Peru - The Amazon and Machu Picchu

Major Takeaways

Peru is a country with great potential and great problems. It is a great place to visit. Peru lacks a lot of the infrastructure that we in the U.S. take for granted, i.e., a decent road system.   I am so happy to be able to live in the United States.  

The company leading the trip, Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) places a premium on what they call “Learning and Discovery.”   By this they mean that they try to provide lots of opportunities for travelers (not tourists) like ourselves to learn about the places and people we are visiting through a process of interaction and discovery.   I think that they succeeded.

The Peruvian people are very hard working and entrepreneurial.  Market capitalism is alive in Peru.

Peru is a culturally diverse place.  There are three distinct cultures which are geographically based:

1. The big city coastal culture with Lima being the prime example.  These people are “modern” with an emphasis on commerce and city life.  
2. The River people and the culture along the rivers.  The river people can further be divided into the aboriginal people, the indigenous people, and the farmer/trading people. 
3. The Mountain people and the culture in the mountains.  

 

Each of these cultures is distinct and they don’t always get along.  The cultures and needs of these different people present many challenges to the country.   It was fascinating to be able to visit all three cultures in a short period of time.

The biodiversity of the area was impressive.  The colorful birds, monkeys, sloths, ants and other insects, butterflies, fish and other water creatures we saw and the diversity of plant life gave us a sense of wonder and appreciation for our planet.  All of the plants and animals (and humans) displayed an amazing ability to adapt to the desert coastal environment, the annual flooding and wetness of the river environment and the high altitude of the mountain environment.  

According to several Peruvian people, Vina speaks Spanish with a Mexican accent.  She was able to communicate and understand all except the river dialect which the river guides lapsed into from time to time making sure she did not understand.  

Day 1 – Thursday, February 9  - Tempe to Lima  (click on these links to be taken to the pictures)

Hector picked us up to take us to Sky Harbor but Gary forgot and left the computer on.  After about two miles headed to the airport, we turned around and went back to the house to turn off the computer.  We started again.   

We joined up with the Schwalm’s, the Anderson’s and John Johnson at Sky Harbor.

We had an uneventful flight to LAX where we had a nice dinner and then checked into LAN airlines for our 8 ½ hour flight to Lima.

The flight took off from LAX shortly after midnight Lima time, which is the same as U.S. east coast time.

Day 2 – Friday, February 10 –Lima

After our overnight flight and a few hours sleep, we arrive in Lima are 9 a.m. local time.   After we collect our luggage and go through immigration, we are met at the airport by our OAT guide.   We board a coach (bus) for the trip to our hotel in the Miraflores District of Lima (about 40 minutes drive).  We drive through the city and along the coastline (which is quite foggy/misty) before we reach our destination.

We meet up with the rest of our group (24) and receive an orientation before we head out to a restaurant for a group lunch.

Lima is in a desert coastal area with almost no annual rain fall.  Many of the buildings are built with the idea that they won’t ever get wet.   In many ways, the coastal environment reminded me a lot of Rocky Point – only more dry.  

After lunch we are taken to the Archaeological Museum where we are given a guided tour and learn of the history of the area – the Inca’s and the Spanish. There was no written language before the Spanish so little is known of pre-Spanish Peruvian history.

After visiting the Museum we went to the main plaza in Lima – Jiron de la Union founded in 1535.  We toured the Cathedral San Francisco but were not allowed to take pictures in the church.  The tour included visiting the catacombs of the church and seeing many, many bones of those interred there.  The church/monastery is run the Franciscans who take a vow of poverty – but are happy to accept donations for the church.

San Francisco is a very opulent church with lots of gold and silver, large magnificent paintings and elaborate decorations.

While being very tired and suffering from information overload, we enjoyed the tour.

We returned to our hotel around 7 p.m.  We went to dinner at a small restaurant across the street from the hotel with Gary and Marge Anderson.  Some of our group with more energy than us, ventured out and went to a restaurant with a show.  

After dinner, we crashed!

Day 3 – Saturday, February 11– Pachacamac, Villa El Salvador and Miraflores

After breakfast at the hotel, we boarded our coach for a tour of Pachacamac – an archaeological site of pre-Inca ruins.  It is in a desolate desert area and quite large with the bus taking us from one part of the site to another.  We took a short hike up to the top of the Temple of the Sun.

After touring Pachacamac we went to visit Villa El Salvador – an impoverished district where squatters from the mountain regions live.  They have managed to develop a pretty amazing community.  It began in 1971 when people displaced from their Andean homeland were forced to resettle in a spot near Lima that, though located on the seacoast, consisted of desert terrain. Over time, the residents organized themselves and worked with the Peruvian government to create a functioning society, complete with schools, clinics, water and electricity, parks, and paved roads. In 1983, the town was declared an official district of Lima, and in 1986, it was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for its community-building efforts. We toured their village, brought them some food for their community kitchen and saw a level of poverty and community and desire to better their situation.  It was hard to see while at the same time, quite inspiring.

After returning to the hotel, we walked to Kennedy Park, saw the church on the plaza, some art works on display for sale and then headed back to the hotel for a short rest before a group meeting at 5 p.m.

We went to dinner as a group.   I had something that was sort of like fajitas.  Most dishes came with both rice and potatoes and often also with yucca.  For a salad we had avocado stuffed with some cut up vegetables – it was very good. 

We took the coach back to the hotel and set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.  Tomorrow Iquitos.

Day 4 – Sunday, February 12 –Iquitos

Got up early this morning, packed our luggage, had breakfast at the hotel, boarded our coach and headed to the airport by 7:30 a.m.

I thought the airport was quite busy and crowded – especially for a Sunday – but was told, no, it was not particularly busy this morning.  

We checked our luggage, went through security and had to wait for our plane which finally took off about 11:45 a.m.  We arrived in Iquitos around 1:30 p.m.  And while Iquitos has seen many commercial fortunes rise and fall, its isolation has remained constant: Access to the city is by air or river only.  

We are picked up by a very small bus where we all crammed in for the ride from the airport to our local hotel.    Along the way we saw much of the city of Iquitos.  Most transportation is by three-wheeled motorcycle type vehicles called TukTuks.  They are everywhere and they carry everything.

Once we arrived at the hotel (along the river’s edge) around 2 p.m. (we are running about 1 hour late because the plane was late taking off from Lima), we immediately walk to a restaurant named Picanto about one block away for lunch.

Both Vina and I had an avocado salad.  Vina had “Chicharron de Lagarto” (Caiman nuggets with palm heart salad and deep fried plantain) as her main course.   Gary had “Picadillo de Carne del Monte” (shredded rainforest guinea pig meat with Amazon seasoning and rice).

After lunch we went back to the hotel for a short siesta.

We gathered again around 5 p.m. to begin a walking tour of Iquitos.  This was the time of carnival (pre-lent) and there was a large festival going on along the river front.   This is the Itaya River – a tributary of the Amazon.  As we were walking along a main street a large number of young people celebrating (and probably a little drunk) drove by on their motorcycles/scooters/tuktuks and got us with water balloons.  Unexpected excitement!  Seems this is a tradition at carnival time.

Much of the architecture we see is a 19th-century vestige of the era when European barons held sway over life and culture here.  We saw the neo-colonial architecture of the city and joined what seemed like thousands (more probably hundreds) of local people at the street festival. 

Then we visited the central plaza – Plaza de Armas – saw the church and watched as a worker climbed the flagpoles to secure the ropes.  (Every town in Peru has a Plaza de Armas.)

We went back to the hotel for a meeting about tomorrow and then dinner on our own at a local restaurant.  We joined some of our fellow passengers and went to get a pizza.  Unfortunately, the restaurant kitchen was overwhelmed by our numbers and it took almost an hour of waiting before we got our meal.

After dinner we walked back to the hotel through the crowds who were still celebrating.

Day 5 – Monday, February 13 –The start of our river adventure

Up at 6 a.m., repack our bags, have breakfast at the hotel and then board the same small bus for the short ride to the dock to board our ship – the La Arapaima.   We get settled in our cabin and go up topside to the observation deck – which is quite pleasant with a nice breeze.  

Our ship casts off around 9:45 a.m. and winds its way to the confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali rivers, considered to be the point where the main stem of the mighty Amazon begins.  For this first part of our cruise, we are truly traveling on the waters of the Amazon River itself, not just its tributaries.

The river is VERY wide with many, many islands.  It is a muddy brown color.  We see lots of people in their boats on the river and several river houses along the banks of the river.  We see some dolphins and several different kinds of birds.

The Amazon Basin is a fragile environment, constantly under threat from industrial development and population growth. Some 60 miles south of Iquitos, however, the Peruvian government has established the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, encompassing five million acres and accessible only by water.

After lunch on board of fried fish and baked chicken, rice, beans and avocado and tomato salad, we took a siesta (which was to become our daily routine) in the heat of the day.  They also served a very good juice made from local tree fruits which looked like grapes. 

After our siesta, we board the ship’s skiff for a narrated ride along the edge of the river.   We saw many colorful birds, some iguana and we were very fortunate to observe a large three toed sloth climbing down from high in a tree.  We were told that they come down out of the trees once a week to defecate.  Must have been his time…

After about two hours exploring the river shoreline, we returned to our ship and prepared for dinner.

We enjoyed a beef soup and fried catfish for dinner – along with a green been, carrot and tomato salad and rice.  Dessert was a passion fruit pie – very good. 

We were given a demonstration on how to make a Pisco Sour – egg whites, Peruvian type liqueur and some simple sugar.  A tasty and potent smoothie.  After dinner we retire for the night.

Tomorrow should be a very full day.  Our wake up “knock” (no phones on board ship) will be at 5:30 a.m.

Day 6 – Tuesday, February 14 –on the river

Up a little after 5 a.m.   Get dressed – coffee and then into the skiff for a nature hunt along the river.  We saw lots of very colorful birds and saw several monkeys playing in a tree.  I wish I had a better memory for (or had written down) the names of the birds and other animals we saw. 

We returned to the ship for breakfast.  After breakfast we headed out to visit a small village of about 20 families alongside the river.   We visited one family’s home, saw how he harvested the roots of a yucca (not at all like our yucca) tree and watched as his wife was cooking our lunch (we would come back later) on a wood fired grill.   The kids caught some kind of catfish.  Chickens were prevalent.  Fruits and sweet peppers were growing all around.  The houses were built on stilts to allow for the annual flooding – which is expected soon.

It was very hot and humid.

We went to visit the school where the children sang some songs for us.  We left some school supplies we had brought with the school administrator.  It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to see these kids.  The potential is there but the challenges for them to gain an education as we know it are extremely difficult.

After visiting the school we returned to our ship which had “docked” next to the village – actually it just pulled up and parked on the river bank as there was no dock.

After refreshing ourselves and using “the facilities” (a term we would use to mean going to the bathroom), we returned to the village for our home visit and lunch with a local family.  Twelve of us went to visit Lorenzo (the man we had visited earlier) and his family.

Banana tree leaves were spread on the floor of the house/hut as the table and an extensive meal of fish (two kinds), pork – sort of a relative to the javalina, bananas, yucca, salsa, nuts, casaba and two kinds of juices – a sweet lemon grass and another whose name I don’t remember but was a very good sweet fruit juice. 

After lunch we gave the gifts we had brought to the family – a solar powered light and a couple of baseball caps.  They seemed very grateful.

We then went to a small artisan market they had set up for our benefit.  Vina bought a gourd carved a butterfly.  

We returned to the ship and took a siesta.

Around 4:30 p.m. we boarded our skiff to go to another village for an individual ride through some local river areas in dug-out canoes.  It was very peaceful, very beautiful and very relaxing.  I took some video just to record the quiet of the jungle.

Upon returning to the ship we got ready for dinner.  We were entertained by four members of our crew with great musical numbers.  They named themselves the “Chunky Monkeys.”  It set a festive mood.

Dinner was – as past meals – very good with salad, fish, beef, a soufflé of something yucca and rice.  Dessert was apple pie (don’t know where they got the apples because they don’t grow around here!).

We headed to bed to get ready for our 5:30 a.m. wake up knock.

Day 7 – Wednesday, February 15– on the river

Up at 5 a.m. this morning and board the skiff by 6 for an excursion up the Marañon River, a tributary of the Amazon.  We see all sorts of birds – several kinds of hawks, parrots, parakeets, kingfisher, and toucan.  We observe a group of monkeys playing in the trees.

I tried to take pictures but the birds blend in very well with the foliage and are hard to see.  My camera’s telephoto lens was not quite up to the task.

After about a 2 ½ hour ride up stream we search out some “terra firma” – some actual land that we can walk on so that we can use “the facilities” that Mother Nature provides.   

Our local guide uses his machete to hack a short trail through some jungle and sets up a plastic privacy screen.  The women go first to use “the facilities” and then the men.

Primitive but most welcome.

We then push back from the land to the river, where we are served a nice breakfast – that was sandwiches and coffee and fruit.  Nicely done.

After breakfast, we turn around and head back down river toward our ship.  Along the way we observe lots more wildlife.  Those jungle sounds that you hear at Disneyland and in the movies really do exist.  The rainforest is filled with the sounds of many animals calling out to one another.

Upon returning to the ship, Gary was feeling a little headache, so we rested until lunch.

We had roast beef for lunch.  After lunch it was siesta time.

We met at 3:30 p.m. for an orientation on our evening ride in the skiff to observe night wildlife in the Preserve.  We leave the ship a little after 4 p.m. and follow the river Marañon for a couple of hours.  The sun sets around 6 p.m.  We are able to observe many birds – including a whole flock of hawks.  We saw some monkeys up in the trees.  We saw parrots and toucans.  At dusk we turned off the motor to the skiff and sat in silence for three minutes to listen to the sounds of the rainforest.  Impressive.  Some tree frogs make a clicking sound!

We then started back as the river became darker and darker.  There are no lights in the rainforest.  The stars shown brightly.

Usiel, our naturalist guide, spotted a small caiman (like an alligator) in the water and they pulled the skiff alongside.  Jesus, our tour guide leader, quickly reached over the side and grabbed the caiman.  The animal could easily have bitten off a few fingers if Jesus had missed grabbing him just right.  Jesus allowed us all to take pictures and examine the caiman up close.  The then returned him to the water.

We got back to the ship around 7:15 p.m. and headed to dinner.

Tomorrow will be a very long and strenuous day with an all day trip on the skiff through the Preserve.

Day 8 – Thursday, February 16– a walk in the rainforest

Up at 5:30 a.m.  We are “docked” next to Ranger Station #1 on the Pacaya Sameria National Reserve.  The place is thick with mosquitoes.  Lots of sun screen and DEET bug repellent were the order of the day.  

After breakfast, around 9 a.m., we board the skiff for an all day adventure exploring the Preserve. 

We rode back up the Marañon River where we had been yesterday and kept on going all the way to the third ranger station.

Along the way we saw many different and colorful birds including several brightly colored macaws.  We saw more monkeys in the trees. 

After arriving at the Ranger Station, we had lunch aboard an anchored ship.  After lunch we head out for a hike through the rainforest.  The Amazon rainforest (the flooded forest) is unlike other rainforests we have visited in Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico.  The moisture and density are hard to adequately describe.  Bugs – especially mosquitoes – were everywhere.

We saw a whole column of leaf cutter ants doing their job of cleaning up he forest floor.  We saw fire ants that made a special kind of tree their home.  We were warned not to touch this tree or we would be stung.  And we saw bullet ants about ¾ of an inch long with terrible bites.  Unfortunately Gary Anderson was bitten by one through his sock and suffered greatly for the next couple of days.

We saw many varieties of trees that have adapted to the moisture and annual flooding in mahogany, palm and “grandfather” trees.  The jungle is not a place I would like to be alone or a place I would like o spend any extended period of time.  It was a strangely beautiful yet foreboding place.

It felt like being in the steam room at the gym.

After the jungle hike, we reboard the skiff and head back towards home but taking a small detour to visit a lake.  I don’t know how they can call a body of water like this a lake but …

In order to get to the lake we had to boat through acres of water lily kinds of plants that seemed to be a meadow with nesting birds.  It was pretty amazing.  We saw lots more birds, monkeys and a sloth up in the trees.

We got to the ship around 5:30 p.m.  We cleaned up and got ready for dinner.  

Everyone seemed eager to talk and interact this evening and we enjoyed several good conversations with people.

Day 9 – Friday, February 17-on the river and fishing for piranha

This was a far up the river as we would go.  We left this morning and headed back down river – back the way we had come.

After breakfast we stopped at the village of San Ramon where we are taken to a small hut for a meeting with a shaman.  Like a curandaro, he had a variety of native “medicines” – potions made of natural materials from the rainforest.  He was able to cure many common maladies and served as the “midwife” for the birth of children.  He offered a blessing for us which included blowing tobacco smoke on each of us.  

He combined medical and spiritual dimensions to his work.  I was struck by the seeming commonalities between most all religious rituals I have experienced including this one deep in the Amazon.

Then back to the ship for lunch and siesta as the ship continued down river.

After siesta, Vina decided to stay behind and Gary went off with the group to go see the giant lily pads and go fishing for piranha.  The lily pads were quite impressive with nocturnal flowers and thorns along their sides.  They look pretty but are not very friendly.  Lots of bugs like the lily pads.

After seeing the lilies we head over to a flooded grove of trees for fishing.  On the way we pass a village where the children are having a great time swimming and jumping off of trees into the water.  They seemed very happy to see us.  We waved and took lots of pictures.  The tropical sun was very hot.

After they passed out the fishing poles and some cut up beef as bait, we all tried to catch a piranha.  Gary was the first to catch a red belly piranha.  Its teeth were quite sharp. (Its lower jaw and teeth is now a souvenir at home).  We continued fishing for another 45 minutes and Andrew also caught a piranha.  A couple of other smaller fish were also caught before we headed back to the ship.  

So far on this trip we have not had any daytime rain – most unusual we are told.  We are happy for the good weather.   It is very hot and very humid – especially during siesta time – which is one reason for taking a siesta!

We enjoyed another good meal although we were disappointed that the ship had run out of beer.  We made do.

We were entertained by the “Chunky Monkeys” – a crew member band that was very enjoyable.  After dinner they showed a National Geographic movie about the Amazon which showed many of the things we have seen up close and in person.

Day 10 – Saturday, February 18– on the river headed back to Iquitos

This was our last full day aboard the ship.  After breakfast we boarded the skiff for the last time and went to Nauta town for a tour.  Nauta has more than 20,000 people.  The pictures show some of what we saw but not the smells and sounds.  We toured the market which is held every Saturday.  Amazing.  Whatever you wanted to buy was available there.  We were each given one sole to purchase some food to be fixed for lunch.  It was amazing how much fruit could be purchased for just 1 sole (about $.37). 

After exploring the farmer’s market – where Vina was able to use her Spanish speaking abilities to good advantage, we took a three block walk to the Plaza de Armas in Nauta.

There we shared what everyone had purchased.  Then we got into the mini-moped three wheeled Honda carts (called tuktuks) for a tour around the town.  We visited a park/lagoon where we saw a caiman, lots of turtles, and several fish.  We fed the turtles some bread and then went back into the tuktuks for more touring.  On the way our moped threw a chain but it was quickly fixed and we continued on.  Some of us needed to use an ATM so we headed off to the local bank but the ATM machines did not work – mission not accomplished.

We made it back to the skiff and back to the ship and continued heading for Iquitos.

We took a tour of the “below deck” part of the ship and saw the engine (190 hp), the kitchen, the water processing area and the crew’s quarters.  We also went up to the wheelhouse (bridge) where the Captain steers the ship.  They were rather elementary systems with the sonar broken.  The ship clearly relied heavily on the expertise of the Captain.

Then it was time for lunch and siesta time.  We started to pack to get ready to leave the ship early tomorrow morning.

We have not had any daytime rain but it was threatening.   The wind picked up and it turned just a bit cooler – but no rain.

The cultural differences in Peru are quite pronounced. 

• Aboriginal people living remotely in the jungle cut off from the rest of the world. 
• Indigenous River people who interact with others and live along the river in a subsistence mode. 
• City people who live in the cities and towns and follow mostly European ways.
• And mountain peoples who we will learn more about next week. 

We enjoyed our last dinner on board.  We were entertained by the “Chunky Monkeys” again before dinner and greatly enjoyed the energy of the band.  After dinner the Captain and crew came in and were presented.  We all got up and in a receiving line gave them their tips in envelopes – the crew, Usiel and Jesus.

We went back to our cabins to complete our packing and get some sleep before waking at 4:30 a.m. for a 5:15 a.m. breakfast and 6 a.m. departure for the airport.

Day 11 – Sunday, February 19 –flight back to Lima and Miraflores

Up early and into a small bus for the short trip to the Iquitos airport.  Our flight is only a few minutes late taking off.  We are headed back to Lima where we will check into the same hotel where we stayed earlier.  We arrive back at Lima and meet our new tour leader – Cero (pronounced like zero except with an “S” – Sero).   We board a bus and head to the Hotel Jose Antonio in the Miraflores section of Lima – about a 50 – 60 minute drive from the airport.

We try to check into the hotel but they are not ready for us.  So we leave our luggage and walk several blocks past Kennedy Park (named for JFK) to a restaurant for lunch.  The lunch was good and filling but not memorable.

After lunch we walk back to the hotel, checked into our room (9^th floor with a great view all the way to the ocean).  We reorganize our stuff and pack everything we want to take to Cusco and Machu Picchu into one bag.

After a siesta, we join Dave and Karen Schwalm and John and Cathleen Brock to explore a bit of the area and find a restaurant for dinner.  We walk the several blocks to the ocean front where there is a large American style shopping mall built into the side of cliff.  It goes down three stories and includes a Tony Roma’s, a TGIFriday’s and a Chili’s among many others.  We chose a Peruvian restaurant named Mangos.  We took our seats on the patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean and enjoyed a fabulous sunset.  

After an enjoyable dinner, we walked around the mall just a bit and then walked back to the hotel.  Remember, we had woken up at 4:30 a.m. this morning and we were tired.

Tomorrow we travel – the 12 of us on this leg of the adventure – to Cusco.

Day 12 – Monday, February 20 –Flight to Cusco

Up at 5 a.m. and complete packing.  Off to breakfast at the hotel and then board a coach for the ride back to the Lima airport.  The route and the sights are now becoming familiar.

We board the plane a little after 9 a.m. and head south east over the Andes mountains.

We arrive at the Cusco airport shortly after 10 a.m., collect our luggage and board a coach for the ride into town and our hotel.  We are greeted at the hotel with cups of cacao tea.  Cusco is at about 11,000 feet and altitude sickness is sort of expected.  I feel a little light headed and develop a small headache – not bad but noticeable. “A little curudo.”  We are checked into our rooms and told to lay down and rest for the next couple of hours.  We are glad for the opportunity.

We gather in the lobby around 1 p.m. and head across the street for lunch.  The restaurant has musicians playing flute and the food was very good.

After lunch we begin a walking tour of Cusco.  We walk quite slowly because of the altitude.  We end the tour at the Inca Temple of the Sun (now a Catholic Church) and tour the ruins of the Temple.  We learn a bit about the distinctive Inca architecture.  Inca walls are built at an incline – not 90 degrees and the stones fit together with incredible tightness and accuracy.  The Inca’s were first known in the 1100’s and the Inca Empire lasted from the 1400’s to the arrival of the Spanish in 1539.

Vina now believes in ET as she cannot see how the ancient Incas could have moved and cut these huge rocks without heavy machinery.  

We walk back to the hotel around 5 p.m. and go to the room to rest until we meet at 7 p.m. for instructions for tomorrow and go to dinner.

Day 13 – Tuesday, February 21– Touring Cusco and home visit

After a nice breakfast we board the coach and head to an archeological site of the Inca’s called Saqsaywaman (sexy woman).  The major part of it consists of two long zig-zag walls.  It is hard to imagine how the ancient Incas managed to build such walls with such large stones put together like legos and no modern machinery.

We then toured another part called Q’enqo where there was a long carved pathway curved through a rock and then another tunnel where the Incas prepared bodies for mummification.  One needs to use your imagination to understand how these areas may have been used 600 or 700 ago.

We then boarded the coach for a trip to visit a native Inca healer for a spiritual ceremony calling upon the mountains to help cure our ills.

It was a pleasant experience to watch the man place representative items of the world into a ceremonial pile then wrap it all up into a cloth.  He then used the square bundle to bless each of us.

Ancient or modern, the religious ceremonies seemed consistently similar over the centuries.

We then moved on to visit a showroom of woven goods.  They explained and showed us some of the differences between baby alpaca, adult alpaca, alpaca and synthetic fabrics.

Then on to another buying opportunity at the silver factory.  I had promised Vina a gold bracelet for Christmas this past year but we were unable to find one that she liked.  We were able to find a gold bracelet chain for Vina as a late Christmas present.

Then we headed for lunch at the home of a local family.  These home visits are unique to OAT travel and I find them very enjoyable.  We were able to talk with the family – a mother, a 5 year old daughter and a 21 year old son.  A really nice experience.

Then back to the hotel.  We take a short walk to a local supermarket and buy some water and snacks to take with us on our trip to Machu Picchu tomorrow.  We visit a local warehouse full of small souvenir shops and buy some T-shirts and other items to take back home.

Then back to the room to repack what we will need for our train trip into our backpacks.  Then siesta time and get ready for dinner.

Day 14 – Wednesday, February22 – Off to Machu Picchu

This was a special day.  We got up early and after breakfast boarded a coach for the trip to the Sacred Valley.  Cusco is at around 11,000 feet elevation and we drive over the Andes Mountains up to more than 12,000 feet before dropping down to the Sacred Valley.  At the Sacred Valley we join the Urubamba River which we will follow all the way to Machu Picchu.

We stop at an artist’s studio where we buy some of the ceramic artwork.  

We then head to a farmer’s market which is held every Wednesday.  It was a pretty amazing sight to see.  All kinds of potatoes, beans, corns, chickens, ducks, turkeys and everything else you might imagine.  It was a wonderful experience.

We arrive at the town of Urubamba where we board the train for the last leg of the trip. 

The train is a nice narrow gauge railroad with small but thickly padded seats.  We follow alongside the river and see some amazing rapids.  It was the rainy season and the river was full.

We finally reached the small town of Aqua Caliente which is changing its name to Machu Picchu town, around 2 p.m. – 7 hours after leaving Cusco.

We are tired but eager to get our first glances of the “lost city” of Machu Picchu.  We leave our backpacks with the staff, carry just what we need – hiking poles, small backpack and water – and board a local bus for the ride up the side of the mountain on some rather harrowing narrow switchback road.  The exciting drive up the mountain takes about half an hour and then the site comes into view.

We enter the park and immediately begin the hike up to a major lookout point.

While we all have probably seen the pictures of Machu Picchu, seeing it in person is quite dramatic.  The afternoon was chilly and the clouds were floating in and around the mountains.  It was beautiful.  We finally get some rain as we tour Machu Picchu.

We toured the ruins.  I wish I would have taken notes to capture just some of the knowledge of our guide.  

It is hard to imagine how the Inca’s managed to quarry the stones used for the buildings, transfer them to the site and then to build the structures.  Those stones were large!  And the masonry used to put them together is amazing.  It is hard to imagine.  Makes you want to believe in creatures from outer space doing the work.  

Also we do not know why the Inca’s built Machu Picchu in the first place.  Was it a retreat for the nobility?  Probably not.  Was it the start of a new city that was not finished?  Maybe.  Was it a university? Perhaps.

Whatever it was built for, it is one of the only places not changed by the Spanish conquerors that arrived in the 1500’s.  Machu Picchu was built around 1440.  Why it was abandoned, we do not know.  But it remained hidden in the jungle until Hiram Bingham re-discovered it in 1913.  It provides one of the best archeological records of the Incas surviving today.

After touring the site, we returned on the bus down that switchback road to Aqua Caliente where we had dinner and then checked into our hotel for the night.

Day 15 – Thursday, February 23– Hiking the Inca Trail

We got up early, ate breakfast at the hotel and boarded the local bus for the harrowing trip on bus #19 up the mountain to Machu Picchu.  The driver of bus #19 seemed determined to make it up the mountain in record time.  He was fearless and paused for no one – not even buses on their way down.

We arrived at Machu Picchu before the crowds. This is free time to explore (learning and discovery!) and five of us chose to go with our local guide Saul and hike the Inca Trail from Machu Picchu up to the Sungate.  The Inca Trail was “paved” by the Incas with stones.  It is a consistent upward climb – not too difficult but consistently up.  There is one section close to the top where the trail is narrow along the side of a cliff.  Exciting.  The sky is filled with floating clouds and the view is constantly changing and magnificent.   Vina makes it almost to the top and the other four of us (plus Saul) make it all the way to the Sungate. 

Then it was back down the same way we came up.  On the way down we see some beautiful iridescent butterflies, lots of different kinds of orchids and wonderful views. 

The hike took about three hours.

We then headed back to Aqua Caliente, gathered our belongings and had lunch before heading to the train to begin our journey back to Cusco.

The train ride back to Ollantaytambo is much the same as the trip up.  The river Urubamba is running swiftly and the scenery is impressive.  

After leaving the train, we board our coach for the trip over the mountain back to Cusco.  On the way we make a couple of stops.  

Our first stop is at the town square, where we take a short walking tour of part of the village observing the ancient Inca architecture and stone masonry.   More learning and discovery and seeing up close how the ordinary people live.

Then we get back in the coach and our next stop was a local “bar” alongside the road where we were introduced to a Peruvian game where you try to toss brass coins into a brass frog’s mouth.  Fun.  Then we tasted the local brew – a sort of beer that came in two flavors – one flavored by strawberries.  The beer was brewed right there in pots.  Again, more learning and discovery and a glimpse of the lives of local people.

Then back into the coach and the ride back to Cusco.  We climb to over 12,000 feet before dropping down to the 11,000 feet of Cusco.  Along the way we have wonderful views of some snow capped tops of the Andes.

We arrive back at the hotel after dark and have dinner.

Our wake up call is 4:15 a.m. to allow time for us to get to the airport for our early flight back to Lima.

Day 16 – Friday, February 24 –The Lost Day

We got up early, have breakfast and board our coach at 5:45 a.m. for the short trip to the Cusco airport.

We get checked in and all goes smoothly.  We say a fond good bye to Cero, our tour guide for the last six days.  Our boarding time arrives but there is no plane.  There are clouds and fog all around.  Finally we are told that Cusco is fogged in and the planes from Lima are circling overhead but cannot land until the weather improves.  Around 7:45 a.m. they announce (in Spanish) that the flight has been cancelled and direct us through the airport and down to the luggage area to collect our bags.  We then go to the end of a long line with all the passengers from the four Lima flights that were cancelled.

Gary went ahead, while everyone else waited for the luggage, secured a place in line and then found a public coin phone to call our tour guide, Cero.  Cero had not left the airport and soon reappeared to help us through this process.

We end up spending about three hours standing in line.  No seats were available until the next day.  This messed up all of our international flights back home.    Finally things got sorted out and all 12 of us were re-booked – but not until the next morning was everything finalized.  

We went back to the hotel around 12:30 or 1 p.m.  We were exhausted and a bit cranky from our experience.  We went across the street to a restaurant for some lunch and then back to our hotel rooms for a nap.  

We met again as a group at 7 p.m. and Cero passed out the new flight schedules for everyone.

Everything was OK for everyone except for Gary and Vina who had been booked on a late afternoon flight back to Lima – too late to collect the luggage we had left at the hotel in Miraflores. After some phone calls to correct things – to no avail – we decided that we would go to the airport at 8:30 a.m. the next morning to try to get the Kleemann’s ticket changed to go with the rest of the group.

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant, went back to our room and crashed.

Day 17 – Saturday, February 25– The Long Ride Home

We sleep in until about 5:30 a.m., get up, organize our bags for the trip to Lima, have breakfast and then go down to the lobby to wait for Cero.

Ciro arrives about 8:30 a.m. and we catch a cab to the airport where we are greeted with another long line.  We waited in line about an hour and finally reach the front counter where Cero helps convince the person that we needed to be on the flight with the rest of our group.  He is successful.

Back to the hotel to collect our luggage and then back to the airport with the group.

We fly from Cusco to Lima and are met by our local guide, Jose.  We board a coach for the ride to Miraflores and our hotel.

Once we get settled into the hotel and collect the luggage we had left there six days ago, we repack and consolidate and get prepared to join the group for dinner.  We are met by another local guide and she takes us to the same restaurant we had visited earlier.  It entailed a walk through Kennedy Park – which was busy with lots of people enjoying the nice weather and just being out on a Saturday night.

Then back to the hotel and we board our coach for the ride to the airport.

We get to the Lima airport, check in with a young trainee who is flirting with her co-workers.  We finally get our boarding passes.  We go through security and begin the great wait.

Day 18 – Sunday, February 26 –Home

We board the plane around 12:30 a.m. and settle in for the 8 ½ hour ride to LAX.  The flight goes without incident.  We then make our connection to Sky Harbor and arrived back in Phoenix around 1 p.m. local time.  Given the changes in our flight schedules, we were not surprised to discover that Gary’s luggage did not arrive.  We reported it missing and the luggage was delivered to our home around 9 p.m.

What a trip!!

Greetings of the Season 2011

Happy Hanukkah     Merry Christmas     Feliz Navidad    

Happy Kwanzaa 

Feliz Dia de Reyes     Happy Eid al-Adha

It is time once again to reflect on the past and hope for the future. We have much to be thankful for this year. 

Superstition Mountains

Gary remains active in retirement serving on three local boards and one national committee.  He also teaches a short course or two for seniors through the local lifelong learning organizations.  He is still learning how to say “no.”  Vina continues to volunteer with her consumer work at Call 12 for Action, enjoys her ladies golfing group and her Spanish conversation group.  We both enjoy the opportunities to hike around Arizona and California. 

Overlooking the 17th hole

We spent last spring enjoying the Phoenix area with hiking, golfing and visiting sites in Arizona.  We were fortunate enough to attend the Phoenix Open Golf Tournament, an LPGA tournament and visit the amazing Musical Instrument Museum.   

Ajo H.S. Class of 1961

We enjoyed a visit from Northwestern friends Bill and Susie Wright, toured the Boyce Thompson Arboretum and we were able to help Tracy Davis (spouse of nephew Dan) celebrate her birthday at John and Vera’s.  Vina served on the planning committee for the Ajo Reunion where her high school Ajo Red Raiders class celebrated their 50^th reunion.  A good time was had by all attending.

Vina’s maiden Aunt Queta passed away at the age of 92 in April.  Vina is settling up the estate.

In May we headed off to San Diego where we spent the summer.  Towards the end of June we began a two week cruise up the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. Our travels began in Amsterdam and concluded in Vienna.  In between we visited 15 cities and towns, went through 66 different locks, and gained a sense of history from the middle ages through World War II and up to today. We had a great time and made many new acquaintances.  A detailed blog of the trip with day-by-day descriptions and pictures may be found at: http://garyandvina.blogspot.com/2011/07/cruising-great-rivers-of-europe-2011.html or by scrolling down this blog.

In San Diego we discovered and joined two senior hiking groups and explored parts of San Diego we had not discovered before.  Again it provided the chance to get to know more good people.  We got to watch the Parade of Tall Ships entering San Diego Bay again this year.  It is an amazing sight to see.    In September we were able to visit with Vina’s cousin Olivia and Ben Skwierez at Vina’s sister Elsie and Eddie Avalos’ home in Los Angeles.  

We enjoyed the first part of ASU’s football season but can easily forget the last half.  

Vina, Marilyn Jo and Cricket

In October we were able to join Cricket for a lunch with sister-in-law Marilyn Jo Sotelo who was visiting Phoenix.  Family and friends are so important.  

On the home front, Bob, Natalie and Mike are well and working hard in San Diego.  Bob and Natalie were able to come to Arizona for Thanksgiving, which we shared with Vina’s sister Cricket, now well on her way to recovery from her liver transplant last year, and her husband Marty, their son Marty Jr., and his wife Larissa and cousin Jimmy.  

The Kleemann's - Gary, Vina, Natalie, Bob and Mike

For the future?  Let us all hope for good health, modest wealth and many friends.  Let us all hope and work for Peace on Earth and Good Will towards All.  We wish you all of the very best for 2012 and hope that our paths might cross during the coming year.

Please click on any of the links to see pictures.

We have posted pictures collected throughout the year at: http://picasaweb.google.com/garykleemann.

Cruising the Great Rivers of Europe 2011

Overview

Towards the end of June 2011 we began a two week cruise up the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. Our travels began in Amsterdam and concluded in Vienna. In between we visited 15 cities and towns, went through 66 different locks, and gained a sense of history from the middle ages through World War II and up to today. We learned of the importance of geography in the development of the human condition and saw firsthand how people lived during the middle ages (1200 - 1500). We saw evidence of the tremendous destruction during WWII and the dangers of a political system gone wrong. We saw magnificent churches, abbeys and cathedrals in the land where the Protestant Reformation started. We enjoyed the trinity of German food -- beer, pretzels and sausages along with Dutch chocolates and apple strudel. And, of course, enjoyed the wine of the region. In summary, we had a GREAT time. Like any trip like this we would have liked to have had more time in each place to explore but it was a great overview of what this part of the world has to offer. For me, history really came alive – both medieval history and WWII history. The impact of geography on the development of commerce and the important role of the church and the reformation were also major themes for me. The similarities (and differences) between this river trip and the river trips we took in China were sometimes hard for me to believe. So much is the same the world over! The geography, the commerce on the river, the development of towns and cities – all of these things seemed very similar between the two places. I was also impressed by the density of the forests along the river and how difficult to penetrate they must have been for those living hundreds of years ago. The vineyards and just general lush green hillsides were quite amazing to this desert rat. We enjoyed the beer and wine and food and are now trying to diet to make up for our sins. While being King is better than being a commoner, life in the middle ages really sucked. It is pretty amazing how far the human race has come in just several hundred years. The imprint of the Nazis and the physical destruction of the country during WWII were also discussed openly by the German people. Much of modern Germany has been rebuilt since 1945. We best not forget the lessons learned from that era.

Day 1 - Wednesday, June 22 San Diego to Amsterdam
We spent the entire day and night in airplanes. We left San Diego at noon and flew to Minneapolis where we waited a couple of hours before we boarded the plane to Amsterdam. We arrived in Amsterdam around 11 a.m. Thursday local time.
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Day 2 - Thursday, June 23 Amsterdam
Despite our best efforts we were unable to sleep much on the plane. We were met by one of our tour guides at the airport after going through a rather casual customs process . They just looked at our passports - didn't ask anything about what we were bringing into the country. We were loaded onto a bus (coach) and driven to the ship. We checked in and were shown to our cabin. We immediately went to the dining room for a lunch buffet. Then back to our room to unpack and get settled. We walked around the ship and learned where things were located. Then we decided a good soak in the jacuzzi would be just the thing. It was very relaxing and just what we needed after the long trip across the USA and the Atlantic Ocean. Then it was time for a brief talk in the ship's lounge before dinner. Every night they would give a "port talk" about the place we were in or where were going the next day. Then at 7 p.m. we went to dinner. Dinner took about two hours with all the free wine you wanted included and then we went back to our cabin and CRASHED.
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Day 3 - Friday, June 24 Amsterdam
We woke up around 6:30 a.m., got dressed and went to breakfast. LOTS to eat. After breakfast everyone (all 160 of us on the ship) went on a canal boat tour of Amsterdam. There are a series of semi-circular concentric canals that run through Amsterdam. Sort of a Venice of the North. Unfortunately it started to rain just as we were getting on the boat and that made our ability to see and take pictures more limited but we enjoyed the tour and got some sense of what the city had to offer.

After returning to the ship and enjoying a large lunch, we took off in our own to explore Amsterdam. We went to the Central Station (train and bus) and bought two tram tickets and took the tram (electric rail) to the flower mart. We toured the flower mart where the flowers were indeed beautiful and tulips were popular. We then walked the half hour or so back to the ship. On the way we walked through the Red Light District with the prostitutes in the windows, past "coffee houses" that don't sell coffee - just cannabis, and through a farmer's market on one of the squares. We got lost a few times but that was part of the adventure.

We returned to the ship for a short nap and then the ship set sail at 4 p.m. and our Great Rivers cruise began.

Before dinner there was the Captain's Welcome Drink (champagne) in the lounge followed by a short "port talk" about our visit the next day to Cologne, Germany. Then we were off to dinner. Unlike ocean cruise ships, there was no assigned seating and we chose to sit with different people each night during the trip. It was good to meet interesting people from all over the U.S. After two hours of eating and drinking, we headed back to the lounge to watch the river banks go by and enjoy the view. We went through the first of the 66 locks of our journey. It was still light outside at 10:30 p.m. when we retired to our cabin.
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Day 4 - Saturday, June 25 en route/in Cologne, Germany
We woke up entirely too early (5 a.m.) but relaxed in our cabin and enjoyed the passing view from our large windows. There is a lot of traffic/commerce on the Rhine River.

After breakfast we had a German language lesson by our Program Directors (tour guides). We learn how to say Good Morning, Please and Thank You and other useful phrases. We were told how to count to ten and some basic differences in pronunciation.

The ship arrived in Cologne at 3 p.m. and we took a walking tour of the city in the rain. Fortunately the rain paused for a while as we were walking around. A highlight of the tour was the Cologne Cathedral with its very impressive interior (see photos). It would have been nicer had the weather been better but we did enjoy seeing Cologne. We headed back to the ship for dinner. The ship set sail at 11:45 p.m. for our next port.
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Day 5 - Sunday, June 26 Koblenz, Germany
We docked at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine Rivers around 7:30 a.m. After breakfast we took a walking tour of the small city of Koblenz, a quaint picturesque place. We felt like we needed more exercise, so Vina and I walked a lot more around the town after the tour. Since it was Sunday, all of the shops were closed - but the churches, museums, pubs and restaurants were open.

After lunch aboard ship, we went to visit a medieval castle in Marksburg. This was an original castle built in the 13th century that was never destroyed (as most have been over time). One thing is certain: Life in the middle ages was very hard - even for those in the upper echelons of society. Cold, wet, dirty and smelly seemed to be the order of the day. We have romanticized the idea of living in a castle. It was not pleasant -- one can only imagine how the peasants lived.

After our visit to the castle, the group went to a beer garden where we were served the German holy trinity -- pretzels, sausages (white and brown) and, of course, beer.

Then we headed back to the ship for dinner and a musician after dinner who performed Oom-Pa-Pa music and played cowbells. Corny but very entertaining.
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Day 6 - Monday, June 27 Mainz
We left Koblinz around 5:30 a.m. and headed up the "middle Rhine" toward Mainz. Along the way we passed 19 castles and many vineyards. I think everyone is familiar with Rhine wine. The weather had turned nice and it was delightful setting on the sun deck and watching the passing parade of castles, vineyards, boats, ships, barges and trains along the shore. We passed many small towns.

Upon arrival we took a walking tour of Mainz. Mainz was one of the first German towns to be created by the Romans and it soon evolved into the capital of Upper Germany. They were having a festival (street fair) for St. Johan. There were booths of stuff to eat and carnival rides everywhere. We toured the cathedral which was built in 975 but a fire in 1009 necessitated complete rebuilding and much of what we saw was finished in 1239. We visited the Gutenberg Museum where we saw a demonstration of the Gutenberg Press and some original Gutenberg Bibles. The effort required to produce these books was tremendous. After we got left by our group, we made our own way back to the ship passing by all kinds of booths selling every kind of thing. Then we got ready to go to dinner in the town of Ruedesheim -- famous for its superior Riesling wine.

We headed off for a wine cellar for a tasting where we tried two different Riesling wines -- one early harvest and one late harvest. We liked them both but preferred the early harvest as it was a bit dryer. After the wine tasting we headed to the top of the hill and the statue of "Germania" overlooking the Rhine and the Rhine Valley. A true Kodak moment.

Then we headed off to dinner at Lindenwirt restaurant where a Oom-Pa-Pa band was playing drinking songs and we enjoyed a traditional German dinner. The beer was good but the wine they served was awful. We had a good time with Vina getting as many people as possible to dance. We headed back to ship in time to watch fireworks from the sundeck. Mainz was celebrating a saint's festival. This was a great ending to a very full day.
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Day 7 - Tuesday June 28 Frankfurt and Heidelberg
The ship moved to Frankfurt while we slept. We woke up to a bright sunny day and after an early breakfast we boarded a coach to spend the day in Heidelberg. About one quarter of the city's population comprises students (i.e., 30,000) at its famous University which was founded in 1386. This is the oldest university in Germany.

Heidelberg Castle is the largest castle ruin in Europe and it is quite impressive dominating the city. We toured the castle and saw the great wine barrel, the "Great Heidelberg Tun" with a capacity of 58,124 gallons of wine. We then went to lunch in a nice restaurant next door to a Subway shop. We enjoyed some ravioli type of things stuffed with spinach and minced meat. German food is very "heavy" but we enjoyed it. Then we took a walking tour of the city seeing the Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches. Gary wanted to tour a bit of Heidelberg University where they had a nice museum of the history of one of the oldest universities in Europe. We then visited the Great Hall -- you have to see the pictures to get an idea of this place. Gary would love to give a lecture in this Hall!

We next visit the Student Prison, where students who misbehaved were sent. Student Affairs work in a very early stage! Graffiti covered the walls and was carved into the furniture. This place was used from 1712 to 1914. Common offenses were drunkenness and illegal fencing. We walked down to Heidelberg bridge before making our way back to the bus and the ride back to the ship. We arrived back in time for the cocktail hour and dinner.
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Day 8 - Wednesday, June 29 Wertheim
We sailed all night going through many, many locks as we traveled up the Main River and into the Rhine - Main - Danube Canal. I was surprised at how narrow the river was along the way.

The small town of Wertheim was much like the other places we have seen with a castle at the top of the hill, a Catholic Church and a Protestant Church, and several town squares with shops all around. Wertheim also had a Jewish section.

Grand Circle Travel provides an opportunity to visit local people in their homes. The family home host visits were this afternoon. We had an enjoyable time visiting the home of a single lady with four grown children and hearing her describe her life in Germany today. The drive out to the countryside was picturesque with forests and rolling hillside pasture land and wheat and sorghum fields.
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Day 9 - Thursday, June 30 Wertheim/Karlstadt
This was a lazy day. The ship left Wertheim around 3 a.m.(or so we were told - we were asleep) and arrived at Karlstadt shortly before noon. We spent the morning enjoying a leisurely breakfast and then a talk and Q&A by the Captain about the workings of the ship.

Following lunch, we took a walking tour of the small town of Karlstadt. The town was laid out in a square and was one of the very first "planned" towns. Like so many German towns it was built in the 1200's across the river Main from the Karlsberg Castle - now in ruins. We tried to walk to the castle ruins but could not find the path. Karlstadt is a small town - only 15,000 residents. We enjoyed just exploring the town.
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Day 10 - Friday, July 1 Tour of Rothenburg then Schweinfurt
Most of this day was spent on a tour of the city of Rothenburg. The ship docked at Gerlochshausen where we got off and boarded buses for the hour and a half drive to Rothenburg. Rothenburg is located along the Tauber River. We visit the medieval village where most of the structures were built in the 12 and 1300's. We took a tour of the Christmas Museum, visited the Medieval Crime Museum (more accurately described as the torture museum) showing criminal justice during the Middle Ages, saw the Franciscan Church and the wall around the city and then headed to lunch.

We enjoyed a rather tasty lunch of pork and schnitzel (noodles) in a sauce -- sort of a stroganoff --at a local restaurant. The weather was not on our side with rain coming on and off. We visited St. Jakobs Lutheran Church and saw the Altar of the Holy Blood.

We board the bus for the trip to Schweinfurt to meet back up with the ship. We were tired and we rested before the port talk and dinner. After dinner, Johannes, one of the tour directors, gave a talk about the war criminals of the Nuremberg Trial.
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Day 11 - Saturday, July 2, 2011 Bamberg, Germany
After breakfast, we boarded a bus for the short ride into Bamberg. Bamberg is another typical German town famous for its many breweries and beers. Rauchbier (smoke beer) made from hops roasted over an open fire, is a hallmark of the town. We bought a couple of bottles to bring home for our boys. In Bamberg, we visited the Town Center, the University Plaza, Open Market, Rose Garden and the Bamberg Cathedral. At the Cathedral there was the a golden throne which was described as the Arch Bishop's Throne. Our thoughts went from admiration of the beauty of the throne to revulsion of the idea that the Arch Bishop should have such a flagrant display of wealth.

After touring the city, we return to the ship for lunch and sailing toward Nuremberg. The rain held off until we left. We spent the rest of the day sailing the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. We toured the ship's kitchen in the afternoon. It is amazing how they are able to prepare so many meals in such a small space.

After dinner there was a passenger talent show. Gary was fighting a head cold and went to bed early but Vina said that she enjoyed watching the show. It is always a bit surprising to discover the hidden talents that people do and don't possess.
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Day 12 - Sunday, July 3 Nuremberg
We woke up to a cold and rainy day docked in Nuremberg. After breakfast we enjoyed a brief lecture on the history of Germany since 1933. Such recent history yet so far away. The rise of the Nazi's is/was scary. Germany today is working hard to confront its dark past.

After the lecture we took a bus tour of the old city. We were let off at the old city and saw the "beautiful fountain." The central square and we walked to two different churches -- Church of Our Lady and then St. Sebaldes Church. We watched the church clock change at noon with animated figures moving about and then headed back to the ship for lunch.

After lunch we boarded the bus again for a trip back to the city and the "Documentation Center" a museum showing the history of Hitler and his successes and atrocities and the relationship between Hitler and Nuremberg. We visited the parade grounds where many of the Nazi rallies were held in the 1930's. We saw the half finished stadium where the Documentation Center is now located. It will take me some time to digest all that we have seen. How so many good people could all go so wrong at the same time gives one pause.
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Day 13 - Monday, July 4 Regensburg
A day of many good things and some changes in plans -- a "Murphy's Law" sort of day. On Sunday evening our ship was delayed for three hours waiting to go through a lock. As a result we were late in getting to the drop off point for our tour of the oldest monastery in Bavaria, a boat ride on the Danube Gorge (reminiscent of the Li River in China) and a visit to the Liberation Hall in Kelheim.

During the night we crossed the European "continental divide" for watershed at 1,331 feet. Prior to this all of the locks we went through were raising our ship. From now on, our ship is being lowered. Vienna - the end of our trip is at 558 feet.

After being dropped off around 9 a.m. we were driven by coach to a wonderful old monastery and brewery where we toured a magnificent church followed by dark beer and pretzels at the monastery. We then boarded a small ship for a short cruise down through the Danube Gorge -- at the beginning of the 1,776 mile long (appropriate length for USA Independence Day) Danube River. The limestone cliffs carved into the mountainside were quite impressive. The ship dropped us off near the Liberation Hall -- a large round building on the top of a hill. We climbed to the top and had some marvelous views.

We were then supposed to meet back up with our ship but it was running behind schedule because of the lock delays. Our buses had other commitments so we were dropped off and we had to wait under a bridge until the River Aria (our ship) came up the Danube about half hour after we got there. Reunited, we boarded and headed for a late (2 p.m.) lunch -- American style -- on the 4th of July. After eating too much we headed out for a walking tour of Regensburg.
The cathedral there and its stained glass windows were quite spectacular -- and we were treated to hear the organ -- I captured some of it on camera. I hope the sound comes through OK.
After dinner, exhausted, we went to bed.
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Day 14 - Tuesday, July 5 Passau
We took a walking tour of Passau in the morning. Passau is located at the confluence of the three rivers and as such was an important trade town. The highlight of the morning was an organ concert at noon in St. Stephen's Church. The church was another incredible work of art. The music seemed so appropriate for a baroque church of the 16th century. I hope that my recording capture at least some of what it was like to sit there and hear this mighty organ play.

It rained really hard while we were having lunch aboard the ship but cleared up and became warm and sunny by the time we got ready to head back out. We were told this was typical weather.

That evening we had the Captain's Farewell Drink and Farewell Dinner (filet mignon). We had purchased some bottles of wine when we boarded the ship and we needed to finish off a newly opened bottle -- so we did!

After dinner the crew provided us with a "talent" show -- corny but enjoyable.
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Day 15 - Wednesday, July 6 Melk and Vienna, Austria
We docked in the small village of Melk. The main attraction was the over-the-top abbey built on the top of the hill. The pictures, while spectacular, can't really do justice to the opulence of this place. It was almost obscene. One can't help but wonder at the resources spent on this place and the needs of the common people who funded it. We took the walk up the hill and did a tour of the place.

We came back to the ship and began packing up for our return trip home. The ship left Melk and headed up the Danube toward Vienna. Along the river we say many, many vineyards, churches, castles and towns. The vegetation was green and lush. The weather cooperated with the sun coming out and the temperature near 80. This was the highlight for Vina. Floating down the Danube while listening to Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss being played over the ship's speakers.

We docked in Vienna and after dinner boarded a bus for short driving tour of the city on the way to a concert of Mozart and Strauss. The concert was in a smallish hall but very enjoyable. We enjoyed champagne out on the terrace during intermission. We headed back to ship to get about three hours sleep before we had to get up and begin the long trek home.
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Day 16 - Thursday, July 7 Vienna to San Diego
Today was the longest and hardest part of the whole trip. Including the time change, this day lasted 33 hours and we were awake for almost all of it. We left the ship at 4 a.m. Thursday Vienna time (6 p.m. Wednesday California time) and arrived at the San Diego airport at 6 p.m. Thursday. Needless to say, after our son Mike dropped us off at home, we crashed.
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A great trip!