TThis is taken from somewhere in Peru on the Amazon river. The bird is fishing, and flew away with lunch of some sort. If you look closely, you can see the reflection of the bird in the water.

The Amazon is an amazing place. The river seemed much more like a live being than like a body of water. It pulses and breathes all day (and especially night) long. We spent one night sleeping in the jungle by the river's edge and it was like being cocooned inside the womb of some giant being. Cool stuff.

This is actually the border station between Columbia and Peru on the Amazon, near Leticia, Columbia. The border guard looks pretty intimidating sitting in the tree, doesn't he?

No, really. He climbed down out of his tree, hopped into the little dugout canoe and paddled over. Somberly he asked if all our papers were in order. Then he paddled back to the tree to resume his siesta / job.

This little Colombian Nina was among the many cute kids at the village we visited on the Amazon. I found I had mixed feelings about this part of the trip. It was really an amazing experience to visit these people, who on the surface were living in much the same way they had for centuries. But the creeping of tourism had eroded the authenticity of their way of life...many of them seemed to be making a living selling trinkets to tourists. Kinda sad, really.

This little girl just wouldn't smile. I tried everything short of tickling her, which I might have done if she hadn't run off. Her expression just seems to capture a lot of what I think about her situation. Half fearful and half sad. I've often wondered what she was thinking about this weird looking gringo trying to take her picture.

The canopy of the jungle as we hiked out after our night out. The layers of life began several inches below the surface, as bugs and spiders and all manner of creepy crawlies squirmed underneath our feet. The canopy itself was full of birds and monkeys and insets galore. A whole intersection of ecosystems within a tiny vertical cross section.

As we hiked through this living soup we could hear the animals calling to each other in mirth and survival. At one point our guide grabbed a suspiciously fat looking vine and chopped it open in one fell swoop. Then he proceeded to drink water from it with a mischievous grin on his face. He offered it to me and the water was as pure and cool and wonderful tasting as any I've found in the mountains. A natural filter, I guess.

Or maybe it was the Ayahuasca hang-over from the night before...

Sunset over Lake Titicaca, Bolivia from the summit of Isla Amantani. We took the boat in via the infamous reed islands (mostly a dud) to our host on the island. He cooked us a traditional Bolivian dinner, to the best of his meager abilities, which made it all that much more special. Then his 10 year old son and two friends proceeded to serenade us with reed flutes they had no idea how to play. They figured if they laughed enough and danced enough they would earn their tip. They were right :- )

We managed to escape in time for the sunset, and I couldn't help but marvel at what a simple, beautiful life the villagers led.

The spectacular eruption of Volcan Villarica in the Lake District of Chile. I must admit that I bought this picture, instead of taking it. Good thing, since I hiked up to the crater rim the day before. Very easy ascent from a mountaineering context, but what a wonderful view, and an amazing insight into the geological realities of a volcano. We literally peered into the volcano's cone, seeing nothing but smoke and fog, but smelling the sulfur and feeling the heat.

I'll buy the eruption picture any day...

The Moai on Easter Island are amazing. This one is unfinished, halfway carved out of the volcanic quarry that was the source for all the statues. Through an amazing feat of engineering the natives managed to get these behemoths from the volcano site in the middle of the island to the shore. You can walk among the half finished icons at will. The islanders are incredibly friendly and helpful, and proud of their mysterious heritage.

One leaves the island wondering where these people came from. Over 1500 kilometers from any land mass, they migrated from somewhere to create what was clearly an amazing and well-developed culture. One of the many mysteries of the world, I guess. Cool ears, though!

More Moai from Easter Island. The ahu are the burial mounds distributed around the island. They are magical, sad places, almost spooky. The weather when I was there was rainy and foggy, giving the whole island a clean, mysterious feeling.

This burial ground represents the prominent members of the village. The Moai always looked back toward their home village, with one exception - the first set, which looked out to sea, toward the islanders' origin.

This inscription is from Easter Island, but could just as easily be from the Anasazi of Southern Utah. It is amazing to me the similarities across cultures that could not possibly have communicated with each other.

This particular one is from a group of drawings around the rim of the volcano on the island. They seem mostly decorative, but may actually be telling a story...

The ancient city of Machu Picchu, taken from the Sun Gate early in the morning. Treking in has many advantages in addition to the wonder and beauty of the hike. You arrive long before the tourists from the train / hotels and can enjoy wandering through the morning mists, feeling and sensing the age of the city. Highly recommended!

I will always remember the view as the sum rose, the mists slowly clearly as the light of the sun crept up the valley, revealing the ruins of the ancient city.

More of the inscriptions from around the world. Compare this, from the ancient city of Chan Chan, in Northern Peru, to the figure on Easter Island (two images earlier) to the the anasazi drawings. I find it fascinating that there is so much commonality across cultures, not only in their art but in the culture and morality.

Chan Chan itself wasn't terribly impressive. It is actually falling down, or more appropriately eroding away as the mud bricks succumb to the powers of time and I suspect, unfortunately, the increased traffic from tourists. Still a pretty incredible place.

I just liked the effect of the shade on this cool mask from Huanchaco, Peru. Also my first encounter with the reed-boat surfer fisherman of the Peruvian coast. They took these great reed canoes out into the surf, played around a bit, paddled off and returned with a boat full of fish.

Not a bad way to make a living, eh?

Lake Llangunaco, the result of a great hike outside Huaraz, Peru. My travelling companion enjoying a great view, silhouetted against a big peak.

Little did I know then, but Huaraz and the lake are right on the gateway to some amazing climbing in the Peruvian Andes. We missed out on that, but we got an amazing view and a great hike. Plus the bus ride over was a cultural experience in and of itself. :- )

This is one of my favorite pictures from all my traveles. The peasant woman was resting in the square of Cuzco, Peru. The facial expression, the costume, the body language, all describe the indigenous peoples I met in Peru - a weird mix of pride and resignation that was at the same time beautiful and tragic.

Later a compatriot of hers, dressed almost exactly the same but 30 years her younger (her daughter, maybe?) stood and fed the pidgeons in the square giggling like a schoolgirl. It was such a contrast, the tired, wise mother and the energetic, giddy daughter.

A young girl with a llama, the city of Cuzco in the background. I couldn't resist her charm and even paid a sole for the privilege of taking her picture. My favorite part, though, is the expression on the llama's face. Have you ever seen anyone or anything so arrogant?