Moray, Chinchero and Salineras

High up in the Andes!

Our second full day in Urubamba is coming to a close.  The days actually come to a close pretty early over here.  At this time of year the sun is setting in this area around 5:30 PM.  Sunrise is around 6:00 AM so the daylight hours are still fairly long, especially since we are early risers.
Hopefully without jinxing ourselves, I think it's fair to say that we're not going to have any issues with altitude sickness.  We didn't take any of the over the counter or prescription medications that are available.  We just made sure we stayed hydrated, avoided all alcohol and took it easy for the first twenty four hours.  There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to who has issues.  Obviously we're very thankful that we were spared.  I had some problems one time in Colorado and it wasn't fun.
Today we hired a local driver to show us some of the recommended sites in the area.  When our driver showed up we were pleasantly surprised.  It was none other than Luis who had driven us from the Cusco Airport two days ago.  He seemed to remember us or at least he faked it well and we knew we were in good hands.

Me and my buddy Luis

Our first destination was about a forty minute very scenic drive to the Moray Ruins.  The area looks very similar to a massive amphitheater.  The date of the original building of the terraces and their actual purpose is unclear.  It's safe to say it dates back more than a thousand years and was built by the Incan tribes.  It's purpose is believed to be agricultural related and it is often referred to as the "Worlds First Agricultural Experiment Station".  It is believed that the construction was intentional to maximize the differences in sunshine, wind and temperature at the different levels.  The temperature can vary close to 60 degrees from the top terrace to the bottom.  This allowed the Incas to test grow their crops under different conditions.  During the Incan empire there were over 3,000 varieties of potatoes and 150 types of corn documented.............sounds like they were leading the pack when it came to early agricultural development.

The Moray Ruins aka "The Worlds First Agricultural Experimental Station"



Sharing the Road!

From Moray we headed to Chinchero, a small village just off the main road between Cusco and Urubamba.  Chinchero is famous for it's woven textiles, a lively market, Incan ruins, a colonial church built by the Spanish in 1607 and claims to be the "birthplace of the rainbow".  There were no rainbows today, only clear blue skies, but we did enjoy taking in the rest of the sites.  As we were walking around we both felt like we were working a little harder than we had been yesterday and earlier in the day.  It was only after we left that we found we had climbed several thousand more feet.  Chinchero's elevation is 12,342 feet.  No wonder it felt like we were pushing a piano around the village!

Weaving her goods in the market

Lots of woven goods as well as fresh fruits and vegetables in the Chinchero Market

Chinchero

Catching up on all the local news in the Chinchero Plaza area

The church was built by the Spanish in 1607.  The walls were built by the Inca long before then!

View from the church across the plaza to the Andes Mountains

Sunday afternoon stroll

Our last stop was the Salt Ponds of Maras (also known as Salineras).  Like Moray, the ingenuity of the Incan people was on display here.  Highly salty water flows down and through tiny channels that direct the water into thousands of small ponds.  The water slowly evaporates leaving behind salt that is used for many purposes including cooking, curing meat and for medicinal purposes.

The Salt Ponds of Maras

From the top level looking down

A salty looking couple!

This guy really does work in the salt mines!

It was a fascinating day learning more about the history and culture of the Sacred Valley, 
and to think we haven't even made it to Machu Picchu yet!

Overlooking Urubamba

Sharing the road...........again!

Skinny air.........

Peruvian lady enjoying people watching from a bench in the plaza

Three weeks ago today we were floating in the Dead Sea, which at more than 1,400 feet below sea level is the lowest place on earth.  Today we are in Urubamba, Peru which is 9,420 feet above sea level.  Equally magnificent but obviously quite different.  We have also made the change from summer to winter.  The days are sunny and in the 60's, while the nighttime temperature dips into the 40's.
Urubamba is a small town of just under 3,000 permanent residents. It is located in the Sacred Valley.  It is considered a gateway to the main attraction in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu.  We'll be visiting Machu Picchu on Monday, so more on it in future blogs.
Getting to Peru is much easier than I had imagined.  It was a five hour flight from Miami to Lima.  Because of the evening arrival time into Lima we spent the night at an airport hotel.  If it wasn't for the multilane road with a massive roundabout it would have been within easy walking distance.  The next morning we took a one hour flight from Lima to Cusco.  We had arranged transportation through the hotel from Cusco to Urubamba.  Luis our young friendly driver, who spoke broken English, was waiting on us.  It was about an hour and a half drive to reach Urubamba. The hotel is conveniently located near the small but fairly bustling downtown area.  We didn't get to see much of Cusco yet, but it did look interesting and we're going to spend our last day there.
Our biggest concern with visiting this area was the elevation.  While Cusco, at 11,151 feet, is several thousand feet higher, Urubamba is quite a ways up there, especially for folks who tend to spend most of their time about 2-3 feet above sea level.  So far, so good as far as any major issues with the elevation.  Our game plan was to spend the first couple of days with minimal activity, just relaxing (we do this well) and getting used to the skinny air up here.  Oh yeah, and the hotel has a nice indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub area which has made executing our plan even easier.Today we did enjoy a stroll through the hotel grounds and gardens which extend along the Urubamba River that runs behind the property.  We also strolled through the small town of Urubamba.  We visited the market which seemed quite busy, although we were told the main market days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  We also found one of our favorite things, a bench in the shade where we could people watch for a while.  This particular bench was in the main plaza in front of the main church, so the people watching was excellent.  There was even a small parade featuring children and adults in festive costumes dancing down the street to the music of a 6-8 piece band.  We weren't sure what the occasion was but we jumped in and followed along for several blocks.  We then headed back to the far end of the hotel grounds for a picnic along the river with the Andes Mountains as a back drop.

The local market was colorful and busy even on a "slow day"

There were tons of fresh fruits and vegetables

We weren't sure what the parade was celebrating but we followed along for a few blocks

Tomorrow we'll pick up the pace a bit more.  We're planning on hiring a local driver and visiting a couple of historic sites, Moray and Maras.  Moray is an archeological site that features Incan ruins.  Maras is known for their salt mines and salt pools which date back to the Incan times.  Should be a fun day and I think our lungs are ready!

Main Entrance to the Hotel

Doing what I do best in the Urubamba town square

Beth greeting the new arrivals

Part of the hotel garden path

From the hotel garden

Not a bad place for a picnic

Train station on the hotel grounds.  We'll take the train from here to Machu Picchu on Monday

  

Catching up........

Sunday was a good day.  Heck, any day in an upright position is a good day!  This particular day was made extra special because Beth and I had the chance to catch up with three old friends.
Sunday morning Beth, NaNa and I drove to Tampa to pick up Beth’s sister Debbie at the airport.  We made arrangements to have an early lunch with Kandice Thomason, a friend from Texas who recently relocated to Tampa.  Kandice was a key member of an amazing marketing team back at Huguley Hospital that I had the privilege of leading.  Actually there wasn’t much “leading”.  It was more like "stay out of their way and don’t screw things up". Of all the great things that Kandice did for the hospital one particular project that I will personally be eternally grateful to her for is what she did to help plan my retirement party and the employee video tribute.
Kandice has an incredible story of hope, courage and love that she has given me permission to share in this blog.   Four days after my retirement party and less than a month before she was to get married to a really great guy (Nathan Thomason) she was diagnosed with Stage 3b Colorectal Cancer.  You talk about having life throw a curveball at you......... I can’t even imagine.  Love conquers all and the wedding took place as planned although the honeymoon was interrupted by surgery and chemo.  The first six months or so of their marriage they were apart more than they were together while she was being treated in Houston and Nathan worked and carried on as best as he could.  Thanks to great doctors at MD Anderson, the support of Nathan, her family, friends and her unwavering faith Kandice is now cancer free.  Nathan, who also worked at Huguley when they met has received a nice promotion within Adventist Health System and they recently relocated to Tampa.  When we're in Florida we're practically neighbors.  It was great catching up and seeing Kandice doing so well.  Her energy level and passion for life are at all time highs.  She's perfect in her new role as part of the Mission and Ministry team of the Tampa Division of Adventist Health System.  It's going to be fun to get to visit with her and Nathan occasionally.
After getting back to the island Beth and I caught up with the Moore brothers (Marty and Steve), who we had grown up with in Mulberry.  Marty was a year ahead of me in school, but in Mulberry grade levels didn't mean much.  We all hung around together (social status meant less since nobody in town had any).  We were very good friends from elementary school through high school.  Beth and Steve  were also good friends in school. 
We were able to visit for a bit at Cindy and Drew's (Beth's sister and brother in law) beach house. It had been at least thirty years since any of us had last seen the other.  We had a lot of catching up to do in a short amount of time (kids and now even grandkids took up most of the conversation). 
Beth and Steve were pretty well behaved in their youth.  As for me and Marty, well lets just say that because of a little luck and the good Lord we're still here.  There are some stories that could be told but maybe it's better that they don't get repeated.  Surprisingly, so many of us knuckleheads who grew up in Mulberry back then have somehow survived in spite of ourselves.  Most have gone on to be reasonably productive members of society.  Exactly how that happened I'm not sure, but I strongly believe divine intervention played a role.   It's been said many times but is worth repeating, thank goodness we grew up before cell phone cameras and you tube!




Don't let that smile fool you, she's one of the toughest people I know!

Four of Mulberry's finest.  L to R  Marty Moore, Me, Steve Moore, Drew Eason.
The older we get, the better we were!

One of the best..........

Every sunset is unique and special. I've probably way over used the phrase "one of the best" but after a little rain this evening we were treated to...........one of the best!
It was made even more special by getting to enjoy it with some of Beth's family!  Thanks for coming down Dick, Phyllis, Hap, Paula, Andy and Yasmin.  It was great seeing you!

Sucking Air, Piranha Fishing and Blue Footed Boobies

Friendly looking little fella!

It's getting close to time to throw a few clothes in a small suitcase (carry on, of course) or a backpack and head out again.  The next adventure is actually going to be three unique and different experiences rolled into one trip.
Next Thursday morning we'll be driving to Miami to catch a flight to Lima, Peru.  It's a direct flight and fairly short by Tucker standards ( a little over five hours) and only one time zone different than Florida........should be a piece of cake!
After one night in Lima we'll be catching a short flight to Cusco and transferring to our hotel in the Sacred Valley (Tambo del Inka).  We'll be spending five nights in the Sacred Valley area and using it as a base for a one day trip by train to Machu Picchu.  Machu Picchu is often thought of as being at a high altitude.  At 7,972 feet above sea level it is considerably higher than Anna Maria Island (3 feet above sea level).  However, compared to Cusco (11,152 feet) and the Sacred Valley (9,514 feet) it's fairly low.  We'll have a few days to get acclimated at the higher altitude of the Sacred Valley before visiting Machu Picchu and finishing off this first adventure spending the final day touring Cusco.  Hopefully we won't find the air to be too thin.

Machu Picchu

From Cusco we'll fly back through Lima to Iquitos, Peru to spend five days in the Amazon.  Iquitos is the sixth largest city in Peru.  It is somewhat unique because it can only be reached by boat or plane.  It's also known as the gateway to the Amazon Rainforest.  Once we land the adventure begins with a four hour boat ride on the Amazon River to reach our generator powered lodge deep in the forest.  The only air conditioning at the lodge comes from the rain and any portable fan you bring with you (we've been to Wal-Mart).  Also the showers are "cold water only" which we have been told we will really appreciate.  There's guided hikes and boat excursions deeper into the jungle, visits to local villages and schools and even a chance to fish for piranha on the agenda.  The piranha should be fun to catch, but I'll bet there is a trick to getting them off the hook!

Tahuayo Lodge

The third part of this adventure is a visit to a handful of the thirteen main Galapagos Islands.  There are a couple of ways to see the islands.  There are cruises on small boats and ships or land based tours.  The cruises look interesting but they are also pretty expensive, so we'll be staying a few nights on two different islands and doing day tours that include snorkeling and hiking.  We're looking forward to the up close experiences with animals including a bird common to the islands with a pretty interesting name.........blue footed boobies!

Blue Footed Booby

Of course I'll be blogging when I can but from what we've read the connectivity in some of these places may be limited or nonexistent.  Should be a doozy and I look forward to sharing stories as we explore these parts of South America.

Shoulder Season on AMI

A little Saturday Night Minor League Baseball with NaNa and Beth (behind the camera)
Bradenton Marauders game at LECOM Park 



We've been back on the island since Monday.  I've lost practically every game of rummy to NaNa since we've gotten back.  I'm not sure what's going on but she's really got a "take no prisoners" attitude these days.  She's beating Beth almost as bad and as often as she's beating me.
Anytime of the year is nice on AMI but the shoulder seasons of late Spring and late Fall are the best.  The temperatures are very nice and the crowds are much smaller.  This time of year it's possible to walk a couple of miles on the beach at sunrise and not see a person.  I've also been able to get out on the paddleboard a couple times this past week which is really enjoyable.
We're going to be here until May 24 when we take to the skies again.  I'll have the details of the next adventure posted next week.  Hopefully I'll also be able to share some encouraging news from the rummy table.
Wishing all the amazing Mothers out there a very Happy Mothers Day.  We guys are so blessed!
This video is a prime example of why we men are so lucky.......and wimpy!


 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLj7fj-3L78

Crossing the Border........

Israel's border security is about as tight as possible. They have good reasons for it to be that way.  I have no arguments with them or any other country protecting their borders. We were told that it could take up to three hours to cross the border into Jordan and another three hours when we returned to Israel.  Since the two countries do not completely trust each other they both have their own processes.  It ends up looking somewhat like a dysfunctional dance of redundant bureaucracy.  What makes this even more of a head scratcher is that while they're not best buddies, they are on somewhat friendly terms.  I can only imagine what it would be like if they really didn't like each other.
There are exit checkpoints on both borders, followed by short rides to the entry check point for which ever country you are entering.  There are questions on both sides about what you're doing, where are you going, where have you been, how long will you be there, etc., etc., etc.,  The questions are fired at you by rather serious looking men and women in rapid succession.  Bags have to be unloaded and reloaded on different buses because neither country allows the other countries buses to enter their country.  Everything is  x-rayed and then rex-rayed.  There is a lot of down time which at least gives you time to get to know your fellow traveler.  Hopefully you get the picture!
It took about two hours to complete the whole process leaving Israel and entering Jordan.  The time on the return was a little less for everyone in our group but me.  I was detained for additional screening as I was reentering Israel.
I don't think I'm on anybody's terrorist watch list. If I am they really need to reevaluate their data source.  The issue was that because of my pacemaker I couldn't go through the standard metal detector.  It happens all the time and usually it's just a quick pat down by some guy who really doesn't want to touch me and then I'm on my way.  I've actually gotten to where I grade the thoroughness of these pat downs.  The TSA guys at the US airports usually do pretty good, probably around an 8 out of 10. Security guys at foreign airports score a little higher. Cruise ship security rarely scores above a 4.  Stadium/Venue security.........I think I could sometimes sneak in an F-16 fighter jet behind my back.
Jordanian security was very impressive coming and going.  Israeli security was impressive on the way out and then there was getting back in that the adventure started.  With the nicest American smile I could muster I said "I have a pacemaker" and gently tapped myself on the left side of my upper chest which seems to be the universal signal for "I have a pacemaker".
My nice American smile was met with a very serious frown from an Israeli border security agent that couldn't have been any older than Ben or Sarah.  I was pulled out of line and told to "wait here".  I complied thinking the pat down would be coming quickly and I'd be on my way to reconnect with Beth and my bag which is now slightly radioactive because of the number of times it has been x-rayed in the last couple of days.
I waited, waited a little longer and then a little bit more.  Everyone in our group was clearing security. We had already been warned that if you were detained for additional screening the bus wouldn't wait (we were given a process for getting back to Jerusalem but I really didn't want to use it).  Finally after about 15 minutes a less than friendly guy said "come with me".  I was taken to a private screening room (no big deal, but I didn't ask for it).  I was asked if I was carrying a gun or knife.  I guess I could have been but I was in shorts and a tee shirt so there weren't many hiding places.  The pat down started with my upper body.  No problems and the guy is scoring a 10+ for thoroughness.  Then he said "drop your shorts to below your knees".  Now that's a new one!  My first thought was by shorts does he mean "shorts" or "shorts and underwear".  Thinking that too little would be better than too much I went with just the shorts.  Thankfully I guessed right but it wasn't quite over yet.  He made sure there were no weapons of mass destruction hidden in the waist line of my shorts, underwear or between my legs to the point that I started thinking  "I sure hope he doesn't try to verify I have a pacemaker way up here from where he is way down there".  Finally he said "you can pull your pants back up".  The hallelujah chorus started playing in my head and those shorts were up in world record time. 
Gruffly he returned my recently x-rayed shoes and without so much as a "thank you" simply said, "you can go".  Needless to say I went and I went at a pretty rapid pace.  I wanted to get out of there before he changed his mind or before Beth busted back through security in an attempt to rescue me.
As a kid Mom always said to make sure I had on clean underwear in case I was in an accident and had to go to the hospital.  The world has change a lot since then.  I guess there are a lot more reasons now why it's important to wear clean underwear.......................crossing the border back into Israel can be added to the list!


A few more pictures from Israel and Jordan as we close the book on this adventure   

Clock Tower-Tel Aviv

We did!

People waiting inside the Church of the Nativity-Bethlehem

Dome of the Rock-Jerusalem

Jaresh, Jordan

I may spell it wrong-Kunafa  It was incredible.  Goat Cheese, small crispy noodles, Pistachios and Honey 

The Bedouin Camp at night in Jordan.  The lights were on the adjacent hillside 

Our tour guide preforming remarrying us in Petra.  This was the site where weddings were performed back in the day. 

Petra

Wadi Rum

Salt Crystals along the shore of the Dead Sea

The end of a long hard hike in the Judean Desert