Day 16 & 17

Started off the weekend with a nice hike through the mountains surrounding Cuzco. Almost everyone else went to Machu Picchu this weekend, so it was just me with one other girl and some staff members. So these mountains are NOTHING like the ones in Seattle. Those are all temperate forests and big trees. Usually we just hike up one big mountain in a day. The mountains surrounding the Sacred Valley are smaller and we went up and down into ravines. Of course, there was the occasional random set of ruins in the path. I'm really enjoying how many ruins I'm seeing, but I wish I understood more of the culture that they point to. I feel like I know nothing about the Incan civilization. All I know is that they were genius at architecture. We also got some incredible views of Cuzco (which is the definition of "urban sprawl"). The city extends much further into the mountains than I thought, it's a little mind-boggling.

I'm a little sad because a couple of the good friends I've made are leaving tomorrow. They were here primarily for the month of June and now they are going back to the States. I really enjoy how traveling brings people together so quickly and so intensely. We are having a farewell dinner tonight for them.

I also spent a lot of this weekend with my friend Flore (I met her in France through my friend Marie, who I met in Beijing). She brought me back my nalgene bottle, which I absent-mindedly left in Paris. It was so good to see her again and to meet her mom. She's been traveling through Peru the last two weeks and been having an incredible time. She's really quite funny so I wasn't bored at all, even though most of my friends were away. Now, I need to go book my trip to Lake Titicaca. Time is flying by so quickly here! I know that's cliche, but it's true. I barely know how I'm going to finish all the interviews I need, but I'm off to a good start and that's encouraging. I'm also recovering from my cold and regaining some energy. Good news and good times all around at the "half-way" point of my stay. :)