Machu Picchu (at last)

Finally, here is a long-overdue album from the Machu Picchu trip back in March as I am literally packing to return home to the US.

What is Machu Picchu and why was it named one of the new 7 wonders of the world? In short, it is a stone city and Incan religious site on top of a mountain in Peru; it is partly important because the Spanish never found it and destroyed it, so it is mostly intact (except for damage caused by nature's slow reclamation and a few earthquakes).

Here is the Wikipedia on Machu Picchu.

The Chakana or "Incan cross" is a prevalent symbol, so here is the Wikipedia on that too.



Download album here:

Machu Picchu

Santa Cruz autonomy referendum

Yesterday in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where I have returned to work on a congenitally transmitted parasite project, there was an autonomy referendum that has been receiving a lot of press. Things got hot in places, with an estimated 20 people injured and 1 killed, but it seems the tension has eased following the very predictable results. The apartment here is just a few blocks from the main plaza, so it got loud at times with marches and fireworks, but I have felt perfectly safe. Click here for a BBC article on the autonomy movement in Bolivia

Work work work

I haven't had time to get up the final album from Machu Picchu because, believe it or not, I do a bit of work from time to time. I feel bad for missing my target for posting the Machu Picchu album, so here are some photos from my projects:
1) Editing video at my desk (many thanks to a friend for letting me borrow their Mac to do the editing!)
2) An incubator that I MacGyvered up in order to do a time-lapse video of tuberculosis growing over 2 weeks. Literally used a Swiss Army knife & a cigarette lighter for the majority of making it.
3) Video shoot to explain a new test for tuberculosis that was developed here in Lima; I am editing the video now and will post a link once it's done (update- it's done, and translated into Spanish as well- click here to go to the site).


Download full album here:

Video desktop & Incubator project

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

After 2 days acclimating to the altitude in Cusco, we departed for a 4 day, 3 night hike on the old pilgrim route to Machu Picchu. The dates were March 13-16. I tried to arrange things in a way that made sense, but all mis-labels are my error (please let me know what I've screwed up and I will fix it). On a side note, I got Munko's photos so re-check the Amazon album and the Sacred Valley album: they have a lot of new photos thanks to Munko.



Download album here

Inca Trail

A little quake

Yesterday morning I woke up to another quake. This time it was just a 5.5- things certainly were shaking in my apartment, but most importantly there was no widespread damage as with the quake last fall.

http://www.livinginperu.com/news-6055-natural-disasters-lima-two-earthquakes-hit-perus-capital-city

Sacred Valley & Cusco

Out of order, but here are photos from Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

Here are 2 MP3s of
1. Andean music in airport
2. Blind man playing harp in Sacred Valley

To clarify the itinerary: we started in Lima-> flew to Cusco-> 2 days in Cusco to acclimate to altitude, one day went to Sacred Valley-> 4 days on Incan Trail which ended at Machu Picchu (those photos are next for posting)-> flew to Puerto Maldenado-> 3 hours up river to Amazon lodge for 5 days-> back to Lima



Here is the album put to the music


download album at

Sacred Valley & Cusco

The Amazon

After Machu Picchu, we said goodbye to Kalian & Min and 5 of us went on to spend 4 nights in the Amazon near the Bolivian border.



you can download the album here, which also has a video clip of the leaf-cutter ants

Puerto Maldenado- Amazon