My experience in Peru was wild! A day and a half was enough for me to understand that Lima is like Mexico City's little brother. A lot of beautiful colonial style buildings, a lot of unsafe streets, a lot of street vendors and a lot of pollution... I spent the rest of my time in Cusco, the launching pad to Machu Picchu. I went on a very tumultuous Inka trail, its troubles exacerbated by rain and a dishonest travel agent. However, it was one of the wildest experiences of my lifetime and now that I look back at it, I don't regret one second of it! I had a lot of fun in the middle of all the turbulence, and the reward for three days of chaos in high altitudes could not be sweeter. Machu Picchu. I frankly did not
expect to be that surprised by it, but its huge scale is simply unimaginable. No matter how many documentaries and pictures you have seen, there is nothing quite like seeing this uniquely sublime blend of nature and massive architecture with your own eyes. The first picture is the postcard shot of Machu Picchu. The second one is a shot of the stepped farming grounds and villager's houses behind it. The last shot is the main square of the city of Cusco, lined by two beautiful cathedrals.
I was in Tahiti as part of a stopover before going to Easter Island. It was an interesting experience, to say the least. Although brief, my visit left me with a very good feeling about what Tahiti has to offer. Tahiti is famous for its undeniably gorgeous beaches hence, similar to what happens in New Zealand (although at a much smaller scale) architecture takes a backseat. However, a walk around the un-touristy parts of Tahiti reveals a very flavorful and distinct architecture, as shown in the first picture, which is a beautiful catholic church in the district of F'aaa (yes, that's right, THREE vowels in a row!), very close to the airport. The next picture shows a common street around Tahiti, and it is not difficult to
discern some aspects of the island, including the very common angled roofs and the island's beautiful hills and sky. The last picture was taken on a lucky moment in which I was able take advantage of my un-tanned body to sneak into a private resort.
Most people only go to Easter Island for three or four days, only once in their lifetime, and they are not to blame, because that time is more than needed to experience most of the island. I was lucky enough to spend two entire weeks in this wonderful island, and I find it difficult to convey in words, how beautiful, incomparable and bizarre my experience has been. All I can say is that after spending all this time there, what I will remember most for the rest of my life is the kindness of its people. The people of Rapa Nui will give you the shirts off their backs if they knew you needed it more than they do. That's the only way a society of 3000 people based on an island 2500 Km off the nearest inhabited land has learned to survive.
The first picture is of the ultra original architecture of Easter Island, a cave. Notice how the water seeps through and how they used this effect to store water and maintain plant life inside these caves. There are countless caves around the island, and during times of war, cannibalism was practiced in every single one of them. The next picture is of the only row of statues placed facing the sea. Beautiful!
Next on my trip was the beautiful country of New Zealand, starting with its biggest city, Auckland. Although only 1.4 million Kiwis call this city home, the city is a bustling metropolitan giant, trying shamelessly to resemble a world capital. Normally that would be a respectable goal for a city anywhere else in the world, except that Auckland is in New Zealand. This country is blessed, unlike any other, with astonishingly beautiful and unspoiled natural areas. Wherever you go outside of Auckland, towns are most proud of their beautiful natural areas, (and of all the fun things you can do out there) so much that man-made spaces take a backseat.
Most New Zealanders are not afraid to admit they enjoy outdoor activities more than they enjoy going to the opera, a movie theatre or a fine restaurant. Hence, the city of Auckland is a distorted reflection of most of the people of New Zealand. However, many people (mostly those who appeared to be immigrants) do enjoy the nice amenities and sights the city has to offer. Check out the first couple pictures around Auckland and then a moment during one of my walks around nearby Waiheke Island.