Steve "Not the Rock Star" Miller

Back in July we had a friend visit us and he wasn't a rock star. In many ways, he was a lot more important than that because he came down here on a medical mission and you didn't have to pay to get in to this kind of Steve Miller happening.

So, after he finished up doing God's work he thought, Hey!,

as long as I'm in the neighborhood I might as well go see Joella and what's his name.


Of course, we were both pretty tied up at the time with English classes, but there's plenty to do around here without us babysitting you. There's hiking in the nearby, incredible Cajas National Park. Especially, if What's his Name will lend you the warm clothing needed because, despite the name Ecuador, everyplace you might go is not warm and sunny at 8,000 feet.


After all that hard work hiking, one should really just relax a little, drink some good cooffee and read the chocolate posters.


Then, when you've recovered, you can always catch a bus and go exploring the Ancient Inca Ruins of Ingapirca.


Or, visit the City's Anthropology museums and see things you haven't seen since medical school.


Then, you can go discuss the importance of what you've seen and learned with women your youngest son's age.

When there finally is time to join your teacher friends, it's off to the omnipresent pig roast ala flamethrower, which is just another roadside attraction down here.

Here's Steve holding Court with women from all over the world...still trying to share what he saw in the museum.

Anyway, with a belly-full of pork, we head down the road to that cliffside church up ahead on the hill in the distant. (Double click the picture for an enlargement).

And here's our happy "Not the Rock Star" camper at that church, Our Lady of the Morning Dew, on the top of the hill looking back down on the city.

Meanwhile, I was busy placating the angry native Steve had stiffed after she carried his twenty pounds of camera gear up the hill.

Anyway, after I paid her twice what "Not the Rock Star" did, 50 cents, she was happy and went home to her place higher in the hills to celebrate. So here's Steve and I finally relaxing and having a Rotary moment after that post-traumatic experience.

Despite all my abuses, Steve was nice enough to buy us dinner at our favorite place on his last night in town, Thanks Buddy! (Hint,Hint...future guests...teachers are paid very little here.)

You are all invited to visit anytime you like and we'll do what we can to show you a good time, as well as take you up on your offers of free dinners.

Of course, I may write about you on this blog after you've left, but Hey! that's the price of admission to an exceptionally good and exotic time in a foreign country :)

Arequipa, Peru & the Colca Canyon

Warden Message – U.S. Embassy, Quito, Ecuador

URGENT - Nationwide Police Strike Closes Ecuador Airports, Highways

September 30, 2010

The U.S. Embassy in Quito would like to inform U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Ecuador that a large, nationwide strike by all levels of police, including military police, is developing at this time. As a result, airports in Guayaquil, Quito and other major cities are closed and major highways may also be closed going in and out of Quito, Guayaquil and other major cities.
Due to blockages of multiple roads and tire fires being set by police, the security situation has degraded significantly.

American citizens are asked to stay in their homes or current location, if safe. American citizens
with immediate travel plans may be forced to put them on hold until the situation improves.
The U.S. Embassy recommends monitoring Ecuadorian news outlets for updates on the strike. We will also continue to provide new information as it comes available.
The U.S. Embassy reminds American citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. Please note that foreigners participating in political demonstrations or protests of any kind may be subject to arrest and deportation under Ecuadorian law.

Contrary to any ominous sounding mass media news breaks you may have heard recently or midnight government dispatches...........

the reality is that our story's super hero and his sidekick, Supergirl, along with their mascots, Fastbird and Liver Lips, are all doing just fine and dandy and as they say in Zoo York ------Thank you very much!

So, let us now rejoin the intrepid Senor Ecuador and his possee on their Latin American Adventures...

Arequipa is in the desert of southern Peru and is that country's second biggest city. Right on the edge of the city limits is Mount Misti, an active volcano, seen here from our hotel's rooftop.

I wasn't able to fit in the first set of rooms Casa Melgar tried to place us, but

we found our next choice of accomodations to be both 'bonita y tranquilo'.

Luckily, for you, I forgot my camera on this trip which means you will be enjoying Joella's work

throughout these next series of blog postings.

Below is a steamer truck located in the hotel lobby which was made entirely from one cow.

Here's another scene from the lodging's peaceful patio/courtyard complex.

Like many other central squares of major cities in Latin America this one is named Plaza de Armas. We arrived in Arequipa after an overnight (10 hour) bus ride from Cusco, so it's early morning now and Jo is having a wake-up cup of Coca tea on a balcony as the city rises.

The colorfully clad natives with their baby daughters and baby llamas are only too happy to pose for pictures, as long as you are happy to make a monetary donation. However, if you try and take a "Happy Snappy" without paying, then you'll soon find both Mammas and llamas expectorating in the direction of the face behind your camera.

Disquised in his secret identity of 'gringo guy', Senor Ecuador, is seen here being ever vigilant.

As dusk comes to the Plaza de Armas, lights illuminate Peru's "White City".

Early the next morning, we head up to "Mirador Cruz del Condor" at 16,000 feet for views of thermal drafting birds with 8 ft. wingspans set against frozen waterfall Glaciers.

Here's a monument built by the locals known as 'Gringo Killer" which marks the beginning of our descent into the Canyon de Colca. Note how intelligent the native fauna is in these parts: while it stands resting in the shade we melt in the merciless sun taking its photograph. This canine, who we later named Dog, accompanied us down into and out of Hell purely in the hope of handouts.

Our zig-zagging, downward, one-day hike began at 10,784 feet and only halted

when we needed to give a wide berth to the many burros hauling cargo.

EVERYTHING used to build the villages on the canyon floor from bags of cement to PVC pipe and steel railings was brought down there by these endless trains of beasts of burden

So, 3500 feet down we headed to the river with Dog leading all the way to the bottom.

Occasionaly, stopping to pose for pictures amongst the vermillion clad cliffs dressed as Larwence of Arequipa.

Finally, we made it to our little mud huts along the river where hot showers and very cold beer was gratefully found to be waiting for us.

Laying down on the cool, moist grass of the river bank, we watched the sun leave the canyon

just as our wise leader, Dog, instructed us to do;

because early the next morning we would be heading in a new direction. The sun would be back to greet us and beat us on tomorrow's trek over more shadeless miles along the canyon floor to the next oasis.

The next morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, it's Good Morning Munich, Toronto, Hamburg, Montreal and Anacortes. We all may have had sore feet, but we also had sweet dreams and now we're on the road again.