Huaraz

There are moments that make you realize your potential.  I am currently in the state of being re-defined.  Soy Americana? Si.  Soy Gringa.  Si, si.  Soy spiritual mujer.  Definitely.  Are there moments that I feel lonely on my journey.  Yes.  Not in the way that most people think porque there are so many individuals interacting with me that I rarely have the time to feel alone.  The thing that I miss the most is my spiritual connections.  I have a shortage of that in this far away land from mi casa.  However, I feel more in harmony with the values and qualities that exists south of the ecuador.  The local people are full of heart and energy.  Their voices and song reverberates inside my mind and heart as I drift off into sleep.  Community, oneness, connection is all here and even though I look like an outsider I am rarely treated that way.  I smile and they smile back at me.  I utter senseless Spanish and wave my hands and arms in gentle reflection of their language, and the local people try to comprehend my Spanglish.  While it has been a few weeks since I have last wrote the adventures continue hence forth--Let´s take a brief commercial break and review....

Huaraz-deep in heart of the Andes my adventures truly rests.  I arrived in Huaraz with eager anticipation of the sights I would behold. I was not disappointed in the least and the whole experience would surpass my expectations.  I was recommended a hostel to stay in Huaraz and I took a luxurious bus that served drinks and snacks.  Imagine a bus stewardess similar to an airline stewardess with lounge seats and blankets on a double decker bus.  Heaven.  Ecuador has the worst bus rides and no accomodations especially for gringas!  I arrived at Hostel Churup which had a bird´s eye view of the Andes mountains.  I was completely in love and infatuated.  I met up with a Canadian couple and we hiked some of the local lagunas which led me to meeting the English gents.  Peter and Neil were two active surfers who I would spend the next 3 days with and have epic times.  We hiked laguna 69 and decided that we were a good threesome to set off for Vallunaraju.  Vallunaraju is a 5,486 meter mountain that commands respect right away for those that venture on this specific peak.  The tour guides said it was an easy mountain.  They lied.  We hiked in the first day for acclimization purposes and then in the morning we set off for the summit.  The altitude worked its way through my body and I did my best to push through the pain.  Peter and Daniel set off in the morning together and Neil and I were strapped in together for our trek.  A trek is certainly was considering we had to rock climb and use ropes and a ice axe to make our way over the glacier and cravasses!  I felt like I was in a dream.  We missed the summit by 400 meters, but I was happy with my accomplishment that day.  Neil and I felt pretty nasty on the descent and we were both grateful to get down on dry..ish land and let the altitude sickness leave our bodies.  Currently, I am in Cusco a city that is filled with spiritual and cultural history and it pales in comparision to my journey in Hauraz.  I am off to my next destination tonight in hopes that I can experience something even vaguely exciting as Vallunaraju....