After cruising across the USA in Big Bertha, we faced a tough decision. Our friends in Prescott provided us just the space and opportunity to make that decision. They needed a house/dog sitter and we needed a place to stay! So we moved back to Prescott, Arizona! The view from my favorite sofa was … More ARIZONA TIME- USA RIG 1.0 AND 2.0
We continued across the USA, on a trajectory to visit with family and friends. Due to the size of Big Bertha, we found ourselves parked frequently at formal, paid campsites. This was not our usual routine, and it was a little more challenging for the dogs. Quiet hours, traffic, leashes and rules were cramping our … More Road Trip USA- Part 2
We actually passed through Lima several times in our loops around Peru. The prior two visits were filled with touristic fun and exploration. But during this visit we had some other business to take care of, along with our fun stuff. One day in Lima we parked on the beach and had lunch while Nica … More Peru- Back in Lima, again.
Lima is the largest city in Peru. It spreads North and South along the beautiful ocean coastline and far into the suburbs. Each neighborhood of the city has specific characteristics and concerns. We enjoyed a couple of them during our visits to Lima. The first time we arrived in Lima, we were there to pick … More Peru- The capital, a visit to Lima with a friend.
Leaving the edge of the Amazon meant leaving the lush, wet jungle behind us. The surroundings started to change quickly. We looked ahead on the map and realized we would be crossing the Andes on some rough, desolate dirt roads. The plants around us became smaller and smaller, quite different than the jungle area. Then … More Peru- The Cordillera Blanca and an amazing blue lake.
Cuenca was our last big city stop in Ecuador before we crossed the border to Peru. Some small ruins that are attributed to the Inca mark the area around Cuenca. We took the time to explore several of them. Banos del Inca in Ecuador is an area said to have been used for ritual and … More Ecuador- Cuenca and nearby historical areas.
This country is rich with indigenous heritage. The various cultures (tribes) are respected and honored with positions in the government and opportunities to improve their communities. Many traditions and practices continue to be a part of their daily lives. Raising, cooking and eating cuy is one of those traditions. Cuy (in the USA we call … More Ecuador- Daily life and history combined.
Baños is a bustling town built in a volcanic valley. The weather is nearly perfect year-round. The main business is tourism, and everything revolves around that income. Good restaurants, thermal pool spas, massage parlors, night clubs, a few parks and a beautiful church. The cathedral is the central point in town, as always. And while … More Ecuador- The Baños area
No visit to Ecuador would be complete without leaving the Andes and heading into the Amazon area. This hot, humid jungle is known world-wide for its variety of species, the life-changing ayahuasca experiences and even for the tribe that produces shrunken heads as a part of their ceremonies! But, fortunately we avoided much of that! … More Ecuador- Visiting the edge of the Amazon
We returned to Colombia, South America with a lot of luggage and a very tired dog. She was a trooper, but was really happy to be back in the familiar city of Bogota with her dear friend, Julian and his puppy, Catira. We took care of some business in the city before we picked … More Back to Colombia- again!