Viva Andahuaylillas

The sun was hot on my back as we sat and discussed the world’s problems and possible solutions. The plaza was nearly empty except for us. Every few minutes a child would run through late to school, or a motortaxi would buzz by in a loud but lazy fashion. I’d walked through that plaza countless times by day and night, it was always tranquil and beautiful with a dignity that only centuries of history and life can bring.

When I walked through with my friends we greeted everyone we saw - police officers, shop owners, children. My “cara de gringa” shone out from the crown and people watched us everywhere we went wondering “Who is she? Why is she here? And who brought her here - is he Peruvian? A tour guide?” But they never ask me. They smile shyly and respond quietly to my greetings.

When I walk through alone they stare even harder, and sometimes they whistle.

But today is different.

Today as the Andean sun beat down on my shoulders I realized that I was not alone. That across the plaza, centered around the church and a few vendors selling their artisanal products, there were a couple vans full of white people. They walked slowly from their vans, boldly labeled “Servicio Turistico,” to the church, back to their vans to fish sunscreen or cameras out of their backpacks, and then on to the vendors to haggle their way to the cheapest price possible.

Did they even know that half way across the Plaza, we were sitting, observing? Did it cross their minds that their was more to the scene than the church and the vendors? Did they even consider the fact that they were the only people in cars, the only people in that corner of the square, and that they only saw 100 square feet of our marvelous little pueblo?

Did they wonder what else is here?

As my sun burned cara de gringa watched them wander their 100 square feet like little rats in a cage, I felt overwhelmed with two emotions. Sadness and gratitude.

Sad for the tourists who would never really see Andahuaylillas. Sad for the residents who would never get any of the money that the tourists had paid to come to their town and see their church. Sad for the tourists who think they are getting to know the Peru that I am still barely discovering after months of slow and steady exploration. Sad for the residents who think that all gringos do is come, take pictures, pay the tour agency, underpay the artisans, and leave.

But grateful.

Grateful that out of the all gringos, I was the one sitting away and observing. I was the one who knew what the plaza looks like under a full moon. The one who knows where the police station is and where to find gelatinas and fried chicken. The one who they all stare at because I’m not at the church taking pictures.

Grateful that with time, they have slowly begun to accept that I am here. Grateful for those who shake my hand and welcome me to their town, their lives. Grateful for the respect and dignity I am learning from them. Grateful for the beautiful sunrises and breathtaking stars that I experience every day in their little slice of paradise.

Grateful for the comfortable room I have that has a window facing east so every morning I am treated to the sun shining warmly on my face. Grateful, even, for the shower that only has cold water, and the bathroom that is a hole in the ground. Grateful for the crooked ladder and the noisy, smelly chickens who live below me.

Grateful for the chance to learn Quechua in exchange for teaching English. Grateful for the opportunity to exchange a few kilos of organic potatoes for fresh fried chicken. Grateful for the kitchen I can use to make tea in the morning and cook dinner for my friends in the evening. Grateful for the fresh air, the picturesque mountains, the cold breeze, and the hot sunshine.

Grateful for the chance to live the adventure of a lifetime.

Beth's Handy-Dandy-Super-Secret-Money-Saving-Travel-Tips

From my friends at home it usually sounds something like this, "Ohh, that's nice - I wish I had the money to travel like you do!" And from my friends abroad, (who often have different standards for what is tactful or not) "Wow, you must be rich to travel like that!"

Either way, I hear it all the time: allusions to what my consistent traveling must indicate about my financial state.

Without going into detail about my bank account or income, I'll just say up front - I am not "rich" by very many people's terms.

When people make comments like those, I'm always tempted to go off about how nearly everyone in the US is "rich", or about how people could travel more if they were willing to give up unlimited data or weekly shopping trips. I also have to swallow my comments about how it's not as easy or romantic as it looks, how I spend less money traveling than most people do on their monthly phone bills, how staying in a HOSTEL is different than staying in a HOTEL, etc., etc., etc.

Instead of going off on any of those rants - I'll save those for another post *wink* - I decided to let you in on Beth's handy-dandy-super-secret-money-saving-tips.

My philosophy of money-saving is this: Saving money inherently means that we pinch pennies and make sacrifices - what you spend on, and what you forfeit is your prerogative, but here are a few general guidelines I've traditionally followed while at home to prepare for my next adventure.

1) Coffee/Alcohol
I'm not a big drinker unless I'm working out and the drink is water, so this one isn't so hard for me.
I don't believe it's a good idea to entirely cut out things that give us innocent pleasure, so I still buy myself the occasional beer or latte - my drinks of choice - but try to limit myself to one or two per week.
It's a simple, effective way to save a small amount every month.

2) Clothing: Secondhand (almost) everything
We all know that our clothing can make a very important first impression. It can make us feel confident and attractive, comfortable or uncomfortable, out-of-place, or any number of positive or negative emotions, so it's important to pay attention to what you buy.
That being said, most of us buy way more clothing than we actually wear, and most of us also spend a good chunk of our paychecks on those un-used clothes.
So my solution is to buy secondhand. And only buy what I know I need. I take my time, look through every rack, try on everything that interests me, I buy an entire season's wardobe for $40-$70.

3) Food/Eating out: Just Don't It
Food is amazing - very few people love to eat more than I do, I promise!
Eating out, however, not so much my thing. It's good, but it's not great; and usually, for the price of a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, you could buy and make all your meals for the entire day - or if you're into PB&J, an entire week.
I don't starve myself, but I realize that saving $25 per week by not eating out more than once or twice, allows me to try a couple, or maybe a dozen, new plates or pastries wherever my next destination may be.

4) Library/Redbox vs. Netflix
Having fast WiFi and limitless entertainment is almost a staple of life for most people here in the US. But for me, it was one of those things I decided to sacrifce - but not entirely! I just marched right down to the Public Library, showed some proof of residence and had an entire world of instruction, entertainment, and history opened to me.
And for those times when the present came calling, Redbox it was! $1 per night? I can swing that once a week.

5) Driving vs. Walking
Yes, until a month ago, I had a car. And I used it when I needed to. But that wasn't every day. I purposefully lived within a mile of where I spent most of my time, and walked.
Not only did I save a tremendous amount of money on car maintenance and gas, I got plenty of exercise and fresh air every day and never had to feel guilty or pressured to buy a gym membership.

6) Phone & Connectivity (US and abroad)
It's important to stay connected, for me, for my family, friends, followers, etc. That being said, I found a very cheap way of doing it... It's called Republic Wireless, and this is not an ad.
What I'm saying is that I paid $200 2 years ago for my first smart phone, an Otterbox case, charger and everything else. Since then I've been paying ~$12 per month while in the US, and ~$5 while abroad.
Is it the most advanced phone ever? No. Do I get cell reception when I'm hiking in the deserts of southern Peru? Well, if I have WiFi, then yes. Does it perform the most vital functions of a phone while allowing me to pay less than %20 of what many people pay? Absolutely.

7) Entertainment
It doesn't have to consume your whole paycheck!
Like eating? Buy some fresh ingrediants and learn to cook amazing things!
Like exercising? But a set of weights, work out with YouTube, go hiking, biking, walking, jogging...DANCE.
Like reading? LI.BRA.RY.
Like art? Pen and ink. Paper and pencil.
Like alcohol? Yeah...you're SOL.

*coughs*

But seriously, instead of saying you don't have the money, determine what you spend more on than you really need, and sacrifice a little pleasure now, for some life-changing fun later!

Exploring in Our Own Backyard

For nearly 20 years we've been driving past Edgar Evins State Park, so when my brother suggested going camping there last weekend, I thought, "Why not?"

 It was fun and while driving the miles into the park to the campground, we passed a sign that said "Trail Head."

 So when it came time find a hiking spot, Sam and I knew right where to go.

 It was even more beautiful than we imagined: 

...green water, purple flowers, blue skies...

 ...rock sculptures...

 ...bridges to nowhere...

 And then we branched out, got off the beaten path and climbed to the top of the hill.

 The view from the top was well worth the climb.

 Even to the smallest details.

...although it seems like someone before us had thought this was the perfect place for a snack...

 The feet just wanted to take a moment to rest and ponder.

 I'll let you imagine what we were pondering - it was profound and complex, and...

 ...beautiful.

 Then on the way back, I took a few "odd shots" to show Sam how I see the world.

 It's a beautiful place.

 When we finally made it down to the water, we took a minute to observe and reflect and share our thoughts from the hike.

 Thoughts on letting go, moving on, letting ourselves be happy.

 Like I said, profound and complex and beautiful.

The Sacred Valley - in One Day

As this is my third stay in Cusco, I am sometimes tempted to think that I’ve seen and done it all. This is, of course, far from the truth. When Esther and PJ (sister and bro-in-law) decided to come visit me, I got the chance to explore several famous sites with them for the first time - including a day in the Sacred Valley. We took our time and lots of pictures, and got to explore Ollantaytambo, the Salinas, Moray, Chinchero, and many miles of spectacular scenery in between. 

The day started in Cusco where we took a combi (one of PJ's bucket list titems!) from Puento Rosario. As it was a holiday, seats weren’t easy to find, but we were soon on our way out of the city toward the steep hillsides and incredible views of the Sacred Valley. Upon our arrival in Urubamba, my friend told me, “Stay here – I’m going to go find you a taxi, but if they see you with me, they’ll start at a higher price.” Thanks to Raúl, we were soon comfortably situated in a reasonably-priced taxi that we would use the rest of the day.  

As we made our way along the road to Ollantaytambo our driver pointed out a mountain in the shape of a frog (we thought it looked like an octopus, but either way it was interesting), and answered our many questions regarding directions, weather, traditions, and the current holiday (Day of the Living, or All Saints Day as we know it in the US). He explained the story behind a particularly noticeable shrine: decades earlier there had been a string of particularly lethal accidents on that curve, and the local people believed that the earth was drawing the blood of the victims. They accordingly set up a special shrine to counterbalance the bad energy coming from the earth, and had subsequently seen a drop in the mortality rate. I couldn’t get a picture, but I’ll never forget the matter-of-fact manner in which our driver-friend explained the story. 

We made it to the ancient fortress in a drizzle of fog, had a small snack, decided where to meet our taxi, and then had to make the ever-confusing decision regarding which Tourist Ticket we should buy. We all decided to go for the 70 sole, 2-day, Sacred Valley ticket which includes Ollantaytambo, Moray, Chinchero, and Pisac. As we began the climb up thru the ruins of the citadel of Ollantaytambo, the rain started and continued for half an hour - just enough to clear the site and leave us alone, but gently enough to not cause real discomfort. We continued exploring, found what we decided to call the “Back Door of Ollantaytambo,” a few solitary cows, and a lot of different kinds of stairs. As we wandered around the ruins we couldn’t help but feel that strength and grandeur of the structure and the people who had built and inhabited it.  

I stayed to explore while Es and PJ wenr to enjoy the quaint town of Ollantaytambo where they decided to try chicha morada and - no surprise at all here - loved it. We met at the taxi and as we made our way to our next stop, the Salinas, we got to see the famous hotel pods on the side of the sheer cliff the rises next to the road to Ollantaytambo. 

By the time we reached the Salinas, the sun had come out, giving the salt flats the tremendous shimmery effect that can only be experience in person. While exploring the paths that wind throughout the flats over the entire mountainside, we got to listen in to a tour guide explain how they controlled the water flow. Turns out that they use small rocks to block the channels of water, and in this way refill flats that have evaporated sufficiently, and block off full ones. The time we spent in the Salinas left us impressed by its truly unique and singular charm. 

By this time it was getting toward early afternoon and I realized that although we had been snacking all along the way, our driver hadn’t eaten anything… He accordingly gratefully accepted my offering of the dried foods I’d bought from the friendly lady above the flats, and we were on our way again. Next stop: Moray. 

As we stepped out of the taxi and walked toward the edge of the ridge, the warm sunny air was disturbed by an incredibly chilly wind. We donned our jackets, and took off along the path that led down into the circular terraces. At one point the path split and we took the road that led to a miniature version of the famous site behind us. As Americans, we are used to railing everywhere, signs that say “Do not touch,” and any number of other prohibitive measures – the openness of this site impressed us. As we wandered back toward the main attraction, we encountered more of the stairs built into the wall that we had first found in Ollantaytambo..and a sign that said “DO NOT PASS.” Nothing as small as a wooden sign was going to stop me from climbing down those stairs one terrace at a time. I only had two more to go when the security guard at the top started yelling at me. Oh well – it was worth a try… As my sister and I climbed back thru each microclimate, we marveled at how quiet and still the place was, almost as if the energy of the plants that had once grown in each terrace was still emanating – overpowering decades of human presence. 

By the time we got back to the car, it was late afternoon and we were ready to hurry to our last stop: Chinchero. Fortunately our wonderful driver-friend knew a shortcut. Though I’ve never been on a road quite like this one, we made it into the town in good time, and our first stop was a road-side stand where we bought choclo and queso, one for each of us and one for our patient, hungry driver. 

The sun was starting to set as we climbed up into the ruins of Chinchero. Unlike the rambling fortress of Ollantaytambo and the organic circles of Moray, Chichero is severely symmetrical. The straight rock terraces build up from the valley floor, where children and llamas play, to the Catholic church built on top of the ruins, and there is ample space in between for families to picnic and friends to play football (that’s soccer for you American readers…). The last horizontal rays of the setting sun and the children playing in the ruins of an ancient civilization gave the whole place a sensation of ancient life.  

When we finally got back to the car for last time, we were all tired and ready to get home. The day had been long and fulfilling, but it was time for dinner and some relaxation before bed. After all, we still had Pisac to visit the next day…!