Alpaca of the Peruvian Altiplano
I'm having a bad hair day; several actually. If you want to know how I feel, then just look at the alpaca above and you'll get a fair idea: sort of bad tempered and shaggy! The problem is too much to do, as ever. I have a major revision of an academic paper to do - back from the submissions stage with all sorts of 'helpful' comments that need attending to and, in short, no acceptance until they are seen to. And then of course there this.
Having harassed my blog contributors to produce their own pieces, I need to do mine! The New York City page is now up and running (and getting sort of settled in there, no longer so 'new') the next in line is Lima and Peru. But what a vast area and so much I could write! My good friend from Lima - Victor Roman - can afford to relax and feel pleased with himself as he turned in his piece as the 'native Peruvian' several days ago. So now I'm caught between a review of turnover in the nursing workforce (no, don't looks for pictures of this!) and the wonders of the Inca Empire. In short you can see why I feel a bit like the bad hair day pictured above! The Inca Empire will probably carry the day though (as in fact it did, right up until the time that Francisco Pizarro turned up in 1534). But to fill those ever hungry 'empty spaces', here are some 'teasers' below against the Peru page itself.
Inca terraces at Pisac, Peru
Yes I did actually walk most of the way up these too, gasping for air at an altitude of some 3,000 meters. Below, at sea level, it was rather easier at the huge archaeological site of Pachacamac on the Peruvian coast not too far south from Lima.
Blogger at a ruin - Pachacamac, Lima, Peru
But not all camelids (llamas, alpacas) have bad hair days. As pictured below, others take leisurely meanders back through time, and spectacular archaeological landscapes. So I hope shortly to recover and soon be in a position to take my own readers upon such a journey, with the help of friend and fellow contributor, Victor Roman!
The way to Machu Picchu
I hope your bad hair day is being resolved, Liz, although I absolutely adore the alpaca! And those pictures are stunning, history has a way of making all of us look small.
ReplyDeleteHilarious and can I say I am impressed you made it up those mountains - I would struggle. And didn't some Aussies comment on what a nice smell you had too!! J ps - the pictures a always are amazing!
ReplyDeleteDo Incas! Do Incas! I've always wanted to go to Peru, let me live vicariously!
ReplyDeleteThanks to Jane, Jess and Claire. All 'camelids' from actual camels through to wild Andean guanacos (also better known llamas & alpacas) might look cute, but can be very bad tempered! They spit at you if you annoy them! Yes Jess, some Aussie trekkers, arriving on day four of the Inca Trail at Machu Picchu without a serious shower opportunity for all the trek commented that I 'smelled nice' - I had had the advantage of washing facilities that morning over them!
ReplyDeleteYour wish is (or will be) my command Claire! There is no way you can 'do Peru' without the Incas featuring big time, & Cusco, Machu Picchu & related 'Sacred Valley' sites will be my main focus! Enjoy!
Elizabeth, I so much feel for you :)) I have a bad hair month... I forgot to get my hair cut while on holidays and now it's just getting worse and worse with every day. I'm scared to look in the mirror...
ReplyDeleteToo much to do, as ever :)
Good luck with your revisions and fingers crossed it all goes well and it's over and done with soon.
Ps the Inca terraces are stunning! I hope I'll visit Peru one day