Anything you can do Machu Picchu can do better

I met up with two friends in Cusco this last weekend: Ryan Thomas (we grew up down the street from each other) and Earl Sullivan (same Jr. High and High School). A complete psych-out weekend ensued for two reasons: 1) It was a psych-out to see Ryan and Earl, both of whom I see maybe once a year, and to see them in Peru of all places. 2) We played a lot of psych-out baseball; the game where you name off people from jr. high and high school that you absolutely have not thought of in at least 4 or 5 years. It's amazing how many names a people you can remember if you actually try. For example, Kenny Gagnon---PSYCH OUT! YOu get the idea.

We spent one night in Cusco...ate food, drank some beer, played darts, walked around, etc. A good time. The next day we bought a train ticket to Aguas Calientes--a small town right by Macchu Picchu. It is about 2 hrs from my home in Urubamba. We took the bus back to Urubamba, played psych-out baseball, took a bus to Ullataytambo, took a break from baseball, got the train to Aguas Calientes, found a hostel for $5, ate pizza, talked about things (with some occasional psych-outs as the popped into our heads).

The next morning we got up at 5 to catch the bus up to Machu Picchu. Also, there were hundreds of other people who did the same thing--people from all over the world. It's supposed to be the "off" season for tourism, which makes me wonder what the "heavy" season is like. I posted a couple pics of it. Machu Picchu is in what they call the "high jungle". Its jungly for sure, but it's lower than the Sacred Valley where I live. Anyway, we hiked this peak called Wayna Picchu in the morning which gives great views of Machu Picchu. It was sunny and actually really hot at times, but it was great. We spent about 6-7hours there and then went back to Aguas Calientes and then Urubamba. Ryan and Earl stayed in my room that night. Psych-out baseball was obviously played well into the night. The took off the next day for northern Peru and then Ecuador and then Costa Rica and then Mexico and then home. Those frickers.

It was a great mid-way refresher for myself. I have about 4 weeks left and then I'm back to Washington--where it snows, rains and is cold, but luckily where there is a starbucks just around the corner...or maybe two.

No, I'm looking forward to getting back and seeing people and being home. See you all soon.

getting the hang

Hello All,
Just finishing my third week here. I'm haven't been robbed, swindled, killed or kicked. I have been both noticed and ignored...mostly noticed. My nickname at the clinic in Chinchero is "gringito bonito" (roughly translated: prettty white boy). I'm healthy and I feel good. I'm in Peru; it's fun. What else do you want to know?
Tomorrow afternoon (us 3 volunteers and one extra dude) are heading to Cusco for the weekend. I think I am going to stay in Oscar and Miguel's (my borthers while in Peru) apartment. We are probably going to go to the dance clubs...apparently their great. On Saturay we are going to a couple of museums. I heard that they are amazing. Oh, last weekend we went to some Incan ruins: Ullutaytambo and Pisaq. They were both astounding and fun was had by all.
What else: I'm getting plenty of practice giving injections at the clinic...seriously, I give a lot of injections. Um, I practice my spanish and try to learn some quechuan (try learning two languages simaultaenously sometime, it is just awesome).
I must say that I have been missing certain things about the US. Freinds, family and food, mostly. I also just realized this moment that I have no idea who is in the NFL playoffs and I don't know when the superbowl is. When is the superbowl? I don't want to look it up. That's about it. You all are welcome to join the blog and post comments and communicate if you feel so inclined. Bye, Todd

The Sky is Low...aqui

I just started my second week here in Urubamba. The first few days were easily the most difficult...mostly because of the language. My weeks are going to be pretty much packed with stuff to do. On Mon, Tues and Thurs, I work in a clinic in a tiny village called Chinchero (I originally thought that I was going to be in Urubamba). The clinic is called a "MISMA" and is funded by the government. To give you an idea of what funded means:
-There is one bar of soap in the entire clinic
-Cleaning and sanitation consist of washing beds, floors and other equipment with dishwashing soap and cold water
-Sometimes dogs run around inside
-I think there are gloves, but I have no idea where...they are hardly worn
-My room is cleaner than the surgery/multipurpose room

Here is a link to info on Chinchero
The people who live there speak both spanish and quechuan. They are the descendants of the Icans, and they dress like this.
It is a 40 min bus ride from Urubamba. The road goes up, up, up...to about 12,000 ft. The best part of my day is the ride back. The farming land is stitched with green and the sky seems really near. On a clear day you can see taller mountains behind the ones that you thought were the tallest.

On the bus: sometimes I have to stand, sometimes I get to sit. People stare, always.

On Wed, me and my health campaign partner, Addie, help make water sanitation jars in Urubamba. This consists of pressing these ceramic jugs and filtering this sawdust-type material that is the actual filter for the water.

This Fri we are gong to schools in Urubamba to give presentations to 1-3rd graders about health. Fortunately, I've done this exact thing before. Unfortunately, this time I am doing it in spanish.


This last Saturday we planted some trees for a community near Chinchero. It was cloudy and cold, but my face still got burned. The people from the community came to help us after a while. Then they fed us a traditional Quechuan meal. Potatoes, cheese, chocla (huge corn).

My host family feeds me way too much. I try to pretend that I'm Luke Pounder/any Pounder and finish everythig on my plate. I usually overeat which I'm not used to. The food here revolves around meat, potatoes and rice. It has been really good food, but sometimes everything tastes similar. It's good, though.

I think that's all for now..
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Upon Arrival

Hello, everyone! I guess I fill you all in on my travels thus far. My flights were basically hitchless until the Lima airport, where I proceeded to fall asleep at my gate (I stayed over night in the ariport...sat in a chair at a cafe and listened to really obnoxious swing music all night)...awaking, where I once was the only person at the gate, I was now surrounded by curious Peruvians (who were probably overly curious as to why I had my pants partially unzipped). Anyway, my gate was switched while I snoozed, but luckily I woke up just as another plane was boarding to Cusco and they let me on.

Urubamba is at about 9,000 feet, a small town surrounded by the Andes. The town is great. My spanish is not.

I am getting by, though. My homestay family live within Urubamba. I like them very much and already feel at home their. The mother's name is Delfina, and is a preschool teacher. The father, Julio, is a retired farmer. They have two sons: Oscar, age 24, who is at the university studying tourism, and Miguel, 20, who is also at the university (in cusco) studying business management. One speaks english very well, but they are back only on weekends. This is actually a good thing because it helps me practice my spanish with Julio and Delfina.

Tomorrow I start volunteering at the local clinic (about a 10 minute walk from my house). This will be mon, tues, thurs in the morning. On wed I am helping with a water sanitation project. In the afternoons I have spanish lessons. Everything is great here. To everyone is the snow; I'm so sorry.

adios-