More photos from the Amazon!

A cappuchin monkey wondering what we were up to!

At the Macaw clay lick!

This is a Poto bird that is kindof like an owl but in a separate family. It was sitting completely still next to her baby looking like a branch (literally she and the baby were so hard to see) then a Toucan swooshed in (they eat the babies) and she moved her wing to protect the baby. Her eyes got really big and then once the threat passed she went back to a perfectly still pose with her wing tucked back in. Beautiful bird.

This howler monkey just sat with its head in the crook of its elbow and watched us for the longest time!

Here are a few more photos from the Amazon! Great monkeys, macaws and scenery! Only one morning of rain in the rainforest in the 6 days we were there but when it rained, it poured!  Lucky for us!

Hola! We have arrived in the Northern part of Peru! Now the next part of the adventure begins as we get to explore these amazing PRE-INKAN ruins of this area! We are in the city of Chiclayo and for starters went to the huge market here where there is a big Shaman's market! That was great and so interesting. I haven't seen so many herbs and herbal medicines in all of my life! I guess people come here from all over Peru to see these shaman's and get herbal remedies. It makes me realize that herbal medicine is very alive and well in some parts of the world! I think we have a lot to learn! Tomorrow we go to museum of the Lord of Sipan. This archeological dig is said to rival that of King Tut! Look for photos to come!

The Tambopata Research Center in the Amazon!

Too tired to say much of anything except the Amazon was AMAZING! We're back in Lima now and headed North tomorrow. Here's a few photos to enjoy! Check out Cameron climbing 100 feet into a beautiful ironwood tree. He had so much fun he did it twice! The second time in less than 4 minutes! More tomorrow! Hugs, D,R and C

Today we leave the Sacred Valley and the beautiful area around Cusco. It's been an amazing 2 1/2 weeks and has gone too quickly! Our two weeks of language school at Amauta were an adventure in itself. Ric and Cameron and I had 4 hours of class a day with two different teachers and we had the class all to ourselves. Since we're all relative beginners it was great. We studied together, helped each other and did our homework together. It's great to be able to ask your son for help! Cameron was great in the classes and was more interested and applied himself more than I expected. Now he can communicate on a basic level, understand quite a bit and has a good beginning knowledge of grammar and verb conjugation. His goal is to be able to speak well! I think that's great.

While at school and on the weekends we did trips out and about in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. I can't even begin to explain how much there is to see in this small area of Peru. Some of the pictures, I hope, can convey the beauty, history and immensity of it all.

So, today we leave for the Amazonian jungle and the Tambopata Research Center, some 7 hours down the Tambopata river into the heart of the jungle! No internet there so we'll catch up with you in a week when we get back!

Here are a few more pictures and highlights! Enjoy.

Macchu Picchu!! UNBELIEVABLE! What an amazing experience and we had a spectacular day to be there!

This is such an amazing place! Had to take a family photo!

Over looking the central plaza. There was so much to explore and great places to tuck away!

Back to Pisac and up into the mountains! Walked up by this beautiful lake and met these great women!

Cameron eats CUY! (Guinea Pig)

The Cuy is prepared in the traditional Peruvian way!

The unbelievable aquaducts of Tipon! This was one of our favoirite ruins. It was so peaceful and these beautiful stone water ways!

The one remaining original door in the temple of the sun at the ruins of Sacsaywhaman (I need to look at that spelling!)

The microclimates created in terraces at Moray

Beautiful steps between terraces

New friends

Working hard on Spanish! The verb SER!

There is something so amazing about traveling! It's like your brain is suddenly exposed to so much beauty that you never thought possible and the kindness of people that really opens your heart. We have had so many wonderful experiences in the past few days in Peru and so much kindness shown to us. I love it. Today we finished our first week of Spanish school and I have to admit I learned a lot! I didn't think it would be possible to learn as much in just one week. Today we also visited the beautiful ruins of Moray...it's amazing to stand in these places that are older than the Inca. This place of Moray is a series of terraces dug down into the earth to form a type of bowl that creates micro climates where the thought is that the Incas tested and modified different wild species of plants to suit the best climates. Check out the pictures....it's fantastic. The scenery here in the Sacred Valley is beyond belief. BIG, BIG, BIG and amazing contrasts of color and people and cultures. Enjoy! Hugs to all! Denise

Wow! Our Spanish school is great and we're actually learning a lot! Yesterday for part of our class we went to the town of Urubamba and went to their public market! Here are some photos from our excursion! Here's Cameron practicing some Spanish while buying some Peruvian chocolate for hot chocolate! Then he saw this man making rope and was really intrigued!

Hola! Well we are having a great time but having a little difficulty finding the internet! Here we are in Urubamba though at an internet spot! We spent the morning with our spanish class walking through the market here in Urubamba and it was GREAT! Tons of vegetable sellers, fruit sellers, butchers...you name it. So many in traditional clothing! We´ll put up pictures as soon as we can! We all got to practice our spanish and ask lots of questions! Our spanish classes are great! 4 hours in the morning and they fly by! The teachers are a blast and Cameron is doing great. We´re all really happy to be doing this and are enjoying this part of Peru so much. So we´ll be a week here then off to Cusco! Pictures soon we promise! Hugs R, D and C

Flying into Cusco, Peru First look at the Andes

Our guide to the Pisaca ruins, Amaru says adios

Above the sacred temple of the sun and moon at Pisaca

Entrance to the temple of the Sun, Pisaca

The Andean Cross and Hitching post of the sun, Pisaca

Unbelievable rock work and a great rest spot for Cameron!

Hmm, which way?

The huge terraces of Pisaca

An ancient portal

Below Pisaca ruins

Pisac Peru-the adventures begin!

We have arrived in Pisac, Peru (near Cusco) in the Valle Sacrado. We've finally figured out how to get onto the internet (at least for tonight) so will give a little update! This place is UNBELIEVABLE! It is so beautiful and there is so much to see. We are working HARD on our spanish with our Quechua taxi cab driver Nassario and having a blast doing it. Cameron will be updating you on our activities today once he gets up in the morning so I won't say anything except it was a fantastic day! We've decided that Ric should become a professional photographer because he took some of the most amazing photographs today! This should wet your appetite! Alas, buenos Noches y asta manana! Love Denise Ric and Cameron