littles

these little girls became my bff's instantly at a rooster fight. They were super curious about why I was so tall and why I had two cameras. This one below I took for their mom. The older one told me about the earthquake that happened there last year. It was a horrendous earthquake that leveled most of the small adobe houses. A lot of their friends were hurt or killed. We drove through Pisco, the neighboring city, and it was completely leveled. I remember six years when I went last, it was poor but rich culturally. Pisco is one of the hubs of the Peruvian African community.Here's more from the trip.

Been thinkin alot about my future....

Ricisimo!

Chambi

Martin Chambi

Martin Chambi was the first internationally respected native Peruvian photographer. He started in the early part of the 20th century after his Dad passed away working in the gold mines in Puno - and area high in the Andes. He started shooting for postcards and became the most famous and sought after photographers - taking pictures of the Andes, the people that live there, dignitaries, politicians, artists and musicians. My favorite are the photos of the musicians and the bizaar parties he would attend.



Today we are leaving for Ica to go see paso horses in the Sol De Oro competition thats been going on for centuries. Mariano, my dads best friend since they were kids, is a Chalan - I guess the word would be cowboy in English.... but thats not really right. He's worked with horses his whole life, his dad did and his grandfather did. He actually looks a little like a horse. He's taking us to a cock fight too, which I'm a little worried about, but they both say its necessary for me to go as its a huge part of Peruvian culture.
We may also go to Nasca! Nasca is an amazing place.... people say that aliens created these markings in the ground, but c'mon. I believe it was just to communicate with the gods.

They're massive, like the size of several football fields. The way to see them is by flying above in a tiny little rickety plane.

Peru!

I'm sitting in my grandmothers house in the district of Miraflores, which is a neighborhood here in Lima. I flew overnight so I feel pretty out of it. I never can sleep on the plane, ever.
Tomorrow and Thursday I'm just going to wander around and take some spanish classes so I can be a better Peruvian. I understand it all but when I try to speak, its jibberish.
Friday we leave for Ica, a different city in southern Peru to go to see a horse contest. In Peru, they have amazing horses that were bread to traverse the desert here so they walk a crazy way that I can't explain. Maybe I'll take a little video...Anyways, Ica is where they make Pisco - the peruvian liqour of choice.
Its rad here btw and I wish I could spend more time traveling in other parts of the country and South America. I was on the plane and these two girls my age were backpacking through here.... one day.