Week 74 ~ Flying High

Flying high with the Assistant Area Auditors in Arequipa and enjoying their spirit and company for the day.  Arequipa is surrounded by volcanoes. Misti is the prominent volcano overlooking the city at 19,000 feet, and in the photo on the left is one which is still smoking. Pretty hot! We planned an extra day to travel to Colca Canyon to see the condors fly which was a three hour trip outside Arequipa, climbing to an elevation of 16,000 feet. We felt light headed and a little sick, indeed. We also saw herds of llamas, Guanacos, and Vicunas at the high elevation.

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Flying high as we enjoyed free time at the Colca Lodge for just one night. Such a shame we couldn't stay longer because it was so pleasant. The Lodge included a wonderful restaurant, large gardens, horseback riding, and a little farm with alpacas, llamas, pigs and sheep. It was located right on the  Colca River and the front desk had fishing poles to use, so that's exactly what Joe did. The fish were small and biting, but the hook was too big. There were four large hot thermal pools. Right after dinner, we hopped into one and didn't get out for an hour. It was so relaxing. AND we had a full moon which we could actually see. The weather was very cool but the climate is very dry this time of year. There was no TV or internet but, actually, after a full day we didn't even mind.

Colca Canyon

And then, flying high with the finale of the trip. The Canyon itself was amazing and we weren't disappointed in the views of the valley and then to see the condors in flight. We walked for nearly a kilometer along the canyon ridge which was really peaceful and we could see the condors in the distance. Then it was quite a long, steep climb up to the viewpoint. I’m glad we did the walk because by the time we hiked up to the look-out point, there were so many people scurrying around to get the best view and taking pictures. We had a much better experience than just stopping at a crowded look-out point. 

The condors don’t fly per se and they don't often flap their wings. They mostly use the thermals and wind to get the lift on their giant wings. The Andean condors are massive birds, among the largest in the world that can fly. They weigh up to 33 pounds and have an enormous wing span of 10 feet to help keep them aloft. These birds can live up to 100 years but they only mate and lay one egg every 2-3 years. The Condors put on quite a show for us, the young brown ones learning to fly and staying close to the nest, and the larger black and white adult condors flying high and then up close to our ledge. 

Week 72 ~ Back in Trujillo, Peru

We traveled to Trujillo which is in the north of Peru to have a meeting with the AAA's there. It is always nice to get out of Lima where the air is better and it is more green. We attended the temple. It is so beautiful and so much bigger than the temple in Lima. A fun extra is that the temple President and Sister Cosas were the area auditors before us so we had a chance to visit.

Urquiaga House

This house was rebuilt in the mid-nineteenth century and used as a home for Simon Bolivar, the Peru leader for independence. 

July Fourth is always a big event for us now that we celebrate Joe’s birthday along with Independence Day. Well, here in Peru, Independence Day will be the end of the month but the Americans still did a little celebration with Family Home Evening.  All the finance employees in the office had a surprise for Joe with a big chocolate cake. We were going to go to the store together to get a cake to share with all our co-workers, but then I heard the secret. When Joe was ready to go to the store, I just admitted I didn’t want to walk all the way to the bakery and it was too late, etc. He was disappointed because that had been our plan and then I just copped out. He was so surprised when he walked into the room full of his friends and I didn’t have anything to do with it.

L to R: Oswaldo Mendoza, Jose Montalvan, Diane and Joe, Carlos Solis and Enrique Montoya

This was our second trip to Trujillo to meet with the AAA's in the Peru North area, Trujillo, Piura, and Chiclayo.  Our meeting last year was just two weeks following the dedication of the Trujillo temple.  We were so blessed to be able to attend the temple again, one of the most beautiful temples we have ever seen. Our meeting with these dear brethren was a special treat for us.  We felt much more comfortable, especially in our ability to communicate with them.  Diane's experience and testimony she shared invited the spirit into our meeting.  It was great how we were able to talk and counsel together and to understand the audit principles more clearly as they relate to the Lord's sacred funds.  It was a very productive meeting.  We will see these men again when we meet in Lima for our annual meeting.  What a special experience it was to spend our time together.  We are so blessed.

Week 71 ~ Lima Holiday "Feriado" Bikeride

`Lima Bike Ride

Wednesday was a national holiday in Peru honoring the martyrdom of Apostles St Peter and St Paul in Rome. We planned a day bike ride downtown with our missionary friends Merrill and Prince and the Merrills had a friend visiting from home, Scott. When we woke up it was so misty and wet outside, would have never thought to go on a bike ride, but we had already made the reservation and paid for the bikes so just had to bear it. Then when we all met up at the bike shop, it was such a perfect day for a bike ride, cool and a little cloudy, and since it was a holiday, there was very little traffic.

We rode through town and then along LarcoMar and south along the coast to Barranco. We stopped along the way to walk through the Dedalo Market. Every room showcases an artist and their craft, gorgeous ceramics with a bit of silver, wood pieces, recycled material lamps, purses and clocks, all displayed in a beautiful old house. Fun eclectic quality art and definitely not Inka Market stuff. From there we rode the streets of Barranco to the Bridge of Sighs and then stopped for lunch at the Burrito Bar. We had the most wonderful fish tacos before heading back to the bike rental shop. It was a perfect day with perfect weather. We loved seeing the ocean and hearing the waves. The surfers were out in big numbers, too. After we returned the bikes right there at Inka Market, we spent another hour or so just looking and shopping because it’s always fun.

We had two new mission presidents arrive in Lima during the early hours of the morning, President and Sister Godfrey from Ogden will be serving in the Lima West Mission and President and Sister Stauffer from Conneticut will be serving in the Lima North Mission. Joe and I are amazed as THEY ARE SO YOUNG! They each brought three of their children who will be attending the English high school. Wow, such dedication and faith!