For the past 10 days, Jonathan and I have been staying with our friends Matt, Nicole, and their son Caden. They were kind enough to put us up while we looked for a place of our own to call home…
Our first week in Christchurch, New Zealand
We decided to head to Christchurch a bit earlier than planned. Why? Because we had friends waiting for us. Jonathan’s friend, Nicole (whom he’s known for 15 years!), lives in Christchurch with her partner, Matthew, and their son Caden. They…
Atahualpa’s Last Stand: the beginning of the end for the Incans. Cajamarca, Peru
Imagine the year is 1533. You’re going to the capital city to pay your respects to the king. To enter the plaza, there are 8 doorways, but each entryway is only big enough for 1 person to enter at a…
Cajamarca, Peru: Ceramics
While staying with Vicky at Casa Mirita (homestay in Cajamarca, Peru), she took us on a brief tour of her neighborhood. Today was Sunday, and the power was turned off (city-wide in a conservation effort). That didn’t stop us though.…
Cumbe Mayo, near Cajamarca, Peru
You’ve probably never heard of Cumbe Mayo before. I hadn’t either. Not until we were in Cajamarca and everyone started talking about it. So, we decided to schedule a tour. We took a ½ day tour, leaving at 9:30am, and…
Sunset in Ecuador, Sunrise in Peru
AKA – How to travel by bus from Cuenca, Ecuador to Chiclayo, Peru. One of our homework assignments while learning Spanish was to read about Atahualpa (the Incan King who “surrendered” to the Spanish). This happened near Cajamarca, Peru. (Stay…
Casa Pastoral Hotel Review: Las Lajas, Colombia
Casa Pastoral in Las Lajas, Colombia For $4.50 per person, per night, it’s hard to complain. But that’s not going to stop me. I’d heard some great things about Casa Pastoral with its view to Las Lajas Basilica in Colombia.…
Carrie’s thoughts on the Good Friday Procession in Quito, Ecuador
Jonathan and I watched the Good Friday Procession in Quito, Ecuador. It was a somber experience to witness such an event.
Visiting Las Lajas Basilica, Las Lajas, Colombia
Credited as being on of the world’s 10 Most Unique Churches, Las Lajas definitely lives up to its claim. At first, I’ll admit, I was a little unimpressed. But, then again, we approached it from the wrong side. Once we…
Bus From Quito, Ecuador to Las Lajas, Colombia
How we got from Quito, Ecuador to Las Lajas Basilica in Las Lajas, Colombia (near Ipiales). We eventually took a bus from Quito to the Colombian border, but didn’t know about this one thing that everyone should know before they…