The professor was giving me a hard look. His face was contorted and his elongated nose was as long as Pinocchio's! Dressed in a flowing black robe and black pants, he was striking a book with the curved handle of his dark cane - mocking me to study hard.
In what looked like a farcical country and western line dance, ten other professors behind him, all sporting masks with over-sized schnozzes, moved together from side to side in a rhythmic motion while tapping their books with long canes, imploring the audience to "hit their books." The children and adults lining the streets of the parade route, howled in laughter and applauded with approval as they all pranced by.
Cusco's week-long Fiesta del Sol celebrations was one of many highlights from my seven-week journey through fascinating Peru. Come along for the ride as I take you to ancient Moché temples, high altitude trekking in the snow-covered Andes mountains, boating through mist-shrouded rain forests, and a dazzling aerial tour above the mysterious Nazca Lines.
See Cusco and the Sacred Valley, the heart of the once powerful Inca Empire and home to the fabulous ruins of Machu Picchu. Then view archaeologists and volunteers from Earthwatch at work, as they uncover 1,500 year-old artifacts from a site of the unknown Wari Empire.
This was the most challenging trip of my life! I had to overcome the theft of two cameras, nausea and blurry vision at 15,000 feet, the high heat and humidity of the rain forest, plus the sand and winds of the desert pampas. But it was also the most rewarding, as I met many fascinating Peruvians while learning about their various cultures, and the history of this diverse land. I hope you will come and see what I uncovered and experienced... along the way!
Frederic Hore
Not to be missed!
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