One Suitcase, One Planet

I am staying in Portobelo for a couple weeks, a town of 3,000 on...

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:16:00 -0600

I am staying in Portobelo for a couple weeks, a town of 3,000 on the Caribbean coast of Panama.

To reach Portobelo, I needed to take a couple buses, one from Panama City to Sabanitas, and a second bus from Sabanitas to Portobelo.

The Sabanitas - Portobelo buses take just over an hour to reach Portobelo and cost $1.30. But what makes these buses memorable are their distinctive colorful exteriors and interiors and their music (from rap to calypso). In fact, the only thing louder than the color scheme on los diablos rojos or ‘the red devils’ as the buses are colloquially called, is the music.

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‘Extras’ playing Colombian soldiers on the set of a...

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:20:24 -0600

‘Extras’ playing Colombian soldiers on the set of a French-Panamanian film (Paradise Lost) being shot this week and next in Portobelo, Panama.

Paradise Lost stars Benicio del Toro (as Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar) along with Josh Hutcherson and Brady Corbet. The crew keeps stopping pedestrians and traffic so that the crew can control the shoot. My reasonable rates that I charge to play an ‘extra’ did not impress the crew guy I spoke to.

More about Paradise Lost can be found at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/benicio-del-toro-to-play-pablo-escobar_n_2161003.html

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On Sunday afternoon I explored Casco Viejo, the old town of...

Mon, 06 May 2013 22:30:09 -0600

On Sunday afternoon I explored Casco Viejo, the old town of Panama City, Panama. One of the treats in Casco Viejo is La Rana Dorada Brewery. The Golden Frog brews four different microbrews: a pale ale, pilsener, porter and a white Belgian wheat flavored with orange, lemon and coriander. You can find out more about La Rana Dorada Cervecería on its Facebook page or at: http://www.laranadorada.com

I arrived in Panama City, the capital of Panama, on Friday. I...

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:02:01 -0600

I arrived in Panama City, the capital of Panama, on Friday. I plan to spend 3.5 weeks in Panama sampling the culture and getting PADI certified for diving to the advanced level in the town of Portobelo on the Caribbean.

On Sunday, I strolled through Casco Viejo, the old town of Panama City. Much of Casco Viejo is under renovation, but a bustling, thriving Panamanian community still makes its home here. There are many colonial architectural gems, a few of them pictured here.

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On Friday I exited Peru after spending nearly seven months in...

Fri, 03 May 2013 23:02:05 -0600

Llamas at Machu Picchu last Dec 21.

A group of performers march through the coastal town of Paramonga as part of May Day celebrations.

Several of us trek along Big Tree Trail at the Atalaya Reserve near Manu National Park.

A glimpse of Machu PIcchu last Dec 21 shortly after dawn.

Mixed ceviche, a Peruvian seafood specialty, served in a restaurant in Trujillo.

A student participating in the After-School Math Program in Cusco's barrio San Jeronimo last Nov.

Users of the Yungay Cultural Center await its opening.

The view of the Cordillera Blanca from the Hatun Wasi Hostal terrace in Huaraz.

A couple delivering corn to the Paramonga market.

Huanchaco Beach near Trujillo on a Sunday afternoon.

On Friday I exited Peru after spending nearly seven months in that extraordinary country. I have heaps of fond memories, and I hope to spend another week or so in Peru in October. In the meantime here are some photos that capture some of the many facets of Peru that I had the good fortune to experience, from top to bottom:

1) Llamas at Machu Picchu last Dec 21.

2) A group of performers march through the coastal town of Paramonga as part of May Day celebrations.

3) Several of us trek along Big Tree Trail at the Atalaya Reserve near Manu National Park in February.

4) A glimpse of Machu PIcchu last Dec 21 shortly after dawn.

5) Mixed ceviche, a Peruvian seafood specialty, served in a restaurant in Trujillo.

6) One of the 30 students who participated in the After-School Math Program in Cusco’s barrio San Jeronimo last November.

7) Users of the Yungay Cultural Center await its opening on a weekday.

8) The view of the Cordillera Blanca from the Hatun Wasi Hostal terrace in Huaraz where breakfast was served each morning.

9) A couple delivering corn to the Paramonga market last Wednesday.

10) Huanchaco Beach near Trujillo on a Sunday afternoon in March.

On Wednesday I visited Caral, the 5000 year-old city of pyramids...

Fri, 03 May 2013 20:00:37 -0600

On Wednesday I visited Caral, the 5000 year-old city of pyramids 200 km (125 miles) north of Lima, Peru. Caral was inhabited between 2600 - 2000 BCE. It is believed to have accommodated 3,000 inhabitants and contained temples, houses and an amphitheater.

Caral is the largest recorded site in the Andean region older than 2000 BCE and appears to be the model for the urban design adopted by Andean civilizations. Caral spans 19 other pyramid complexes scattered across the 35 square mile (80 km²) area of the Supe Valley. A collection of musical instruments, including 37 cornets made of deer and llama bones and 33 flutes of unusual construction were unearthed. The flutes were radiocarbon dated to 2170±90 BCE.

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Last Friday afternoon I swung by Sierra Andina Brewing Company,...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:18:00 -0600

Last Friday afternoon I swung by Sierra Andina Brewing Company, a microbrewery located in Huaraz, Peru. Sierra Andina currently bottles three ales and a porter. Paul from Baltimore (pictured here) serves up some tasty brews in the taproom. You can find out more about Sierra Andina Brewing Company at: http://www.sierraandina.com/Sierra_Andina

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Several days ago I visited the town of Yungay and its National...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:42:55 -0600

Several days ago I visited the town of Yungay and its National Cemetery. Yungay is about an hour’s drive north of Huaraz.

Some background: on May 31, 1970 the Ancash earthquake (7.8 on the Richter Scale) caused a substantial part of the north side of a mountain, Nevado Huascarán, to collapse and an unstable mass of glacial ice about 800 meters (1/2 mi.) across at the top of Nevado Huascarán to fall. This collapse caused a debris avalanche, burying the whole town of Yungay and killing 25,000 people. More than 50 million cubic meters of debris slid downhill with speeds between 200 - 400 km/h (125 - 250 mph). Only 92 people survived, most of whom were in the higher elevation cemetery and stadium at the time of the avalanche.

The Peruvian government has forbidden excavation in the area where the old town of Yungay and its 25,000 victims are buried, declaring it a National Cemetery. Today the cemetery is home to wildflowers, rose gardens, commemorative plaques and picnic benches. The upper portion of Yungay’s church, one of the highest structures in 1970, still projects above the landslide debris. The current, thriving town of Yungay was rebuilt 1500 meters (1 mi.) north of the destroyed city.

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A group of us hiked to Lake 69 on Thursday. Lake 69 is located...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:36:13 -0600

A group of us hiked to Lake 69 on Thursday. Lake 69 is located in Huascarán National Park at 4,550 m (14,928 ft) nestled in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca. An 18 km (11.2 mile) hike, 3 hours up, 90 minutes down. An altitude gain of 700 m (2,300 ft), and another meter might have done me in. A hike through lovely flowered meadows and canyons, over mountain streams surrounded by spectacular mountains, and the big payoff, Lake 69, a stunning lake with its own bridal veil falls.

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Several days ago I visited Chavín de Hunatar, the UNESCO World...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:51:08 -0600

Several days ago I visited Chavín de Hunatar, the UNESCO World Heritage Archeological Site, and its museum near Huaraz, Peru.

Chavin contains ruins and artifacts constructed beginning at least by 1200 BCE and occupied by later cultures until around 400-500 BCE. Occupation at Chavín de Huántar has been carbon dated to at least 3000 BCE.

In its heyday the site suggests that people went to Chavín de Hunatar to attend and participate in rituals, consult an oracle, or enter a cult. Chavin contains a circular plaza an both and old and new temple. The nearby museum contains a model of Chavin, many busts, pottery and artifacts.

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I arrived in Huaraz, Peru last Friday. Huaraz is located near...

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:03:41 -0600

I arrived in Huaraz, Peru last Friday. Huaraz is located near Peru’s famed Cordillera Blanca with its 33 peaks over 5,500 m (18,040 ft).

After a few days of acclimatization at Huaraz’s 3,050 m (10,050 ft), a group of us trekked several miles yesterday to see Pastoruri Glacier. It was an easy trek through spectacular country with the occasional snow flurry.

Pastoruri is a cirque glacier, located in the southern part of the Cordillera Blanca. The glacier is about 4 km long (2.5 mi) and 8 sq km in size (3.1 sq mi). Pastoruri is retreating quickly and has lost 22% of it size in the last 35 years. (Pastoruri is mentioned in Al Gore’s film, Inconvenient Truth.) Pastoruri’s elevation is 5,400 m (17,700 ft). It was a little chilly when we reached it but we were grateful there were no winds.

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Eight weeks vacationing in the Pacific Ocean city of Trujillo,...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 10:19:30 -0600

One of the many friendly street vendors found throughout Trujillo.

A Trujillo pastry vendor just outside Trujillo's football stadium.

A cremolada vendor at Huanchaco Beach about to present me with a coconut cremolada, shaved ice with a creamy coconut flavor.

A Trujillo street vendor sells turrón, a sweet confection especially popular with children, usually made from honey, sugar and egg white, and flavored with almonds.

A cremolada vendor at Huanchaco Beach about to present me with a coconut cremolada, shaved ice with a creamy coconut flavor.

A street vendor selling codorniz, or quail eggs. Codorniz are sold hard-boiled and have a creamy taste and texture and contain no cholesterol.

Eight weeks vacationing in the Pacific Ocean city of Trujillo, Peru and its nearby beach of Huanchaco means walking past many delightful street vendors and sampling their wares. Here’s just a few (from top to bottom):

1) One of the many friendly fruit vendors found throughout Trujillo.

2) A pastry vendor makes change for a customer just outside Trujillo’s football stadium.

3) A cremolada vendor at Huanchaco Beach about to present me with a coconut cremolada, shaved ice with a creamy coconut flavor.

4) A Trujillo street vendor selling turrón, a sweet confection especially popular with children, usually made from honey, sugar and egg white, and flavored with almonds.

5) Another cremolada vendor at Huanchaco Beach about to present me with another coconut cremolada. I can vouch for the mango cremolada too.

6) A Trujillo street vendor selling codorniz, or quail eggs. Codorniz are sold hard-boiled and have a creamy taste and texture, and contain no cholesterol.

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One of the colonial treasures of Trujillo, Peru is its Iturregui...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:43:26 -0600

One of the colonial treasures of Trujillo, Peru is its Iturregui Palace.

Iturregui Palace was the home of General Juan Manuel Iturregui who lived here after he famously proclaimed independence. The 19th-century mansion was built in neoclassical style, with its beautiful window gratings, slender interior columns and gold ceiling moldings.

Today Iturregui is home to Trujillo’s posh and exclusive Central Club, but the public can tour Iturregui from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. weekday mornings. Pictured above are Iturregui’s library and its many salons, courtyards and treasures.

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Trujillo’s art life is vibrant, particularly its art in...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:07:00 -0600

A street performer on the pedestrian mall on Francisco Pizarro in the heart of Trujillo's historic district.

One of the figures on Trujillo's Plaza de Armas monument.

The paintings and sculptures of Gerardo Chávez of Peru at Trujillo's Museum of Modern Art.

Perfect for serving pisco sours to your friends when they drop by unexpectedly. At Trujillo's Iturregui Palace.

One of many statues found in the courtyards and gardens of Trujillo's Iturregui Palace.

Trujillo's Plaza de Armas monument illuminated at night.

Trujillo’s art life is vibrant, particularly its art in public places (From top to bottom:)

1) A street performer on Francisco Pizarro’s pedestrian mall in the heart of Trujillo’s historic district.

2) One of several figures of Trujillo’s Plaza de Armas monument.

3) The paintings and sculptures of Gerardo Chávez of Peru at Trujillo’s Museum of Modern Art.

4) One of many treasures found in the salons of Trujillo’s Iturregui Palace.

5) One of many statues found in the courtyards and gardens of Trujillo’s Iturregui Palace.

6) A glimpse of Trujillo’s Plaza de Armas monument illuminated at night.

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Some examples of Trujillo, Peru’s architecture. (Click on...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 18:05:00 -0600

Some examples of Trujillo, Peru’s architecture. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

Trujillo is Peru’s third largest city. Since 2011 Trujillo has...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:36:00 -0600

Some of the distinctive colonial architecture found in Trujillo.

One of Trujillo's many friendly street vendors.

Trujillo's Plaza de Armas, its main square.

One of the sculptures on the Plaza de Armas monument, late afternoon.

Some of Trujillo's distinctive architecture, particularly its wrought-iron windows, this one found on the Plaza de Armas.

Soccer fans watching a match airing on a television in a small store. The game was between Barcelona and AC Milan. I believe Barcelona won 4-0, and yes, Lionel Mesi scored.

The bar in the Museo Cafe Bar with its distinctive French ambience. No wonder, the owner hails from a small town south of Paris.

An interior courtyard of the Casa Urquiaga (sometimes called the Casa Calonge)

An interior courtyard of the Casa Urquiaga (sometimes called the Casa Calonge).

A street performer entertains school children and passersby on Francisco Pizarro pedestrian mall.

Trujillo is Peru’s third largest city. Since 2011 Trujillo has been cooperating with the Inter-American Development Bank on a pilot project to transform itself into a sustainable city as it addresses environmental, fiscal and financial sustainability.

Trujillo became my favorite city in Peru because of its ideal climate (it is known as the Capital of the Everlasting Spring), its nearby archeological sites and beaches, and most palpably, Peru’s friendliest citizens. It is not uncommon for Trujilleños to wish strangers good day as they pass on the street, or stop and offer to help when they see an out-of-towner puzzling over a city map. I will have spent nearly two months in Trujillo, Peru when I bid Trujillo farewell next week and travel to Huaraz, an inland alpine region southeast of Trujillo.

Over this next week I will say a heartfelt goodbye to Trujillo with several picture sets, this the first, from top to bottom:

1) Some of the distinctive colonial architecture found in Trujillo, including its unique wrought-iron window railings. An upcoming picture set will focus on Trujillo’s architecture.

2) One of Trujillo’s many friendly street vendors. If business is slow on this street corner, she can merely peddle to a better one; her fruit stand is attached to a bicycle.

3) Trujillo’s Plaza de Armas, among the loveliest I have come across on this journey.

4) One of the sculptures on the Plaza de Armas monument, late afternoon.

5) Some of the distinctive colonial architecture found in Trujillo, including its unique wrought-iron window railings.

6) Soccer fans watching a match airing on a television in a small store. The game was between Barcelona and AC Milan. I believe Barcelona won 4-0, and yes, Lionel Mesi scored.

7) The bar in the Museo Cafe Bar with its distinctive French ambience (no surprise, its owner hails from a small town south of Paris).

8) The interior courtyard of the Casa Urquiaga (sometimes called the Casa Calonge), adjacent to the Plaza de Armas.

9) Another interior courtyard of the Casa Urquiaga (sometimes called the Casa Calonge), adjacent to the Plaza de Armas.

10) A street performer entertains school children and passersby on Francisco Pizarro pedestrian mall.

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About one hour’s bus ride north of Trujillo, Peru is the Moche...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:35:24 -0600

An illustration of how the Señora de Cao is thought to have looked, complete with her regal vestments and paraphernalia.

A board illustrating the main features at El Brujo which lies adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.

The view of the Huaca Cao Viejo

A glimpse of the Huaca Cao Viejo murals as one enters the canvass-covered Huaca.

A glimpse of the Huaca Cao Viejo murals

The view looking northwest from the summit of the Huaca Cao Viejo. If you squint a bit, you can just make out the white waves coming ashore on this hazy day.

About one hour’s bus ride north of Trujillo, Peru is the Moche Culture’s archeological site of El Brujo, built somewhere between 50-600 CE. In my informal poll taken during morning breakfasts at the Trujillo hostel where I have been staying for six weeks, El Brujo was the clear favorite when compared with Chan Chan and the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna. Absolutely brilliant, was how Julie from Liverpool deemed it.

As with Huaca de la Luna, El Brujo too has colorful polychrome reliefs and mural paintings. But El Brujo has something more. About a decade ago the tomb of the Señora de Cao was unearthed. The Señora is thought to have died of complications from childbirth when she was 20-25 years old. Her mummified remains and the artifacts from her tomb are now displayed in a climate controlled room of El Brujo’s first-rate museum.

Unfortunately, though El Brujo’s museum is excellent, photographs are prohibited so I have included a couple photos of illustrations found at El Brujo to give an inkling of its majestic collection of artifacts and Señora de Cao. (From top to bottom):

1) An illustration of how the Señora de Cao is thought to have looked, complete with her regal vestments and paraphernalia. Her actual vestments and accoutrements pictured here are on display in the nearby museum. The museum also contains Moche pottery that is an extraordinarily good condition along with a collection of flutes made from human bones, not something one sees every day.

2) A board illustrating the main features at El Brujo which lies adjacent to the Pacific Ocean.

3) The view of the Huaca Cao Viejo (the only Huaca at El Brujo open to the public) and its canvass covering to protect the exposed murals from the elements.

4) Several of us being led by our local guide to view the Huaca Cao Viejo murals.

5) A glimpse of the Huaca Cao Viejo murals.

6) The view from near the summit of the Huaca Cao Viejo looking northwest. In the foreground can be seen El Brujo’s museum. In the distance can be seen another Huaca and the white waves of the Pacific Ocean coming ashore. All three of the archeological sites near Trujillo that I have depicted on 1Suitcase are still active and the exploration continues.

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Huacas del Sol y de la Luna of the Moche culture, the...

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 11:30:45 -0600

Huaca del Sol, photographed from the Huaca de la Luna. The dark band that circles the Huaca del Sol are spiny plants that were planted to keep trespassers off the Huaca.

An illustration of the Mural of the Myth found at Huaca de la Luna.

The actual Mural of the Myth found at Huaca de la Luna.

A panel of the Moche god Mochica Ai Apaec on one of Huaca de la Luna’s interior walls.

Huacas del Sol y de la Luna of the Moche culture, the archeological site just a few minutes northeast of Trujillo, Peru, also contain the Mural of the Myths pictured above. From top to bottom:

1) Huaca del Sol, photographed from the Huaca de la Luna, is not open to the public. The dark band that circles the Huaca del Sol are spiny plants that were planted to keep trespassers off the Huaca.

2) An illustration of the Mural of the Myth found at Huaca de la Luna.

3) The actual Mural of the Myth found at Huaca de la Luna.

4) A panel of the Moche god Mochica Ai Apaec on one of Huaca de la Luna’s interior walls.

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Another pre-Columbian archeological site a few minutes to the...

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:15:54 -0600

(Detail) of the well-preserved registers of murals that feature prisoners, warriors, two-headed serpents and spiders.

How the thriving City of Moche may have looked.

Some of the adobe brick interior of the Huaca de la Luna.

Just a portion of the Huaca del Sol murals.

(Detail) of the well-preserved registers of murals that feature prisoners, warriors, two-headed serpents and spiders.

Another pre-Columbian archeological site a few minutes to the northeast of Trujillo, Peru is the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna. This site was the capital of the Moche Culture which reigned here from 100 - 800 CE.

Huacas are ruins and burial places, here named after the sun and moon. The huacas were the site of elite burials, particularly for the Moche religious elite, and the site of human sacrifice rituals. The nearby excellent museum contains many artifacts, and the Luna Huaca and museum can be visited for US$5.00.

(The first of two picture sets of Huacas del Sol y de la Luna, from top to bottom):

1) The well-preserved registers of murals that feature prisoners, warriors, two-headed serpents and spiders.

2) A board displays how the thriving City of Moche may have looked.

3) Some of the interior of the Huaca de la Luna. The two huacas were enormous structures. I found one online estimate that the Huaca del Sol contained over 130 million adobe bricks and was the largest pre-Colombian adobe structure in the Americas.

4) The Huaca de la Luna is a popular destination.

5) Another glimpse of the well-preserved murals of Huaca de la Luna.

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I have vacationed the last five weeks in northern Peru, based...

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 07:42:54 -0600

One of Chan Chan’s exterior adobe walls.

A model of Chan Chan housed in its museum. Chan Chan was a city of 30,000 dating from 850 CE.

The Chan Chan adobe works where bricks are made for Chan Chan's restoration and maintenance.

Two Chan Chan renovation workers toil under the hot mid-day sun.

A glimpse of one of the 10 citadels of Chan Chan. Notice the repeating bird motif along the base.

An example of the well-preserved adobe detail at Chan Chan.

An example of the well-preserved adobe detail at Chan Chan.

The water reserve at Chan Chan.

A couple of the vultures that patrol Chan Chan.

I have vacationed the last five weeks in northern Peru, based mostly in Trujillo on Peru’s Pacific coast. There are several archeological sites near Trujillo, and one of them is Chan Chan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site pictured here.

Chan Chan is the largest Pre-Columbian city in South America, located five km west of Trujillo. The kingdom of Chimu constructed Chan Chan of adobe, and it covered 20 km² and had a dense urban center of six km². Chan Chan was the largest adobe city in the world, and it was built around 850 CE and lasted until its conquest by the Incas in 1470 CE. (From top to bottom):

1) One of Chan Chan’s exterior adobe walls.

2) A model of Chan Chan housed in its museum showing the extent of its ceremonial rooms, burial chambers, temples, reservoirs and homes for 30,000 inhabitants.

3) Chan Chan’s adobe works where workers fabricate adobe bricks to use in Chan Chan’s restoration and maintenance.

4) Two Chan Chan renovation workers toil under the mid-day sun. Chan Chan lies between Trujillo and the Pacific Ocean, just a couple kilometers east of the Pacific.

5) A glimpse of one of the 10 citadels of Chan Chan. Much of the adobe is now covered with protective canopies to shield the adobe from the erosive effects of rain. Notice the repeating bird motif along the base.

6-7) An example of the well-preserved adobe detail at Chan Chan. It cost only $3.85 for a 2-day pass to visit the three different sites of Chan Chan and its museum.

8) The water reserve at Chan Chan, the only spot that is not sand and adobe. If you are fortunate enough to visit Chan Chan, make sure to carry along drinking water and sun block.

9) A couple of the vultures that patrol Chan Chan.

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