Lima and Beunos Aires

Had a wonderful stop over in Lima - very different to our stop over on our way to Peru! This time I stayed with the Leslie Manley (the SA consulate to Peru, Bolivia, Equidor and Panama), his wife Charlene and children, Margaux (12) and Thomas (17), who are friends of Stew. They stay in a beautiful home in Millaflores, an upmarket suburb of Lima. Lima itself is not a very attractive city - It is the 2nd largest desert city in the world (some 9 million people) and although on the coast, the beaches are dark pebbles and not very attractive. Also for about 6 months of the year, it is blanketed in a sea fog so you don´t see the sun. However there are some beautiful buildings in downtown Lima and in the more upmarket areas like the one I was staying in, there are lovely shops and restaurants.
It was really nice to be in a family home again. We had a late lunch and then strolled down to the sand cliffs overlooking the beach for a drink.
The next morning I left early for the airport to catch my 4 hour flight to Beunos Aires. With the time change and transfers etc, it was early evening by the time I arrived at the Hostel in Palermo which is run by such friendly and helpful people but inhabited by some crazy travellers. Went for dinner and when I got back the one American girl somehow convinced me to squeeze into a ´little black number´of hers and her size 7 black heels and accompany her to a tango dance hall! (she has been in BA for a month learning to tango). A couple of guys also tried  on some of her dresses and I was quite relieved when they didn´t end up accompanying us in them!!! It was a fascinating evening in an authentic tango dance hall  watching all the different couples strutting their stuff.
The next day I walked the city for about 8 hours, exploring the different areas - Recolet with its famous cemetory where Evita Peron is buried and BA´s most expensive shopping street, Avenue Alvear, with all its designer names, then through downtown to the Plaza del Mayo with its interesting political history and into San Thelmo an older part of town and famous for all its antique shops. It is such a beautiful city and very eay to find your way around. Made use of the public buses which was an education all in itself! Love all the parks and plazas and the way everyone seems to socialize on the streets at all the outdoor cafes and restaurants. All the areas have a different character and some of the buildings are magnificent.
Exhausted last night after all the walking so headed to bed early.
This morning I did a bike tour of the southern part of the city which I hadnt covered yesterday. It was just me and a guide and such a fun way to take in the sights. They have all these biking paths and the traffic is also quite respectful to cyclists so it is really quite easy. Started in San Thelmo then rode to La Bocca, the very old and colourful Italian part of the city, then past the harbour into the natural reserve which is a lovely reclaimed piece of land that has been turned into this huge park on the banks of the Rio de la Plato (the silver river) which is so wide (250 kms across at its mouth) you cant see the other side and then,  back through Peurto Madero, the modern residential and commercial sector of BA.
Now I am back at the hostel and will hang out around here until my taxi picks me up for the airport. Very hard to believe I am going home. In some ways it feels like I have been away for much longer that I have. It has been a really amazing journey with so many varied experiences but I am definately ready to come back mainly cos I am just missing everyone so much. If I could take you all with me, I would keep on travelling! Will write a final posting after a few day at home and try to put some photos up for those of you who want to look at them.

Urubumba and Willka Tíkka

Caught a ´collectiva´- a fancy name for a minibus taxi! - to Urubumba in the Sacred Valley to treat myself to a night at Willka Tíkka, a spiritual retreat run by Carol Cumes and her partner Mark Hennessey who I have corresponded with over the past couple of years. They are both originally from South Africa and Carol wrote the book ´Journey to Macchu Piccu´ which provides a wonderful background on life in the Andies and the Quechua people. She has also produced an award winning coffee table book called ´The Chakra garden´
which is about the garden she has created at the retreat and, it must be one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen, as is the garden itself. It is vibrant and yet so peaceful at the same time, with different areas dedicated to the seven chakras and their corresponding colours and special meditative spaces that have been so thoughtfully and lovingly laid out. I was the only guest there ( 2 large groups had left the day before) so I had the whole place to myself and got to spend some lovely time with Carol and Mark. An amazing place to just ´be´ and to reflect on all I have experienced in the time I have been away. Nice to also return to the Sacred valley and see how the rains that they have had while I was in Bolivia, has turned rhe lands green and washed everything clean. It has truly been a remarkable journey for me in so many ways and although I am so excited to start my homeward journey tomorrow and can´t wait to see my family and friends, I will definately leave a small part of myself here. Cusco is a very buzzy place and besides being hassled by the store owners trying to sell you their wares it is really a great place to spend some time.
When I got back to the city earlier today, I shopped up a storm even venturing into a bit of a dodgy area to find some of their hand woven fabrics which I have fallen in love with, at local and not tourist prices. Have had to buy another bag to carry it all home with me! So tomorrow its on to Lima where I will be staying with the SA Ambassador and his wife who are friends of Jen and Stew then to Beunos Aires for 2 nights then HOME!!!!