We spent the better part of 2004 in Peru, a time of discovery and further understanding about a culture.

There was no New Year’s celebration at the beginning of 2004 in the freezing town of Andagua in the Valley of the Volcanoes near Arequipa, Peru. Only a few errant fireworks. Judy and Felix got up at the midnight hour but Arie remained huddled in bed. Two days earlier we had crossed from the Colca Canyon to the Valley of the Volcanoes via 5100 metre Sicuani Pass and then on New Years Eve trudged through lava flows to have a bed and a hot shower for the new year. (We missed on the second wish).

Cold… cold… cold… characterises our time in Peru. Teaching English in gloves to students who mumble through their scarves which are wrapped around their nose and mouth. No heating in any building. Standing in a ray of sunlight that has escaped from the clouds and reveling in its’ weak warmth.

It was now two years since we had first had contact with Peru and we had only begun to touch on the complexities of this culture.

We encountered the understanding that travellers, and tourists may visit a place yet understand so little.

However, if you would like to read the stories, please click on the link below.
(Some of the photos havent been scanned in!)

Peru's Wild West - Colca Canyon

Playing at Jungle Jane - Madre de Dios

The Burden of Youth - Cusco

The Tragedy of San Pedro - Cusco

Building at the ends of the earth - Puncuyoc, Vilcabamba

Our dear friends  in the Plaza d' Armas de Cusco.  
Read the story  The burden of youth


Doing as the locals do... at home in Cusco.

Felix and Arie before we got bogged down in snow, on our way to the "back door" of Machu Picchu.

Judy and Arie on Paso Sicuani, 5100m

San Sebastian celebrations...

Copyright Ariana Svenson, 2005 - Comments and enquiries, please email us.