July 28 - Lima to New York

by Bryan

After waking up late, Sean drove us to a few more sites in the city, including a visit to some of the more important piazzas, which had beautiful colonial architecture. We had a decent lunch and then stopped at the best gelateria in Lima. Running late for our flight, we then raced to the airport, where we arrived less than an hour before our international flight. However, due to the holiday, the airport was empty and we made it to our gate with plenty of time to spare.

We hoped on our plane and arrived to New York at 2 AM! After a few days in New York, Tina would head to LA while I would go to Austin for three days for my friend Raul’s bachelor party. Our incredible trip was over and it was better than we could have ever expected. We felt so lucky to have such a special opportunity and were glad to take this once-in-a-lifetime trip at such a young age.

July 27 - Cuzco to Lima

by Bryan

To remind us that Peruvian Independence Day was only a day away, the residents of Cuzco exploded unimpressive fireworks that kept the town awake throughout the night. Our 4 AM wakeup call was unnecessary as the noise kept Tina and I up all night.

We arrived early in the morning to Lima, a dangerous city known for DAILY kidnappings and robberies of tourists who take the unlicensed taxis that are found at the airport. The only safe way to go is by hiring a cab from the one licensed company, despite the fact that their taxis cost almost $5 more. With a difficult decision to make, Tina and I decided to save the money and go in an unlicensed taxi. Just kidding Mom! Obviously we took the safer route.

Although we had always wanted to see Machu Picchu, the main reason we came to Peru was to visit one of my good friends. Sean, who had worked with me in LA, was in Lima for a week visiting his family.

Sean’s background is absolutely fascinating. His dad was an American attorney with a family lineage that extended back to the early days of plantation owners in New Orleans. While working as counsel for the Occidental Oil Company, he met Sean’s mother, a Peruvian whose family Spanish ancestors arrived to Lima hundreds of years earlier as conquistadors. Growing up, Sean and his brother spent their time living in cities across the US, including Bakersfield and Mississippi. When Sean was in high school, his parents separated and he moved to Lima to live with his mom. Soon after, his mom was remarried to a very charismatic politician who would soon be elected Prime Minister of Peru. This was a very interesting time in Peru’s history and Sean’s step-father worked closely with Alberto Fumjimori, the controversial, Japanese-born Peruvian President. Not only did Sean have the cultural shock of moving to a new country, but he was escorted at all times by the Peruvian Secret Service, including a presidential motorcade when he took his date to prom.

After graduating high school, Sean returned to the United States where he went to school at Tulane University, although surprisingly, he did not know my sister or her friends. When he graduated, he moved with his brother to California to work in finance, but more importantly, to pursue his passion for surfing. Unfortunately, he loved his surf board more than it loved him; two years ago, he fell off his board and hit his head so hard that he lost all sense of taste and smell.

When we arrived to Sean’s apartment near the plush Lima neighborhood of Miraflores, he was still asleep after a late night of partying. He was happy to see us and after a quick shower, we grabbed breakfast at a local coffee shop. He then led us on an insiders tour of his city, visiting the places where he grew up. We also saw a thousand-year old pre-Incan pyramid that was situated in a busy suburb and surrounded by apartment buildings.

Unfortunately, Lima is not a pretty city and was covered in a haze that descends on the city during the winter months. On most days, it is impossible to see the sun, hidden behind thick clouds.

After the tour, we drove south to Sean’s beach house, where his mom and step-father were staying for the weekend. Located about an hour from the city, the road to the upscale beach town passed through impoverished and decrepit shantytowns where a large percentage of the population lived in primitive housing. It was very reminiscent of my visit to the Soweto shantytown in South Africa and reminded us that sadly, this is how many Peruvians live.

After passing through a handful of security guards and gates, we arrived at Sean’s beach house. The beautiful house was located on a narrow peninsula and had great views of the ocean on three sides. Sitting on an outdoor patio in 70 degree weather, we had a delicious lunch that Sean’s mom had prepared. She is a sensational cook and made us a spicy risotto with shrimp. Tina and I thought she was such an intelligent and interesting woman and talked to her for a couple of hours before being joined by her husband, the former prime minister. He is a fascinating man who has a magnetism that makes him so popular amongst poor Peruvians. Getting to know the two of them as a real highlight of the trip.

After lunch we stopped at an outdoor mall on the water that looked very similar to something you’d find in southern California. After walking around for a couple of hours, we went to a decent Italian restaurant owned by a friend of Sean’s mom. We then went back to Sean’s apartment, where Tina and I slept in the prime minister’s bed.

July 26 - Cuzco

by Bryan

Despite the prevalence of traditional Inca healing and herbal medicines, the Peruvian doctor in the clinic we visited prescribed a serious dose of antibiotics as the cure for my affliction. Over the course of a few days, the Cipro slowly worked its magic, restoring my voracious appetite. The doctor also prescribed a diet of chicken soup and chamomile tea, which I quickly ignored in favor of more tasty culinary adventures.

Completely oblivious to the fact that I was doubled over in pain an hour ago, Tina and I took a taxi to SexyWoman, an Inca site dominating a mountaintop overlooking Cuzco. To avoid large tour groups and Spanish speaking guides that make fun of us, we decided to explore SexyWoman alone. Although the ruins are beautiful, the view of Cuzco and its surrounding mountains were the highlights of the excursion.

We returned to shop for more Andean garbage but realized that no one in our families wanted ugly gifts that will only serve to stuff up one’s closet. We then sat in the piazza for an hour, watching the slow pace of life in a city that is hundreds of years old.

Dinner was at a restaurant that we had smelled days earlier as we passed on the street. While the smells brought us in, the taste of the food did not disappoint with two delicious platefuls of tapas, all with an Andean twist. Tina loved the spoons with mashed sweet potato and seafood ceviche while I preferred the quail egg bruschetta accompanied with a duck prosciutto. It was a great last meal for our last night in Cuzco.

July 25 - Cuzco

by Bryan

We got an early jump on the day and went to a French-Peruvian bakery, where we had our best breakfast of the trip. Since we bought too many pastries, we got a to-go bag and ended up befriending a couple of young kids that we shared our leftovers with.

Today we were taking a tour of the Sacred Valley, a region near Machu Picchu with high quality Inca ruins. After being crammed onto a tour bus, our bilingual guide asked us how many people speak English. To our embarrassment, Tina and I were the only two tourists who were not native Spanish speakers. In front of the thirty other members in our group, our guide suggested that the tour only be in Spanish since it was not fair to the others that half the time he would have to speak in English. However, we insisted on English and thus spent the day as the recipients of angry glances directed at “those stupid Americans.”

We visited three sites on our ten hour tour – Pisac, Chincero, and Ollaytaytambo (I’ll give 10 soles to the first person who can correctly pronounce the name of that last town). The Incas built incredible structures that exceed what the technology of the time should have allowed them to build. Without the knowledge of the wheel or other such necessary tools, the Incas somehow transported heavy, large stones many kilometers from the quarries. Historians have long struggled to understand how the Incas were able to construct such technically challenging buildings. Regardless of the how, the results are still impressive. That being said, after visiting a half dozen Inca ruins, the sites became a bit repetitive. Just like the staggering number of important churches in Rome, seeing just one or two Incan ruin was more than enough.

Upon our return to Cuzco, we decided to revisit the crepe restaurant. Unfortunately, my stomach problems returned with a voracious intensity that not only prevented me from eating, but also caused me horrible pain. An otherwise enjoyable day was ended with a late and uncomfortable night where I was unable to sleep.

July 24 - Cuzco

by Bryan

I woke up feeling significantly better and for the first time in over a day, I had something to eat. After 5 weeks of South American food and 24 hours of stomach problems, I felt entitled to spoil myself so we visited a creperie down the street. Although not as good as those made by my grandmother, the crepes were still delicious.

We took it easy today, enjoying the pleasant town by walking down its windy cobblestone streets and basking in the surprisingly warm sunlight in its charming piazzas. With our muscles still exhausted from 4 days of hiking, we visited a massage parlor, where we had an hour-long, full body massage for $6. Tina, weary of what the “Inca Massage” entailed, insisted that we share a room to avoid any unexpected solicitations.

Extremely relaxed, we spent a couple of hours shopping for Incan clothing and pottery. Alpaca is the material of choice for most of the sweaters and hats that are sold; although it is very soft, the quality of the textiles was poor and Tina and I did not buy any clothes. However, we did visit a chocolatier who made countless varieties of chocolate infused with coca. After sampling just about everything in his store, we bought a few boxes of these unique sweets to bring back home.

Dinner was at a traditional restaurant that one of Tina’s friends had recommended. Unfortunately, the food was unexciting and the service even worse. However, we enjoyed watching the Japanese family next to us take dozens of pictures of everything from the water glasses to the silverware.

July 23 - Cuzco

by Bryan

Tina and I intended to spend today resting and recovering from our grueling trek. An unexpected stomach virus threw a wrench into our plans for good meals and cheap massages. Unfortunately, I spent the entire day in bed, eating nothing and watching horrible movies on TV. Although I was in a lot of pain, I have to admit that I enjoyed doing absolutely nothing as it was a welcome change of pace. Luckily, Tina did not get sick and spent the day taking care of me. I am very lucky to have her.

I don´t know what I had, but it left my system very quickly. By the next morning, I no longer felt sick.

July 22 - Cuzco to Machu Picchu

by Bryan



We were blessed to be visiting Machu Picchu during a full moon and did not want to miss the opportunity to hike up guided only by the moon´s light. Although we were supposed to be woken up at 4 AM, no one knocked on our door until 4:30, when our guide arrived ready to leave. Unfortunately, this pushed us back by half an hour and risked us arriving at Machu Picchu after the sun had already risen. To make up for lost time, we really pushed ourselves on the steep, windy trail and arrived to the top half an hour before schedule.



It was spectacular hiking to Machu Picchu with a full moon and then watching the sun rise over these ancient Inca ruins. Build in the mid-15th century and rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, the "Lost City of the Incas" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. One of the most sacred sites to the Incas, the city was completely abandoned in the 1550´s after the Spanish conquest. For hundreds of years the city was completely untouched and the ruins remain remarkably maintained.



Due to its historical significance and enviable location on a spectacular mountain-top, Machu Picchu is one of the most visited tourist sites in South America, bringing over 500,000 visitors to Peru every year. Luckily, very few of these visitors are as crazy as Tina and I, so at 6 AM, they were comfortably asleep in their beds while we had the ruins almost entirely to ourselves. It was really a very special experience and we spent 7 hours at the ruins, including taking a nap on a grassy lawn that we shared with a herd of llamas. Unfortunately, we also took a very unexciting tour where we learned little.


We then hiked down and had a very good 3-course lunch at a French-Peruvian restaurant. We also visited the Inka Terra hotel, a stunning, environmentally friendly hotel that our cousin Dana recommended. After an hour, we almost convinced the manager to give us a room for a fraction of their normal $650 a night rate; however, the most we could get was a couple of hundred dollar discount, which was still a little pricier than our $35 a night hotel in Cuzco. We took the train to Cuzco and as soon as we arrived at our hotel, we passed out and had our first good night´s sleep in days.

It was an amazing 4 day excursion with a final destination just as stunning as the journey to get there.

July 21 - Cuzco to Machu Picchu

by Bryan

Our guide gave us an easy option and a difficult option, the first involving a relatively flat 6 hour hike while the second involved the same flat hike followed by a steep 3 hour climb to a mountain-top near Machu Picchu. Anyone who knows me should have no doubts about which option I chose, despite the protests of my wife.

There are no roads into Machu Picchu so the first part of the hike followed the train tracks to Aguas Calientes, which is the town just below Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, we just missed seeing a puma, a rare animal that was extremely important to the Incas. Overall, the hike was relatively easy and uneventful. In Aguas Calientes, we had a good lunch of quinoa and garlic trout. After resting an hour, we begin the extremely challenging part of our day.

Putukusi is a steep mountain next to Machu Picchu that offers great views of the ruins. Although the hour and a half hike was tiring, the real challenge was the many ladders that you needed to climb to get to the top. Some of the ladders climbed endlessly into the sky for hundreds of feet. Without any rails and many missing steps, Tina and I were terrified. Ignoring our fear of heights, we climbed to the top and were rewarded with a stunning sunset along with a 360 degree view of Machu Picchu and the surrounding countryside. Unfortunately, the climb down was even more difficult, especially with very little light.

We had an quick dinner and then went to bed early; tomorrow, we would be visiting Machu Picchu.

July 20 - Cuzco to Machu Picchu

by Tina

On this second day of our trek we woke up to a bag covered in ants. No complaints here! I love bugs and wilderness!

After a breakfast of eggs and pancakes stuffed with banana and chocolate we were ready for the 7 hours of hiking ahead of us. The first part was supposed to be 2 hours on flat terrain, but we did it in 1 hour. Very impressive huh? The second part was 1.5 hours straight up and we used every last second of those 1.5 hours to get up that mountain. This part of the hike was incredible. The views were outstanding. We were on an actual Inca Trail that the Inca people built to travel from their small villages to Machu Picchu. At the top we rested for about 30 minutes on hammocks overlooking the gorgeous river, mountains and valleys that surrounded us.

We then climbed down the other side of the mountain for 1.5 hours until we arrived at a less than exciting village with nasty dogs that only had 3 legs and mosquitoes that would probably bite through a 5 inch thick metal suit if I were wearing one. Yet again...no complaints! I love the great outdoors!

Lunch was good and got us ready for the last 1.5 hours of walking we had to do that day. I suppose it also got us ready to be sick to our stomachs when we approached the scariest bridge I´ve ever encountered. There were huge pieces missing that could have easily sucked you in to your death.

After surviving the bridge we came upon a "cable car." I would say it was more like a few pieces of broken wood barely held together, hanging from a less than promising "cable." Bryan and I were white with fear but we agreed to cross the river in the "cable car." Our guide said it would be fine and we trusted him. We got into the creaky old basket (practically crying) and our guide pushed us out over the river. Our momentum gave up half way across the huge expanse and I honestly thought I was going to die. I kept thinking that my mom would never forgive me if I died because I stupidly got into a basket hanging 200 feet over a rushing river. A guide on the other side had to pull on the rope connected to the basket to get us over to the other platform. When we were back on land Bryan and I started cracking up about how dumb we are. We noticed that the other guide who had helped us get across was not amused. He then told us that his friend died two weeks prior when the rope got caught on his foot and pulled him over the cliff. I guess our guide forgot to mention that.

Very soon after, we arrived at our final destination (for the day anyway): St Teresa Hot springs. It was awesome. We bathed in the warm waters for 4 hours and loved every second. Some of the natural pools had water that reached 150 degrees. The pools were huge, set right up against huge mountains. It was a great end to a day full of natural beauty, history and death-defying acts.

July 19 -Cuzco to Machu Picchu

by Bryan



There are many ways to get to Machu Picchu, but without doubt, the most spectacular is through a trek on the Inca Trail. Unfortunately, the most popular trek is well-known and has become a victim of its own success. In addition to being unexpectedly expensive, it is also terribly overcrowded. Fortunately, after doing some research, Tina and I discovered that there are lesser known Inca trails to Machu Picchu that are equally stunning. Tina especially liked the fact that on these treks, you stayed at hotels rather than campsites and had meals at restaurants. After negotiating the details with a guide, we agreed on a 4 day private jungle trek to Machu Picchu for less than one quarter of the price of the group trek on the more popular route.



We soon learned that this path was more stunning than we could have ever imagined and a much better way to trek to Machu Picchu. We left Machu Picchu on a local bus where we were the only foreigners onboard. The trip took us high into the Andes and past gorgeous glaciers. At an altitude of over 4,000 m, the bus pulled over and we got out along with our guide.

The first day of our journey would be on mountain bikes. It was a beautiful ride down a steep mountain road and took us from high in the Swiss-like mountains down to the hot Amazonian jungle below. The vistas from the mountains were great and the change of scenery was dramatic. Over the course of 8 hours, we rode over 30 km and descended almost 2,500 m. Unfortunately, after the first 10 km, the road was no longer paved and we had to ride on a bumpy and dusty road. Along the way we passed tiny villages with no running water and well-preserved Inca ruins that were hundreds of years old.

We arrived to the little town of Santa Maria just as the sun was setting. After a satisfying dinner and a much needed beer, we went to bed early. Although the hostel was very rudimentary and rather unclean, we were so tired that we were fast asleep by 9 o´clock.

July 17 and 18 - Cuzco to the Paucartambo and Tres Cruces

by Bryan



Peru is known for incredible festivals that integrate traditional Inca mysticism with Spanish-Christian beliefs. Because these festivals are often spectacular, tourists from all over the world travel to Peru to attend over 3,000 annual fiestas such as Inti Raymi and Corpus Cristi. Because of their popularity, and in order to attract tourist dollars, many of these festivals have lost a good deal of authenticity and cater more to foreigners than to locals.



However, there is still one great festival that has not lost any of its authenticity, the Virgen de Carmen festival in Paucartambo. Because this tiny little village is located at least 4 hours from the nearest paved road, it is nearly impossible to get to. However, after countless hours of research, we realized that there are very few events in the world that are truly this spectacular and raw. Although we were travelling unbelievably far off of the beaten track, we knew the rewards would be far worth the effort.

Our friend Noel helped us line up a driver with a 4 x 4 who could take us to the festival. However, the driver started having cold feet when he realized how far we would be traveling; he expected that it would take at least 16 hours of driving! When it was time to pick us up, he didn´t show up. We waited over two and a half hours before attempting to find a new driver. Although the nice lady in our hotel called many of her friends who she hoped would take us, they all refused. Finally, we found Jimmie, a 21 year old taxi driver who was willing to do anything for a few bucks.



As we left Cuzco, we told Jimmie all about the festival and his eyes lit up. "I´ve heard of this festival and it is supposed to be amazing," he told us. "Do you mind if I bring my wife and baby along?" Although we were surprised by his request, we thought it would be fun to get to know some more Peruvians. Additionally, we knew that he would drive much more carefully if his family were in the car too. We turned around and picked up his wife and 7-month old daughter.



Although we anticipated bumpy dirt roads, we were shocked by the poor condition of the path. Worst of all, the path was incredibly dusty and without any air conditioning, Jimmie kept the windows open, which filled the car and our lungs with dust. The path took us high into the mountains and we were usually within inches of steep cliffs that fell into deep canyons thousands of feet below. That being said, the ride was unbelievably stunning, passing through snow covered mountains and lush valleys. We passed through a few tiny villages without electricity or running water, where locals, dressed in indigenous costumes, herded llamas.



After an exhausting ride, we arrived in Paucartambo, a town of 3,000 residents located on a river at the bottom of a deep canyon. As we pulled in, we could hear the festive music blaring through the city streets. As soon as we parked the car, Tina and I said goodbye to Jimmie and ran to catch up with the procession.



We´ve heard various different stories on the history of the Virgen de Carmen festival. One story claims that a relic that was intended to be sent to a village near Lake Titicaca in the early 16th century was accidentally sent to Paucartambo. Upon on the receipt of the relic, the town encountered such unexpected success and good luck that they refused to give the relic back to its rightful owners. Angry, a large army from Lake Titicaca made its way to Paucartambo to wage war on the much smaller village. Surprisingly, Paucartambo won the battle, an impossibility that could only be explained by the good luck that the relic brought with it.



Regardless of the festival´s origins, for centuries, peasants and farmers from the surrounding areas would visit Paucartambo every July to make homage to the Virgen de Carmen. Since none of these peasants have cars, many have to hike through the Andean mountains for days to reach Paucartambo, where they stay for a full week. During this time, they camp in the fields outside of the village and exchange goods in the temporary market. We were told that most of these people work tirelessly for 51 weeks out of the year just to save enough money to enjoy their time at the festival.



The festival started with a procession in which the Virgen de Carmen relic was paraded through the crowded streets accompanied by an energetic band. Behind the relic, various groups dressed up in very exotic costumes and wearing frightening masks marched down the street. There were bakers wearing aprons and throwing flour in the face of those around them. Then there were the big-nosed drunks who shook bottles of beer and opened them over people´s heads. There were mystical creatures who climbed on the roofs of the houses and white-faced Spaniards that paraded around town cracking their whips. Bullfighters fought with people dressed as bulls and devil-like characters drove around on carts that were covered in flames.



After the relic was dropped off in the church, everyone proceeded to the main square, where people marched around the plaza. Each of these colorful characters represented an important part of Paucartambo´s history and over the course of a few hours, they told the town´s story. As more alcohol was consumed, the crowd got rowdier and people started playfully pushing. The crowd challenged the costumed characters to fights only to have beer poured on their head or flour thrown in their face. Meanwhile, guys with waterguns soaked the crowds while cops with fake battons gently hit those around them. Throughout all this chaos, colorful confetti rained from above. It was overwhelming in every sense of the word and absolutely unforgettable. It was the most intense five hours of our life.



After a quick dinner, we met Jimmie and his wife back at the car, where we slept for two hours before waking up at midnight for our next excursion.



At the eastern edge of the Andes, at a staggering elevation of 13,100 feet, lies Tres Cruces, one of the most sacred spots in the Inca culture. On the top of a steep cliff, Tres Cruces drops-off thousands of feet to the steamy Amazonian rainforest down below. The Inca´s viewed this place as the end of the world and it literally felt that way when we were there. Because of the intense change of climate and elevation between the mountain above and the jungle below, sunrises near the winter solstice are absolutely magical; optical illusions include seeing three suns rising at the same time and prisms of light being created by the humidity below.

The Incas would travel for days just to witness the sunrise. Although we had the luxury of a car, it was still unbearably difficult to get to Tres Cruces. The road was actually worse than the road between Cuzco and Paucartambo and there were absolutely no signs to help us know if we were heading in the right direction. We drove for hours in the middle of the night, making many wrong turns along the way; however, we finally arrived, albeit with a headache from the altitude and shivers from the intense cold. Despite all the difficulties, the sunrise was absolutely incredible and well worth the effort.

Exhausted, we returned to Cuzco. We had spent over 24 hours on our excursion, most of the time which was spent driving. However, it was among the best 24 hours of our lives.

After a long nap, we had two very good meals in Cuzco: lunch at Pacha Papa and dinner at Machando. We considered getting one of the $5 massages offered around town, but instead opted to get to bed early. Tomorrow we had an even bigger excursion and we needed our rest.

July 2 - Boquete

By Tina

I apologize for posting this so late. I´ve been devoting my computer hours to my dance company.
___________________________________________


While the bus didn´t leave for our white water rafting adventure until 7:00am on July 2nd, the series of events related to the rafting adventure began days before. You see, being that my profession relies on my body being intact, the thought of being thrown from a raft into huge slippery boulders wasn´t exactly comforting. And so, the anxiety related to the rafting adventure began days before we boarded the bus.

On July 1st when Bryan and Miguel were going to sign us all up I insisted on accompanying them. When we arrived at the office both of them tried to quickly sign up as to avoid my backing out, but before they could hand over the money I had begun what became a 20 minute interrogation of the rafting guide. How often do people get injured? How often do people get seriously injured? How often do people die? How likely is it that I will break a limb? And again, how often do people die? His response: "you have to be open to an adventure." My response: "yes, but how often do people die or break a limb?"

Well, regardless of whether I was "open to adventure" or not, at 7am on July 2nd we boarded the bus and made our way to the river. Upon our arrival we suited up in life vests and helmets. Helmets never mean you´re up to something good; you´ve either gone insane and need to ride the "special bus" or you are chancing your life.


As soon as we got into the rafts the river carried us away. At first it seemed so innocent, so calm and so beautiful. Well, innocent, calm and beautiful were words far from my mind when we hit our first rate 5 rapid. The boat tipped to a 90 degree angle to the water, Bryan came flying at me from across the raft and went flying over my head into a huge boulder. In an utter state of panic I started screaming his name. I didn´t see him anywhere and what was probably 1 minute felt like an eternity. Our boat had recovered the other passengers who had fallen out and immediately started paddling away. I was freaking out and finally Miguel pointed out that Bryan was picked up by another raft and was safe. Phew!


After that first blow, which apparently wedged Bryan between the bottom of our boat and a huge rock, our team really pulled together. We were paddling so well together and overcoming the most difficult rapids. I started to think how proud I´d feel to tell everyone that I didn´t get thrown from the boat once. Right then, in the midst of my arrogance, BAM! I went flying over the side of the boat into the river. I don´t think I´ve ever been so scared...well, maybe except for the time I fell into a river with a rushing waterfall ahead. Just like the time I fell into the river with the rushing waterfall, Bryan saved my life. It´s amazing how quickly that man acts when I´m in danger. I later told him how scared I was when he was thrown from the boat and asked him how he felt when I went in. Bryan said that when I fell in his first thought was that if he didn´t get me out as quickly as possible, without injury, I´d never allow him to do anything of the sort ever again. Well, regardless of his motivation...I´M ALIVE!!!


Shortly after my near death experience we got out of the river for lunch. We enjoyed tuna sandwiches, pringles and stories of other people´s near death experiences. We met a lovely couple from Laguna Beach who have probably visited every country in the world, actually, I wouldn´t be surprised if they´ve also been to Mars. They gave us some great hints about places to visit, such as the Galapagos Islands.


After lunch our tour´s 3 rafts were back to the water. Our raft was doing very well, we were paddling together and charging through the biggest rapids. Other rafts, however, were not doing as well and very quickly ruined our flow too. One boat was flipped completely upside down and then all hell broke lose. Here it comes, get ready for the most dramatic river rafting story you´ve ever heard.....


Okay, so they hit a rapid and their boat flipped upside down. The couple I mentioned above was on this raft along with a 50 year man and his son, and their guide. The guide immediately tried to flip the boat over, except that the dumb ¨son¨wouldn´t let go of the flipped boat. The ¨wife¨ended up floating down the river for atleast 10 minutes and went through 2 sets of rapids without a raft. The ¨husband¨was immediately recovered by our boat and in an attempt to paddle to his wife began slamming his paddle into mine and screaming at me. The ¨father¨was the worst of all! He was recovered by our boat and proceeded to lay his enormous body across my legs with no consideration for (a) the fact that I needed to paddle and not have a huge useless man on my legs, (b) the fact that we could have used his help to get the others out of the water, and (c) the fact that his puny little 14 year old son was drifting down the river. He layed there so long that he was still laying there 10 minutes later when we pulled the ¨wife¨up on top of him.


Well, their guide single-handedly got the raft right side up and pulled the ¨son¨ in. That was the good news, the bad news was that he had not one paddle. The guide and "son" were being pulled down the river with no paddles! The story goes on and on....the guide jumping from the raft and trying to swim upstream in a rushing white water river, the "son" abandoned in the raft across the river from everyone else, the "father" continuing to be useless. I don´t remember all the details but they all survived.

In the end, it was an awesome day. We had an absolute blast. I loved the rush of overcoming rapids, Miguel loved the rush of being tossed out of the raft, Veronica enjoyed being alive after, like Bryan, being thrown into a huge boulder, and Bryan later loved re-creating the various events that took place that day.

July 15 and 16 - Buenos Aires to Cuzco (via Lima)

by Bryan

Our last day in sexy Buenos Aires. We were trading in tango, steak, and red wine for flute music, alpaca meat, and pisco sours. Before the flight, we wandered through the historic but dangerous Boca neighborhood. After exploring the port and its colorful buildings, we visited the home of the Boca Juniors soccer team. This stadium was once home to Diego Maradona, who is best known for his illegal ¨Mano de Dios¨ goal that help defeat England in the 1986 World Cup.

Our last meal in Buenos Aires was arguably the best (I know I am constantly saying how good the food is, but I have the soul of a fat man). Located down a shady street and far from the tourist crowds, the walls of El Obrero were covered in old photos and soccer jerseys. A huge, five-course lunch of steak, eggplant, fried cheese, and calamari allowed us to skip dinner. It was a great end to a great trip.

Our flight from Buenos Aires arrived in Lima at midnight. Although we were exhausted, we decided to forgo a hotel since we had a flight to Cuzco the following morning at 5:40. While I attempted to sleep on a bench in the international food court, Tina repeatedly awoke me to tell me that she was so tired and wanted to sleep. Luckily, we were able to check into our hotel in Cuzco when we arrived at 9 AM, allowing us to get a couple of hours of sleep.

Located 3500 km above sea level, Cuzco was once the capital of an Inca Empire that covered all of Peru and Bolivia and parts of Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina. Due to its location high in the Andean mountains, travellers typically experience altitude sickness, which is known locally as Soroche. To prevent feeling sick, Tina and I relied on an old Inca remedy, which was chewing on coca leaves. Although the leaves can be refined to make an illegal drug with a similar name, they were considered sacred by the Incas and were used in their sacrifices as well as a form of valuable currency, worth more than gold. Fortunately, the coca leaves worked their magic and Tina and I acclimatized very quickly.

My friend Kevin, who is a well-known journalist for Yahoo, kindly introduced us to his friend Noel, an American who moved to Peru to marry his Peruvian wife. A graduate of the Kennedy School at Harvard, Noel had recently opened up a very cool bar in Cuzco that he named Hierba Buena. He went out of his way to help us and got us a room (and a special rate) at the Caso de Campo, a beautiful hotel that sits on a hill at the highest point in Cuzco. Because of its great views, the hotel was actually the location of Noel´s wedding.

After getting settled, we walked around the gorgeous town, enjoying its cobblestone plazas and colonial churches. Our only disappointment was how touristy the town was, with each restaurant boldly advertising its ¨tourist menu¨ featuring pizzas and hamburgers. Wanting to get a taste of the real Peru, we asked an indigenous vendor selling traditional Inca herbs where she liked to eat. Based on her recommendation, we made our way to a local food market with hundreds of stalls selling everything from fresh fruits to raw meat. Without a tourist in site, we sat down at a little food stall packed with Peruvians, where we had an incredible quinoa soup and a delicious lomo saltado (salted beef cooked with tomatoes, onions, and french fries). Even better, our tab was only $1 for the two of us.

The locals appreciated our openness and our friendliness and made a big effort to make us feel welcome. At each stall, vendors offered us free samples of fruits we had never had before. We tried some of the best chocolate we had ever had (rich, spicy, and not too sweet) and then ended up spending an hour talking to the owner of that stall. However, what impressed us the most was the chicha morada, which was a sweet drink made of purple corn.

After wandering through the town´s narrow streets, we sat in a park and watched as a group of 5-year old students practiced a dance that they would be performing in an upcoming festival. They really enjoyed having us as their sole audience and kept coming up to talk to us. They told us we looked very funny and someone said that I looked a lot like a monkey.

At night, we stopped by Noel´s bar, where we listened to his stories, such as when he worked in a Chilean winery or when he climbed to Mount Everest base camp. We also enjoyed two pisco sours, a Peruvian drink made with lemon juice, sugar, egg white, and pisco (which is a clear brandy). Noel had just hired a new chef and the food was delicious. We had grilled alpaca meat and eggrolls made of cuy, which is Peruvian guinea pig.

At the bar, Tina noticed that one of the waitresses looked very familiar. Born in Paris, she moved to Cuzco after dropping out of Columbia in order to bake cakes that she sold to local restaurants. While at Columbia, she took dance class with Tina. She also knew one of my good friends from Hong Kong, where she went to high school. What a small world!

July 14 - Buenos Aires

by Tina

The ferry to Uruguay left at 11am without us on it. Apparently, arriving for an international boat ride 20 minutes prior to departure isn´t enough time. After arguing with the woman at the desk who refused to sell us tickets, we admitted defeat and left the ferry terminal.



We were in a pretty bad mood (since we wouldn´t have another opportunity to go to Colonia, Uruguay) so we did what most normal people do when their upset... we ate ice cream. Oh boy. It was sooooo good. We shared a gallon sized container filled with chocolate, almond and zabaglione flavored deliciousness. It cheered us right up. Bryan was in such a good mood he said he´d like to take me shopping. Ice cream and shopping? What a day!



We spent the rest of the morning walking around Palermo, peeking in and out of the cutest boutiques. We sat on a beautiful terrace and ate some yummy pizza for lunch. Okay, ice cream, shopping and pizza? Pure heaven!



After lunch we went over to Recoleta to visit the Recoleta cemetery where Eva Peron and other important Argentine figures are buried. The cemetery is famous for it´s elaborate mausoleums, some of which stand as tall as houses with extremely ornate decorations.



Recoleta was a cool area to explore and we found our way to the Alvear Hotel which was beautiful...definitely a place our moms would enjoy. We considered having tea there to celebrate Bryan´s new job but decided instead to go to an old fashioned Argentine cafe that was nearby. There at La Biela Cafe we had a typical Argentine sandwich of lomo (veal) with fried egg, cheese, tomato and onion.



As the evening rolled around we decided to make our way to Belgrano where we had been planning to see a special performance. You see, when we first arrived in Buenos Aires we were looking through the arts section of the local paper to find tango and/or contemporary dance performances and Bryan stumbled upon a listing that read "Sonidos Prohibidos" which was playing at a synagogue. We were immediately interested and so Bryan called to get more information. It turns out that this synagogue put on a series of 4 evenings that presented music that was banned during the Holocaust. Being that I am currently working on the same project with dance we made sure to go.

We arrived at Amijai (the synagogue) about an hour prior to the performance. We were welcomed with open arms and were beyond impressed with the people and the buildings. No offense to Sinai, but this was definitely the most beautiful synagogue I´ve ever seen. You can see a picture of it on their website: http://www.amijai.org/ . We started asking around to find the person who coordinated the evening and were quickly introduced to the Director of Events and the two women who produced the entire series. The two women were so kind. It turns out that they created this project because their parents, who were musicians, had to flee the Nazis in both Italy and Austria. We talked with them for a long while and they were so excited to hear about my project: creating dance to music banned during the Holocaust. They said they´d love to keep in touch and help me in any way they can.

Before the performance they showed a short film about "degenerate art" which really inspired me. I hope to show the film before my own performances; it gave many examples of how the Nazis tried to exterminate Jewish art.

The actual performance was wonderful and the musicians and singers played to a full house. It was so inspiring to see a congregation come together to remember such a terrible time in our history. Sitting there I realized how important my project is to me. If I can educate just a few people about the horrors that our people faced, show them the consequences of a society where people were not free to live their lives, encourage them to remember and urge them continue to teach future generations, then I think I might really accomplish something.

Bryan´s grandparents suffered through circumstances most of us could never imagine. Everyday I dance with such joy, with little understanding of a life where I couldn´t do what I love. I hope that I can pay a proper tribute to those who were far less fortunate than me.

July 12 and 13 - Buenos Aires

by Bryan

We decided to spend Saturday and Sunday exploring the neighborhood surrounding our guesthouse. Because we stayed out so late every night, we didn´t leave our room on either day before 3 in the afternoon! Although the San Telmo neighborhood is a bit run down, it has a number of classic buildings that house antique stores and boutique clothing designers. I spent hours browsing for old stamps and toy soldiers for my grandfather, who is a big collector. I know he will love the World War II era Argentinian battalion that I bought him from a store that had thousands of soldiers. Tina really enjoyed the styles of many of the up-and-coming Buenos Aires designers, who sold her a number of items at a fraction of the price that they would sell for in the US.

Although it was winter, we were blessed with unusually warm weather. While it snowed last year in July, we enjoyed 70 degree weather and clear blue skies.

The center of San Telmo is the Plaza Dorrego (not D´Arrigo), a charming square that has outdoor cafes and live tango performances. On Sunday there is a large open-air antique market that features a milonga, which is a dance event that Tina and I participated in. Additionally, we took advantage of the many old cafes and restaurants, many of which were over 100 years old.

Undoubtedly, the best restaurant in the neighborhood was La Brigada, a parrilla, or steakhouse, where the wait often exceeds a couple of hours. To beat the crowds, Tina and I got there ridiculously early on Saturday night, arriving at 8:30 PM to an empty restaurant. It maybe be hard to believe, but Argentinians usually don´t eat before 10 or 11 at night.

After an unforgettable dinner of sweetbreads and filet mignon from the restaurant´s private ranch, we rushed to a nearby cafe to watch Sexto Meyer, which is one of the country´s most popular tango bands. The tiny cafe was filled with a standing room only crowd made up exclusively of locals (we only knew about the show because of our host Lina). Tina and I were literally the last patrons they allowed into the packed cafe and we were glad they let us in, because they put on quite a performance. Although the two violinists were each at least 85 years old, these guys could really jam. We are thinking of organizing our own band with Tina´s grandmother on the accordian and my grandpa Ted on vocals. We may also want to try out Grandpa Lloyd on the cowbell.

At midnight, we left the show and walked around the neighborhood for a while, before going back to the hotel to rest up. Finally, at 2 AM, we took a cab to chic Palermo neighborhood, which has dozens of bars and nightclubs packed into a tiny area. We walked around and had a couple of drinks. At 5 AM, Tina finally convinced me to go home despite the fact that the streets were still packed with people and most of the bars would stay open for another few hours.

Sunday night was a little more low-key. We mistakenly attended an experts-only tango class followed by 4 or 5 hours at a very good milonga. The culture at the milonga is very interesting and people are separated into three seating sections: single men, single women, and couples. We were told that many of the people sitting in the single section were married and conveniently left their wedding bands at home. If a man in the single section makes eye contact with a woman in the single section, they are both supposed to meet in the middle of the dance floor, where they talk for a few minutes before dancing. 4 or 5 tango songs are played in a row, after which they blare some hideous hip-hop music in order to clear the dance floor. Then everyone sits down until they start playing the next tango song, where you are expected to choose a new partner. It is incredibly insulting to walk off the dance floor while the music is still playing, a custom that Tina and I unknowingly violated while all the other dancers stared angrily at us. Be careful not to bump into other dancers or you might start a knife fight (at least this was the case 100 years ago when the tango was danced exclusively in the brothels by men, with men, who were waiting for their women to be ready).

July 10 and 11 - Buenos Aires

by Bryan

My first impression of Buenos Aires during the day was of a city filled with protests and dog sh*t. Unimpressed, we spent the first two days visiting every attraction that our guidebook said was a ¨must see,¨ each site more boring than the next. At the Evita Museum, we learned that Evita Peron´s mother liked to sew. At the Pink House, Argentina´s ugly version of the White House, we got to witness a changing of the guards that involved military police marching through a crowded street while cars swerved to avoid the jaywalking guards. And at the Congress, we learned that it was completely closed down to visitors to avoid vandalism and other attacks by the protesters in the adjacent park.

Yet despite all of that, we fell madly in love with Buenos Aires. The first step to this courtship was when Tina and I made the bold move to throw our guidebook away. We realized that enjoying Buenos Aires could not be done by visiting its sites and tourist attractions, but rather through getting to know its people, soaking in the atmosphere in its historic cafes, and through exploring its never ending nightlife. Most importantly, we got entrenched in the elusive and somewhat underground world of tango, a world filled with passion, history, and romance.

Luckily, getting to know its people and digging into to world of tango were made easy due to our somewhat unusual accommodations. Rather than stay in an overpriced hotel, we were the guests in the home of a Colombian woman who moved to Buenos Aires to pursue her passion for tango. For $30 a night, Lina not only gave us a nice room with breakfast, but she gave us a very good introduction into Argentina´s national dance. While most tourists spent their time visiting somewhat unauthentic tango shows, Lina told us all the hotspots where the locals went to listen to and dance the tango. The walls of her house were covered in tango posters and there were tango shoes scattered throughout the house. Perhaps most importantly, her bed and breakfast was located in the San Telmo barrio, a seedy, rundown neighborhood that also happened to be the birthplace of tango and the home to most of its great tango clubs.

On our first afternoon in Buenos Aires, we ¨crashed¨ a tango class at a hotel that was only intended for the guests who were staying there. Our instructors were excellent and after class, they told us about a show that they were performing in that evening. Watching them dance, we were able to pick up on many of the subtleties that make this such a beautiful artform. After class, we went to dinner at Cabana de las Lilas, which is the best steakhouse in Buenos Aires, if not in the world. It did not disappoint, despite its very hefty tab, and we followed the very filling dinner up with a walk along the waterfront.

While reading the newspaper the next morning, we saw an advertisement for a $3 matinee performance by the Buenos Aires Contemporary Dance Company. Despite being 1 PM on a Friday, the theater was packed, and we soon found out why: the company was fantastic and featured one of the most interesting works we had seen in a longtime. Tina was so impressed that we stayed after to meet the choreographer so that Tina and her could discuss possible collaborations between the two companies.

Lunch was at a very good empanada restaurant known for having dozens of different types of this Argentinian specialty. After stuffing our faces with enough empanadas for a lifetime, we returned to our new love: tango!

Again, we took class at the hotel, where we learned 4 different tango passes. After that class, we went to ANOTHER dance class, where the instructor placed us in the advanced section. Armed with a couple of dangerous moves and some unwarranted confidence, we decided we were ready to test out what we learned on the dance floor.

Like I mentioned before, tango is very elusive and the best dancers attend only the best milongas, which are rooms that are rented out by a band or DJ and host local residents who want to show off. While the city has dozens of milongas on any given night, there will only be one or two that will attract Buenos Aires´ best. With Lina´s help, we made our way to Confeteria Ideal, which was on the second floor of a hundred year old restaurant. The classic room was complemented perfectly by the fantastic band, but what impressed us the most was the amazing dancers who came from all over Argentina to prove that they were among the best. In the middle of the night, the dance floor was cleared and one couple was given four or five songs to show off - they were unbelievably good.

Believe it or not, Tina and I actually had the courage to get out there and dance the little tango that we had learned over the past couple days. Compared to those around us, we were horrible, but we didn´t care. We had the time of our lives and didn´t stop dancing until 4 in the morning!

July 8 and 9 - Buenos Aires and Igauzu Falls

by Bryan

Without much sleep, we caught an early morning flight to Igauzu Falls, located on the shared border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. The falls are known for being the most spectacular in the world, but we had no idea they would be this great! We were stunned to see hundreds of powerful falls spanning a couple of miles. I liked Niagra Falls and was impressed by Victoria Falls, but Igauzu blew me away.

Although Tina and I have only been staying at budget hotels (our hotel in Buenos Aires was only $30 a night and included breakfast), we decided to splurge and spend a night at the Igauzu Sheraton. The town of Igauzu is a 30 minute drive from the waterfalls and the Sheraton is the sole hotel with a location within the national park, located only a short walk from the falls. As soon as we walked in, we were impressed as the hotel´s lobby is all glass and has an sensational view of the falls. This was a great investment; not only did it allow us to sit on the porch and watch the sunset over the falls, but it allowed us to visit the falls both early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when the other tourists did not have access to the park.

Over the next two days, Tina and I took a number of hikes around the waterfalls and through the jungle foliage. In addition to seeing the waterfalls, we had the opportunity to see many strange animals, thousands of butterflies, and dozens of rainbows that always seemed to be near the falls. The most enjoyable hike of all was on the morning of July 9, when we woke up at dawn and had the park entirely to ourselves for two hours. It was a very special experience and something that we will never forget.

To make up for the money we spent on our hotel room, we decided against eating at the hotel's restaurant, which charged $25 a plate for mediocre food; instead, we bought some empanadas from a local vendor and had a picnic down by the falls.

Before leaving Igauzu, we decided to go in a boat that takes you directly under the falls. We have never been so soaked in our life! Stupidly, we took this excursion after we checked out so we had a very wet plane ride back to Buenos Aires.

We arrived to Buenos Aires late on July 9th, their independence day. To celebrate we decided to go to one of the most popular tango shows in the city. Cafe Tortoni is one of the oldest cafes in the city and has changed little over the last hundred years. In a very crowded, dark room in the back, they have a tango show where they squeeze in as many people as possible to make up for the inexpensive prices. Unfortunately, when we got there, we were told that it had been sold out for weeks and that it would be impossible for us to get in. However, a lot of persistence and a good deal of patience allowed us to gain admission into the show. We watched as a couple, dressed in a pin-striped suit and a beautiful dress, danced accompanied by classic tango tunes played by a violinist, pianist, accordion player, and singer. To top it off, we had a very satisfying provolone cheese-covered steak along with a very well-priced Malbec. The room had a very special air and it felt like we were in a Harlem jazz club in the early 1900´s. This was classic Buenos Aires and we were loving it!

July 7 - Panama City to Buenos Aires

by Bryan

We said goodbye to Stan and Darren and promised to visit again soon, once the house was finished. Although I have known Stan my whole life and Darren for at least a dozen years, it felt great really getting to know them.

Miguel picked us up and took us for a breakfast at a cheap local eatery where the workers and peasants go for Yucca and deep fried meats. Although it was our cheapest meal in Panama, it was actually very good, although it left us with a bad case of heartburn!

Saying goodbye to Miguel was the toughest of all. He has been one of my best friends for the past 8 years and every time I am with him, I like him even more. He is a very special person and kept Tina and I constantly fluctuating between intense conversations and hilarious laughter . I know Miguel had as much fun as we did and he admitted that he was extremely depressed to see us leave. However, on a positive note, Miguel will be moving to Chicago in a couple of months to pursue his masters degree so we are excited that we will be able to see him more often.

Our 9 hour flight to Buenos Aires was made worse by the fact that the airline went out of their way to choose the two worst possible movies, including one by Jack Black. At least the flight gave Tina and I the opportunity to finish our books. Tina finished a book by Paolo Coehlo while I finished both the Unbearable Lightness of Being and the Confessions of an Economic Hitman. I enjoyed the former significantly more than the latter. Now I am reading One Hundred Years of Solitude while Tina is reading Water for Elephants.

When we got into Buenos Aires late at night, we were shocked by how expensive the cabs to the city center were so we befriended two Americans and split the fare. Since it was almost midnight, we feared that all the restaurants would be closed, but to our surprise, midnight is a very normal time for Argentinians to eat. After an uninspiring dinner, we went to bed at about 1 AM, knowing that we had a taxi waiting for us the next morning at 5 AM!

July 6 - Panama City

by Bryan

Miguel picked us up early to give us a tour of his city. First, we visited the ruins of Panama Vieja, the first major city on the Pacific Coast, established at the same spot where Balboa first saw the Pacific a few years earlier. Without any other major cities on the Pacific Coast, Panama City had little to fear and decided against fortifying the pueblo, a decision that made it an easy target for Captain Henry Morgan and his pirate ships. Now all that remains of this once majestic city are a couple acres of ruins.

Next, we visited the canal, a destination that I found as boring this time around as last time. Watching the ships transfer through the locks is incredibly uninteresting.

For lunch, we met up with Veronica and ate in the Casco Viejo, the old part of the city that was built after Panama Vieja was sacked. As I mentioned, this barrio looks a lot like Havana and we enjoyed walking down its cobblestone streets. Lunch was at a restaurant owned by a Jewish Panamanian that did not have a menu; rather, they brought about eight or nine courses of delicious specialties they bought that day at the market, such as fresh fish and seafood. Although stuffed, we could not resist visiting the best ice cream parlor in Panama, where we ordered a basil ice cream. Sounds strange but after tasting about a dozen flavors, we thought that this was the best.

Unfortunately, it was time to say our goodbye to Veronica. We had such a great time with her and know that we will be life-long friends. She is such an impressive girl and so much fun to be around.

We met Stan and Darren for dinner in a very tasty restaurant, where we stayed for hours, literally shutting the place down.

July 5 - Coronado and Panama City

by Bryan

In the morning, we repeated our routine from the day before - coffee and smoothies for breakfast followed by a long walk on the beach. Stan and I then took a long swim in the casita's pool.

For lunch, we drove into Panama City where we ate at Market, a very trendy steakhouse that would not look out of place in New York City. In honor of our new home, Tina and I decided to order the Beverly Hills burger.

That night, we were going to be staying in Stan and Darren's condo in the city. On the 40th floor of a new waterfront building, their penthouse was stunning and offered spectacular views of the water and the city. After getting settled in, we enjoyed a few drinks together on the balcony as the sun set.

For dinner, Tina and I were invited to Miguel's parent's apartment. Although the apartment was beautiful and the food delicious, the thing we enjoyed most was spending time with Miguel's amazing family. I have had the opportunity to meet them on a number of occasions and am always impressed by his mother's charm, his dad's intelligence, and his sister's friendliness.

July 4 - Coronado and Playa Blanca

by Bryan

Happy 4th of July!

We woke up late and joined Stan and Darren for their daily breakfast of coffee and fresh fruit smoothies. Next, we walked with them and their two beautiful dogs on the beach for an hour. Although the scenery was great, Stan's stories about my Grandpa Lloyd and my great-grandfather, Poppy Joe, were even better. We then relaxed around the house before meeting up with Miguel and Veronica for lunch at a seafood restaurant. After a number of beers and many plates of calamari, shrimp, and octupus, we said goodbye to Stan and Darren and went with Miguel to see his beach house in nearby Playa Blanca. Although we wanted go snorkeling, the tide was too high, so Miguel and I swam while Tina and Veronica baked a special Panamanian cake. Miguel's beach house is only a few houses from Noriega's old beach house, which was now dilapidated and riddled with bullets. The four of us then lay in hammocks for a couple of hours, watching the sunset and listening to the ocean.

Miguel then dropped us off at Coronado, where we joined Stan and Darren for a delicious Italian dinner at a local restaurant. After a few more stories, we went to bed in the casita.

July 3 - Boquete to Coronado

by Bryan

I woke up before sunrise to the sounds of toucans singing outside our window. I put on my hiking gear and went for a very wet, hour-long hike in the jungle behind Miguel's property. I hiked across a river, through fields of coffee plants, and to the top of a hill where I watched a beautiful sunrise over the valley below.

Once again, we had breakfast at the Panamonte hotel and then proceeded to Miguel's coffee plantation, where he gave us a very good tour. It was a beautiful plantation that employed many indigenous workers to grow some of the highest quality beans in the world. After seeing how the beans were grown, we went to Cafe Ruiz, where we got to sample perhaps the best coffee on the planet.

Many of the workers in the plantations are migrants and move with their family from plantation to plantation in order to get work. As a result of their migratory schedule, their children rarely have the opportunity to attend the schools that are only available to local residents. This creates a somewhat self-perpetuating cycle in which the workers' uneducated children have very little opportunities and are thus forced to work on the plantations when they grow older. In an effort to disrupt this cycle, Veronica's mother created a number of schools that were focused on providing education to the children of these migrants workers. While Veronica gave Miguel and Tina a tour of the school, I was mobbed by dozens of schoolkids who insisted on jumping on me and pleaded with me to lift them in the air. They all told me that I looked very funny and it is possible that they had never before seen someone like me. For an hour I entertained the kids and disrupted their schedules as they all ran out of the classrooms to play with me. One of the kids told me that this was the most fun he had ever had, and its funny, but I actually kind of felt the same way.

Completely exhausted, we headed to a private home with incredible gardens that were open to the public. Walking over footbridges and along the winding river, it felt a little like something from Alice in Wonderland.

We then drove to David, the second largest city in Panama despite having only 100,000 residents. Miguel's grandmother lives here and we paid a visit to her at her house, where we sat in the garden and ate a delicious tres leches cake. I was amazed by how many details Miguel's grandmother remembered from my visit 7 years ago. We stayed at the house for an hour, chatting mostly about the daring rescue of the Colombian hostages, which was the hot topic of conversation since Colombia is Panama's neighbor to the South.

The plan was to drive from the north end of the country down to the south, where Tina and I would stay with my cousins, Stan and Darren. Now I love Miguel to death, but I think that Panamanians must have a very different conception of time than us Americans have. We told Miguel that we needed to get to Stan and Darren's place by 4 PM; however, at 3:30, when we asked if we were almost there, Miguel told us we wouldn't be arriving until 6:30. Although we were disappointed, we called Darren and Stan and told them that we would be two and a half hours late. However, at 6:15, when we asked Miguel again if we were almost there, he responded by saying we wouldn´t be getting there for another two hours!

At 8:30, we pulled into Coronado, a beautiful beach town less than an hour from Panama City. The black sand beaches, which are the result of centuries old volcanic activity, are covered with extravagant mansions owned by wealthy Panamanians. My cousin Stan, and his partner Darren, moved to Coronado a year ago after selling their restaurant. On a cliff overlooking the water, they were building their dream home, a gorgeous, one-bedroom, Bali-inspired glass house with an infinity pool. Although the house was only partially built, we could tell that it would be one of the most beautiful houses we had ever seen. In the interim, they were living in their adjacent, two-bedroom casita that had its own infinity pool. We stayed there for two nights, enjoying a luxury equivalent to what you would expect in the nicest hotel in Bali.

To welcome us, Stan and Darren planned a welcome BBQ (an early version of the 4th of July), inviting three of their friends - a young Australian couple who had moved to Panama and an older lady who was absolutely wild. I guess Stan and Darren learned a lot from their time in the restaurant business because they cooked a delicious dinner. which included ceviche, tender BBQ chicken, and an amazing potatoes au gratin. After all the guest left, we stayed up for hours talking to Stan and Darren. It was fascinating to hear their stories and to get to know them better. Tina and I really enjoyed their company and were glad that we would have the opportunity to spend some quality time with the two of them.