Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Wherever you are during the holidays we wish you good health and happiness... Lots of love, Kate and Rick.

With desert conditions along much of the coast, there were some beautiful dunes. A former racer took us on a thrilling roller coaster ride followed by some twilight sand boarding, which we both somehow managed without toppling. (Paracas, Dec 21)

This area is known for its guano encrusted islands - every 7 years the fertilizer is harvested earning $1,000/ton! These Peruvian booby chicks will contribute especially primo poop during their lifetime. (Paracas, Dec 19)

Another cooking class...the peppers were so hot we needed rubber gloves to prep and 3 rounds of cooking in boiling water to remove their heat.  Why yes Rick's soup does look more impressive than my attempt.  (Arequipa, Dec 16)

​This Santa Catalina Monastery used to be a self contained city for the cloistered nuns that populated it.  What struck us was the class system and degree of personal space they had in years gone by.  Those from wealthy families brought slaves and servants with them and were set up in their own multi-room apartments - no communal living at that time.  (Arequipa, Dec 15)

Metal whip used for self-flagellation by one of the most celebrated nuns in the monastery.

It would appear that only the hardiest of material could withstand washing day in the monastery's laundry tubs.

Women negotiating the paving stone, and worse the cobblestone, streets made for people watching at its finest. (Arequipa, Dec 13)

With much of the city center protected by Unesco it was beautiful poking around the white sillar stone colonial mansion courtyards which have since been converted to hotel common areas, stores and restaurants.(Arequipa, Dec 12)

The guide books "must do" was a soccer (futbal) game here.  After some intense bartering with the scalpers we found ourselves 3 rows up at centre line for the 2nd to last game for the Nationals championship.  We were told to arrive at least an hour early and we're glad we did: energy was high, confetti floated down and puffs of home team colored paint-powder dusted the air.  Sections of opposing fans were segregated by a staircase with a shield wielding police officer on each stair.  After the tied game the police took their positions to protect the referrees as disgruntled fans threw objects at them.  (Arequipa, Dec 11)

We mentioned before that the food here has been amazing… we found out that Peru has been the world’s leading culinary destination for the last 5 years in a row - what better place to take a cooking class. The flambé got a little out of hand, but our ceviche was great. (Arequipa, Dec 9)

For the cooking class, we first went to the market and tasted several indigenous fruit and learned about natural remedies used by the locals. (Arequipa, Dec 9)

Mmmmmm…bulls penis’ and testicles at the market.  (Arequipa, Dec 9)

You know you have to hustle across the street when the stick man is running. (Arequipa, Dec 8)

Decorations on a giant Christmas tree reflected the town plaza’s cathedral. (Arequipa, Dec 5)

On an 8 hour bus ride the route passed hundreds of kilometers of sand dunes. (Nazca to Arequipa, Dec 4)

​The Nazca Lines... Flying over a long plateau we saw a crosshatch of wide and narrow lines interspersed with large drawings of animals, plants and people, all created by the Nazca culture 2000 years ago. Above: The Hummingbird (93m long). (Nazca, Dec 3). Fun fact: This desert region is made up of dark iron oxide-coated pebbles layered over a light-coloured lime-rich sub layer. By moving the rocks aside the exposed light surface contrasted with its dark borders to create almost chalkboard like lines.

The Astronaut (32m long)

As the Nazca lines unfolded below the pilots banked the plane steeply to the left and right to give each passenger their best photo ops. We all managed to avoid the complimentary vomit bags, but one passenger took it to the next level by having a seizure. While I tended to her and reassured the pilots (who better to have on board than someone else who has epilepsy), we abruptly banked (again) and returned to the airport. Luckily we were able to see most of the figures we'd wanted to. (Nazca, Dec 3)

We walked around a dry, dusty swath of land to look into a cluster of tombs that have been unearthed. Positioned into a fetal position to be reborn into the heavens, each mummy was wrapped in rope to retain the shape and then covered with textiles. What especially struck us was the upper classes' very long single-dreadlock style hair (up to 2m) which was wrapped around their bodies. (Nazca, Dec 2)

A rope through the skull made it easier for the victor of the battle to take home their prize, said to be full of their opponents power. Fascinated with their healthy teeth, we were told they chewed vitamin rich coca leaves. Unfortunately we'll have to stick with Crest toothpaste as the leaves, used in cocaine production and sold at corner stores here, are illegal at home. (Nazca, Dec 2)

In this arid region where there is only 20 minutes of rainfall each year, the Nazca people built a series of aquifer fed underground aqueducts accessible by these spiral approaches. Many of the 2000 year old structures are still in use. The residents in the town today who have money have their own water well to tap into aquifers while the masses fill containers during the 2 hours each day that the city water supply is turned on. (Nazca, Dec 2)

Always on the lookout for a Shangri-La we found it here; steps from the beach with seafood restaurants everywhere, this place was a peaceful oasis. We came for 2 nights and ended up staying for 8. (Huanchaca, Nov 24-30)

A teacher, with his group of students, stopped us to ask if his class could practice English with us. A few brave souls approached, with their notebook in hand, while the teacher videoed each "interview" and friends took pics.

Taking advantage of a week in one place I took daily Spanish classes. The teacher was a drill sergeant (or maybe that's just what 30 years out of school will do to my point of view) and all the grammatical rules drove me crazy. A traditional, potent Pisco Sour made the homework easier.

Some still practice the dying art of fishing in these caballitos de totora (reed) boats. We'd watch them ride the (surfer sized) waves back to shore and then pull a surprising haul out of the cavity.

A couple of fishermen had a side job taking the tourists out for a spin. The ride was surprisingly smooth even when we hit the waves.

Drying out at days end.

The colorful colonial buildings around the town plaza were the draw for this town. Police patrolled the immaculate area ensuring that people were behaving themselves, including young couples not getting too cozy. (Trujillo, Nov 21)

In this land of small people Rick, at 5'10", is tall. In the local micros, Gringo Rick inevitably gets the roomier front seat with the driver because his head bangs against the roof in the back (read aggressive driving). Of course I get sardined in with everyone else. Above, we had this particularly new and sporty bus to ourselves at the start of a route. (Trujillo, Nov 21)

We flew north of Lima to visit ruins from two pre-Inca civilizations. Seeing the Moche's Temple of the Moon was a unique experience because archaeological digs were in progress around us. With the constant wind whipping up the desert sand it will be a challenge for the locals to protect this treasure that was once used to appease the gods through elaborate human sacrifice rituals. (Trujillo, Nov 21)

The pre-Inca Chan Chan archaeological site is the largest adobe city in the world at an impressive 20 sq km. Only one of the several complexes has been unearthed. The honeycomb sculpting represents fishnets - this ocean-side community's livelihood. (Trujillo, Nov 20)

With this country renown for its gastronomy we've eaten some excellent food, often artfully presented. This chocolate brownie sundae served in a cacao pod tasted as decadent as it looked. (Cuzco, Nov 16)

The idea of storing mementos and photos of the deceased along with their urn seemed an intimate and personalized way of memorializing a loved one. Rick saw everything from Barbie dolls to Coke bottles in the niches. (Cuzco, Nov 15)

(Cuzco, Nov 15)

If the 3400M altitude in this mountain city didn’t get to you, the stairs would. Although Rick wasn't too bad, I suffered so much from the altitude along with an ill-timed cold, that we had to cut short our visit here. (Cuzco, Nov 14)

A full day at a place that has long been on our bucket list... the weather was unseasonably perfect for sitting on one of the high, grassy terraces (all to ourselves) and taking in the amazing sight. (Machu Picchu, Nov 13)

The ruins are kept lichen free to stave off their corrosive effect. This worker showed us how he used a kabob skewer to scrape it off followed by a toothbrush with a splash of water to complete the removal. (Machu Picchu, Nov 13)

A dozen llamas appeared to be nature's lawnmowers for the grass terraces. They were so used to people they moved leisurely amongst the crowds. (Machu Picchu, Nov 13)

Some laid-back time in a quiet town. (Ollantaytambo, Nov 12)

This town retained its centuries old pedestrian traffic only design, easily making it our favorite place in the Sacred Valley. (Ollantaytambo, Nov 11)

This little girl was enthralled with my glasses and the universal game of putting them on herself and then on me - back and forth it went. Her view must have been psychedelic given the strength of my prescription. (Urubamba, Nov 10)

The theory goes that the Inca's built these agricultural terraces to separate crops to test the best growing conditions for each. The dot sized people in the pic give you an idea of how massive the endeavor was. (Maras, Nov 10)

A spring provides a small stream of salt-laden water which the locals divert to these salt pans where it is left to evaporate enough to allow them to harvest the crystals. (Salinas, Nov 10)

For a special occasion cuy (guinea pig) was being sold roadside - much plumper than the ones we'd dined on in Ecuador. Rick will eat again, but once was enough for me. (Urubamba, Nov 9)

This town is renowned for it's huge market in the main plaza. Our hotel overlooked it all which made for some fun people watching from the balcony. (Pisac, Nov 8)

For several days we will be staying in small towns within the Inca ruin riddled Sacred Valley, on our way to Machu Picchu. Given that I had a cold and both of us were feeling short of breath with the high altitude (elev 3400m here), we managed this "grueling" (Lonely Planet's words) hike up to an Inca ceremonial site. (Pisac, Nov 8)

My celebrity moment... When we arrived at the top of a mountain hike Rick wandered off to explore and I was approached to pose for a picture with a local. That turned into another request and another until I had posed for a couple dozen people of all ages - the reverse of our fascination with pictures of locals. (Pisac, Nov 8)

My poses with the locals were free, but this one cost us. The lambs followed the lady around like puppies and whined until she'd pick them up. (Pisac, Nov 7)

You knew that once Rick saw the paragliding on our first day in the city, he'd have to try it... a thrilling birds-eye view of the shoreline, ivy covered cliffs and the cityscape. Apparently it's big here with year round good weather - Rick's pilot was an engineer for 20 years before switching to the lucrative paragliding business. (Allana take note). (Lima, Nov 4)

The downtown central plaza was beside the presidential offices, hence numerous but friendly security forces within a wide perimeter. They included quite a number of women with one on a motorcycle looking like she could be playing a part in a James Bond movie. (Lima, Nov 3)

At a chocolate shop we spent 2 hours working with cocoa beans: roasting, peeling, grinding to a paste using a mortar & pestle, steeping bean husk tea, making hot chocolate (early Peruvian with paprika substituting for human blood and later, tastier Spanish inspired with cinnamon & cloves) and finally creating delicious chocolates with a cornucopia of toppings. (Lima, Nov 3)

We left our chocolate making class with too much to eat and it was quickly melting. In the Central Lima square these ladies were selling snacks and they were happy to take the extra sweets off our hands. We asked for a photo and they wanted me to join them. (Lima, Nov 3)

This 1600s monastery was the city's burial place until 2 centuries ago. We walked through the catacombs looking into open crypts filled with bones (~70,000) artfully laid out. It was like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie. No pics allowed, but of course wiki has them if you're feeling ghoulish (San Francisco Monastery). (Lima, Nov 2)

An evening in downtown Lima strolling through the Magic Water park, filled with 13 fountains (largest collection in the world) lit up and choreographed to music. The laser show in the main fountain was impressively clear - a platform to showcase the best of Peru. (Lima, Nov 2)

An entertaining dinner show filled with interesting food (tasty, sponge-like beef lung stew) and high energy traditional dances focusing on courtship and athletic prowess. (Lima, Nov 1)

The fist sized rocks didn't prevent the hardy from relaxing at the beach. (Lima, Oct 30)

The cliffs were perfect for paragliding. (Lima, Oct 30)

The beach was lined with a couple dozen surf instructors. (Lima, Oct 30)