself out of Cuzco. This has nothing to do with Vilcabamba. I simply love it and will

The market in downtown Cuzco, Peru

return. I left all my stuff at a friends house because I WILL be holding a raw food retreat there in 2011. It is a gorgeous place that everyone should visit, the sacred valley holds its own unique energy and the community is meshing well with the locals – there’s a huge ex-pat community which I love! No, this has nothing to do with Vilcabamba. This urge and pull to Cuzco is from some place entirely different. So I packed a couple bins full of food and kitchen items I need for raw on the road, and a suitcase full of clothes and hopped a bus. Actually two amazingly long bus rides, the first 10 hours, the second 18 hours. They really flew by, I had so much on my mind to think about, reflect and some internal talking to do with myself. I have to do that a lot as I follow this journey of mine to places I would have never guessed. BUT, by the time I arrived in Lima, I just couldn’t bare to hop on another 24 hour bus ride to Cuzco.. so I grabbed a cab to the airport.

A chef's dream, huge variety at the market

Thankfully, there was a flight to Cuzco in about 2 hours.. which is truly amazing because the afternoon flights usually get cancelled because of weather. Cuzco and the energy around it really wanted me to get here!! It could not have gone smoother. I had found a great hosteria beforehand to land for the first couple of days.

Cuzco, is not the prettiest city I must admit. I had the whole “what the hell have I just done” moment when I saw the barren mountains and all the brown, when I was so used to the green in Ecuador. It is a huge city which sits in a pocket between 12 mountains. The city continues to grow up the sides of the  mountains and you can see adobe houses everywhere. We are at 11-thousand feet so not many trees to be found and lots and lots of rock. Hmmmmm, I’m really supposed to be here??? Why am I drawn to this place? Vilca was such a small

The narrow streets of Cuzco, Peru

community, this is a huge city, I want city life again? I was thoroughly confused. Until, I started walking around the steep cobblestone streets, climbing the thousands of old stone steps which weave up each mountainsides, gulping the fresh mountain air and exploring the ruins. The Cathedrals, the ruins, the elevation, it all works so perfectly here. Lots and lots of tourists, as to be expected.. but lots of locals as well. I’ve really gotten to see the REAL Cuzco, what normal life is like here.. and I dig it. My Spanish has improved immensely and I find that since I can speak some, I’m welcomed a lot more than any average tourist. Oh but then not everyone here speaks Spanish. Many of the indigenous people speak the ancient old tongue of Quechua.. which is very difficult to catch. I love these little “mamitas” and “papitas” in

Gorgeous Indigenous couple

their traditional wear – 3 or 4 sweaters on top, 4 to 6 skirts on bottom, along with leg warmers, super simple sandals (I still don’t understand how they climb in them), long braids tied together in the back and their beautiful hats. These are NOT just for tourists, although it is how some make their living, posing for pictures. This is a realy working city and the indigenous people are a large part. I love their smiling, twinkling eyes.. and damn if some of the older ladies haven’t kicked my ass climbing up steep streets.

Ahhhhh, it IS good to be here. I’m still not sure why but I’m waking up every morning with an open heart, a clear mind and a playful soul ready to explore and just BE. Maybe this is my lesson, to be, to experience. Of course isn’t that what my entire live has been? It will be a wonderful day when I realized why I’ve had so many blessed and incredible moments and experiences in this life. This is the life I’ve been given and I will live it to its fullest!!!

I’ve been trying to live my life wide open and ready for anything and I love the freedom that gives me to do anything at anytime. Today

Out for an adventure with Tansar

my friend Tansar who lives here at the same hostel Apu Wasi.. invited me to go the mountains with him. He’s been in Peru for 3 years and has fallen in love with Mt.

Mt. Ausangate, Peru

Ausangate, Peru’s highest and most ominous mountain of 22-thousand feet. He goes to the mountains as much as he can and had already planned it all out with one of his local friends. We would meet them at the bus station in Tinque – 3 hours from Cuzco. We’d then take a cab to Maurio’s house to grab his horses, pack up and hit the trail. I couldn’t resist such an offer.. and well, I’m a sucker for the mountains and camping!

False start in the morning. I got sick the night before and was up all night with a stomach bug, so when that alarm went off at 4:30 a.m.

On our way!

I had to tell Tansar I wasn’t going. Bummer. I fell back asleep only to wake up 2 hours later

Mario, our fearless guide

feeling a 100% better.. but completely bummed that I missed out. Wait, isn’t that Tansar I hear outside my door? As luck has it, the bus didn’t leave at its normal time of 6am.. but was leaving at 8:30 instead. I jumped out of bed and hopped the taxi with Tansar.

We met Maurio at the bus station here in Cuzco. He had already purchased our tickets so all we had to do was jump on. The road is a serious of switch backs which seemed to take forever.. but I managed to catch a few winks and try to heal my body some more. We arrived in Tinque with no problems. Tansar has some super groovy clothes he wears into the mountains, some help him blend with the locals, others make a true statement. He says he likes to dress up for Ausangate. So I needed something too. I decided to buy one of the hats the local women wear, I actually bought it right off the woman, along with some hot pink leg warmers.. yup, style is key when you are going to meet the mountain for the first time. I can’t say my horse minded the

I cracked these locals up!

outfit either. This marked my first horseback trip – and I couldn’t have planned it a better way. Tansar and I would ride while Maurio and Gregorio would lead on foot. It felt odd at first until I was reassured by all that this is normal. We also had one

The Crew

extra horse for our packs. Maurio grew up in these mountains. In fact, his mom and dad welcomed us with the horses when we arrived. Cute damn couple which doesn’t speak any Spanish.. but somehow me and his mom go along very well with lots and lots of laughs.. she loved my new hat and stockings, even helped me fix it so it wouldn’t get blown off my head!

Mario and Gregario

Our destination was Hotel Hilton which sits at the foot of the mountain. A very small community, maybe 20 buildings with awe inspiring views… and HOT SPRINGS.. oh I couldn’t wait to slip on in. Part of the agreement was that I

Hotel Hilton, hot springs as well!

would bring half the food since I was the “strange” vegetarian eater in the group. Between Maurio and I we put on an absolute feast for dinner. I had made a mango salsa beforehand as well as a seaweed salad. While at first timid, the guys all jumped in and loved the spicy food. It’s a good rule of thumb for me, when in the woods, I like to bring spice to my dishes. Of course both Tansar and I had brought wine too. We had a lovely evening, then retired

Going Exploring

upstairs to the most basic of rooms, plastic on the floor with a few simple foam mats that we piled one on top of the other, then covered them with wool blankets. Home sweet home, nice and cozy.

I always have to get up in the middle of the night to go potty. WOW I was completely blown away by the sky, squatting in absolute awe, I could see the shadow of the mountain. I was so excited

My parnter

when I got back in bed, that I couldn’t sleep.. plus the air was super thin and I was having to focus on my breathing. I decided what the hell, I go soak in the springs and watch the day brake. Uh huh, a brilliant plan. I will hold that memory tight for a very long time. Ausangate is a very sacred mountain, the lead mountain if you will in a serious of them they call Apu. which means spirit. I knelt before the mountain in the hot sulphur waters and prayed. Prayed to let go of any hurt or anger or sadness, prayed to find love, to find my purpose, to live a gracious and compassionate life. I asked the Apu to show me the way and guide my on my journey here on earth. It was a magical moment watching the sun hit the snow covered peak and dance around its glaciers.

Taking it all in

The original plan was that Tansar would then take the horses and go in further on his own for two days, while I hung out for another night, then returned back on Friday. We were having such a good time, that Tansar asked if I wanted to join him, going it alone with the horses and such. Cease the moment. So the guys made a quick breakfast, we chatted with the family and kids close by, then headed on in for a couple nights camping at 14-15 thousand feet. It was cold. You

Simply Spectacular

always had at least 2-3 layers on, especially since the horses were doing the work, not you. My goodness the beauty, the jagged rocks, the jade blue glacier lagoons, the moist tundra and the vistas that seem to reach to space. I really enjoyed the quiet time to think, to connect with Mother Nature, to connect to

Cold and Clean Air, 16-thousand feet

my horse, to connect with the mountain. It was a good match as Tansar wanted the alone time too, the space to think and connect. We were both on spiritual journeys in the mountains.. just doing it together for safety sake J

I managed to kick out a killer dinner and breakfasts… which was like a big red bow on top of gorgeous gift of a day. We actually got our nerves up enough to jump into

Glacial Lagoons, Mt. Ausangate

one of the lagoons.. a very, very, very quick dip as I found myself clawing at the edge trying to climb out as quick as possible. Man though, does it feel good when your body is tingling.. so alive, so good to be alive!!

Home Sweet Home

And the stars, so many of them. One night I must have saw more than a dozen shooting stars. That’s one of my favorite things about camping, the time it affords to sit and look at the stars. There’s a great big universe out there, that’s for sure. Nights were cold and I was glad I had my sleeping bag and liner, plus another wool blanket or two. Days though would warm up quickly and we were blessed with fantastic weather the whole time, not a bit of rain. Tansar said it was a good sign that the mountain liked me. I liked him too!! Thank you Mt. Ausangate for such an eye-opening experience. Peru just keeps on getting higher and higher marks from this traveler. I wonder what is next!!!

For one, I have not shot a new episode of Treasure Hunter in a year and a half. That’s not my doing as I loved traveling the world searching for unique gemstones and artifacts. The VP of Production had decided he didn’t think Treasure Hunting was hip, nor had he ever gotten dirty in his life (he had come over from Style), so he didn’t see the sheer joy of being on a scavenger hunt as an adult. Not ripping, just saying. He had other ideas of how to spend his weekends. What he didn’t realize is that most people who watch Travel Channel aren’t like him, they are more like me.. ready to go and get down and dirty.. or at least they like watching me do it.. which I’m 100% ok with. I’ll share my experiences with anyone who will listen or watch. See, I see it as a grand opportunity to get knowledge out.. maybe even open viewers eyes where they once held them tightly shut. Anyhow, even though the ratings were good and much better than most shows on the network, he decided he wanted to bring a little show called “Bridgette’s Sexiest Beaches” to light instead, spending millions on the marketing of one of Hugh Heffner’s little girls next door.  It failed MISERABLY.. which gave me some sweet satisfaction. After a few in-house b.s. things that he pulled, this VP tried to bring another one of his amazing ideas to air “America’s Worst Driver’s”. He though it was going to be a huge hit.. and again it easily was one of the weirdest shows to air on Travel Channel and it was horrible. It just didn’t fit what people turn to TC to watch. They want exploration, they want to see places outside of their comfort zone – even if they’ll never trek there themselves, it is still cool to watch. That VP is no longer there, thank goodness. I haven’t approached them to see if they want to re-up the show.. but I will once the new leaders have some time to get situated. I’ve got proposals for shows brewing in my mind constantly… but the right one has not fully formed…. yet.. it will within the next 6 months, I will be back on tv doing a show I believe in, that will help educate and entertain and will help viewers move in the right direction to save this planet, to relish in its beauty and to live compassionate and kind lives.

So… back to Italy. it amazes me that the show is running in different countries, let alone still running here in the US. I know they pulled my page off their website some time ago, and I figured that meant the show would stop airing. What are those pesky people doing over there in programming I wonder? I’m glad it is still running and I’m glad that Italians can follow along as I dig, dive and drudge my way to hopefully a lucrative end each and every show. That’s one thing I can say for myself, I found something every show… some definitely were more exciting than others… but there was always something to show for my efforts. Wow, talking about the show makes me miss my crew so badly. We had so much fun together, talk about one big happy family!! I still keep in touch with many of them, no not daily or weekly.. but you see that’s the kind of great friends they are…  we can pick up where we left off no matter what!

Ah Italy, it’s been almost 7 years since I rode my bike around Tuscany and gulped good red wine. It was a wonderful trip. Little did I know that it would ignite a massive amount of European trips. You see it was my first bike trip and it finished 10 days before I was hired by OLN to go cover the Tour de France.. the real thing It sometimes feels like so many chapters ago.. really it hasn’t been.. and as I’m finding out these days, on a daily basis… it all comes back around if you set your intention.

I was just contacted by a friend from my NASCAR days in Charlotte, NC. That was almost 9 years ago and really waay at the beginning of the book I’ll someday write. It feels good though, to reconnect and do it with no regrets. This life is starting to make sense to me. Why I had certain jobs in my life, why I lived certain places, who I’ve dated, all of it has led me to who I am right now, all the pieces are making sense… oh what a fun journey this is.. and I can’t wait for the next twist!