Machu Picchu: An Adventure in Budget Travel

A guided, 4-day trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: $200+
Round-trip train ticket from Cusco to Machu Picchu: $70
Bus ticket up the mountain to the ruins: $5
Finding our own way to get there: Priceless! (or at least almost)

In the early 1900's, around the same time that the Wright Brothers were trying to get off the ground in Kitty Hawk, a U.S. historian by the name of Hiram Bingham was leading a grueling expedition through the towering mountains of southern Peru. With an interest in the military campaigns of Simon Bolivar, as well as a fascination into ancient Incan culture, Bingham set out to find the long-lost city of Vilcabamba. However, as all good explorer stories go, he never found his intended destination... but in the process stumbled upon something much more spectacular than he ever could have imagined. About 70 KM nortwest of Cusco, Bingham's expedition party encountered a local farmer who gave them information about some old ruins high on a mountain overlooking the Rio Urubamba. Finding their way up the steep mountain cliffs, they arrived at the top and saw the magnificent ruins of Machu Picchu spread out before them.

Even since its re-discovery in 1911, Machu Picchu has remained an intriguing mystery to the many archaeologists and historians who have studied the site. Because Machu Picchu was never discovered by the Spanish conquistadors, it was spared the violent and thoughtless destruction that was the fate of most other Incan cities and villages in the region. This explains the remarkably intact state of the ruins even to this day. But if not from the Spaniards, then, what led to the eventual abondonment of Machu Picchu? Aside from the typical theories of epidemic disease and civil war, several other explanations have also been proposed. One of the most interesting theories is that Machu Picchu was swamped by torrential rainfall, the main temple was struck by lightening, and the entire population fled in absolute terror, never to return.

It is this fascinating and mysterious history, in addition to its spectacular mountain-top location, that have quickly transformed the lost city of Machu Picchu into Peru's leading tourist attraction and one of the continent's most well-known archeological sites. It seems obvious, then, that our travels through South America would involve a few days visiting the site. What wasn't so apparent to us, however, was the amount of money that we could expect to spend simply getting there. We had originally hoped to arrive at Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail, one of many ancient pathways laid by the Incas to connect various parts of their empire. The 33KM stretch that makes its way over the mountains to Machu Picchu has become an increasingly popular way of approaching the ruins. En route the trail passes several Incan structures before eventually ending up on the morning of the fourth day at the Sun Gate, where hikers are presented with a view of the sun's first rays descending on Machu Picchu below them. The overwhelming popularity of this hike (thousands each year) eventually led the Peruvian government to institute harsh restrictions on the amount of traffic the trail receives. Lisenced guides are now mandatory, trail fees have been imposed, and as a result prices have skyrocketed. All of this leaves budget travelers such as ourselves desperately seeking alternatives.

Fortunately, we knew some people who could help us out. John and Cindy Kreider, who have been EMM missionaries here for nearly 10 years, were our wonderful hosts during our time in Cusco. In John's work as a church planter, he often spends several days each week out in the remote villages surrounding Cusco. It is not uncommon for him to hike 3-4 hours simply to reach a secluded town high in the mountains. These experiences have given him a wealth of information regarding some of the local trails and "back-door" ways of getting places. As we shared about our desire to both hike to Machu Picchu and yet still have some money left for the rest of our trip, him and Cindy suggested to us an alternative way of getting to Machu Picchu. And this is definitely not one that you'll find in travel guides...

Joining us for this portion of the trip through southern Peru and into Bolivia is a good friend of ours from EMU, Rachel Miller. She is currently in the middle of an MCC SALT assignment in the mountains outside of Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Knowing that we would be passing through Cusco around Christmas, she decided to use some of her vacation time to travel with us for the next week. We've been looking forward to this part of the trip for months now, and so of course it was wonderful to finally meet her in Cusco on Christmas Day. The following day, with a rudimentary hand-drawn map from the Kreider's as our guide, the three of us set out on our own adventure to find Machu Picchu.

The first and least complicated leg of our journey involved taking an overnight bus from Cusco to the small town of Santa Maria. Arriving around 3AM, we made our way towards a combi parked at the dimly-lit town plaza. Seeing the driver konked out on the front seat certainly didn't raise our hopes of leaving anytime soon. After about an hour of waiting, the driver finally woke up and decided we had enough passengers to warrent starting the vehicle and heading over the mountains to our next town, Santa Teresa. As the sun climbed over the horizon, our small van slowly crept along towards Santa Teresa, all the while picking up random passengers along the windy dirt road. Although we can't be entirely certain, at one point our passenger count was about 30, with 4 of those riding on the roof.

The town of Santa Teresa, where John has been working with a church plant, was devasted by a raging flood in the late 90's. The entire village was washed away, including it's primary connection to the outside world, the train. As we got out of the combi and made our way down to the river, we noticed railroad ties and several train cars scattered about. No longer with a train connecting it to Cusco and the outside world, the village of Santa Teresa remains a quiet and sheltered little town along the banks of the Rio Urubamba.

Crossing a small metal bridge below town, we hiked along the river for about an hour until we encountered a make-shift cable car used for crossing the turbulent waters below. One at a time we each climbed into the small car with our packs, and waited for the person on the other side to help pull us across. It took a bit of faith to climb into the cramped little car, but the ride was certainly worth it. Once we were all across, and had helped pull the people behind us across as well, we took a moment to laugh about our unconventional way of getting to Machu Picchu. And that certainly was not the last time throughout the day...

From the precarious cable car crossing, we walked for another two hours along the washed out railway bed until we found ourselves at a small hydroelectric dam. From here, a train left several times daily for the town of Aguas Calientes, just below Machu Picchu. However, being only mid-morning and enjoying the beautiful hike, we decided to take a little break, and then continue by following the train tracks along the river into Aguas Calientes. Looking up from the hydroelectric dam, we caught our first glimpse of the western slopes of Machu Picchu high above us, which rejuvenated our spirits and spurred us on. Several hours later, after dodging rain drops and a few trains along the way, we finally found ourselves on the front side of Machu Picchu, watching tour buses wind up the road leading to our destination. We called it a day, however, and made camp at a public campground at the foot of the mountain.

After a wet and rainy night, we awoke the next morning feeling somewhat refreshed, but still quite sore from the previous day's hike. Still needing to get to the top of the mountain, we could easily have paid for an overpriced tour bus to take us there. However, with our budget in mind, we decided to toughen it up and climb the 1720 stairs to the top (yes, we counted!). At the end of our climb, with the magnificent site of Machi Picchu in front of us, I experienced a rewarding sense of accomplishment, perhaps in a small way similar to what the Incas must have felt upon finally completing their beautiful city. There's something incredibly fulfilling about being different, doing something that everyone else says can't be done. As we experienced, sometimes all it takes is being willing to look outside the "system", accept the ensuing challenges, and see what happens!

We spent the entire day exploring the ruins, enjoying the captivating views, and doing our best to avoid the many tour groups congesting the site. Aside from visiting the elaborate temples and city complex, we also took several small hikes out to the Sun Gate, the Inca Drawbridge, and even dragged ourselves up the Huayana Picchu mountain in the rain, to take some pictures and see the famous view from above. It was a truely a day to remember. While the setting sun cast its eery shadows across the ancient granite city, we retraced our steps down the mountain and into the dark valley below. Walking our tired and hungry bodies into town that night, we barely paid any attention the the brightly-lit touristy restaurants lining the main road. As we turned off the main square and down a narrow back street, a local restaurant with adobe walls and flowery plastic tablecloths caught our eye. Not your typical place to see three traveling gringos grab a bite to eat... but then again, why shouldn't it be?

Following our trip to Machu Picchu, we headed back to Cusco and found an overnight bus to Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian border. We plan to spend the next few days here in the lakefront town of Copacobana, Bolivia and do some backpacking around the Isla del Sol. On Sunday we will continue on to La Paz, say goodbye to Rachel, and then hopefully make our way over the mountains to Santa Cruz for a few days before crossing the Chilean border.

Adventures in the Middle of the World

We decided to fly to Quito from Bogota after being strongly advised by many people that it was not safe for two gringos to use buses in western part of the country. After finding a flight for only slightly more than the "safer" buses, we made our final decision to head for the airport. Maybe it was because our flight was so cheap or probably because of the weather, but we didn't fly out of Bogota that night. We waited for a few hours at the gate, and eventually our airline, Aeropostal, decided to ship all of its passengers to the Continental Hotel. We were pretty excited about this because we had been planning on spending the remainder of the night in the Quito airport, and the Continental was and probably will be the nicest hotel stay of our entire trip.

We landed in Quito, Ecuador, tired from a short night's sleep and ready to explore a new county. Quito is a city abounding with beautiful colonial architecture, painted in colorful buildings that are surrounded by cobblestone streets and plazas, coming alive with the night air and Christmas spirit. Most of our day was spent exploring the basilica, a gothic style church that lets you climb its towers for a small price. After a series of stairs and ladders, we found ourselves in the center of the town, a few hundred feet up in the air, privileged by a spread of the entire city, over the numerous plazas towards the old city, which sits below the statue of La Virgin de Quito. One fact we have been noticing about South America is that every town has a huge statue on a hill and churches usually have an entrance fee.

One of the most famous tourist attractions near Quito is the Mitad del Mundo, or the Middle of the World. Partly out of genuine interest and mainly out of curiosity as to what sort of tourist attraction would be built around the equator, we decided to make our way north of town to 0 degrees latitude. After arriving, we made our way to a huge stone monument with a globe sitting on the top and the directions north, south, east, and west carved into the sides. There was a yellow painted line across the whole area, dividing the northern and southern hemispheres. We weren't sure whether to feel like pilgrims or to laugh out loud, but it was fun running back and forth between hemispheres?

Many years ago the Incas used celestial clues to identify the location of the equator, marking it about 150m north of where the painted line falls today. During the colonial periods, a group of European scientists explored the region and using their modern techniques, decided that the equator was 150m to the south, where it is marked today for tourists to visit. The equatorial globe monument was constructed, along with another one nearby to commemorate their conquest in the region. In the last few decades, satellite technology has been used to determine that the correct location of the equator is not where the current monument stands, but true to the Inca's calculations. So we just stood there, 150 meters south of the true equator, wondering why we had paid a few bucks see a gaudy representation that was slightly off-tilt, but yet so intriguing at the same time. Historical records indicate that Quito had once been an Incan city, but all ruins of the empire have been destroyed and replaced with quaint, colonial buildings and misplaced monuments.

We caught a bus to the town of Ba?os, famous for it's fresh mountain air, natural hot baths, and location at the foot of an active, snow-capped volcano. Arriving late in the afternoon and knowing where a few hiking trails left the town for the surrounding hills, we headed off out and up, hoping to find a good place to camp for the night. We walked about a mile or so, and then met this man with a chainsaw who was walking up the road toward his home. Knowing it was late in the day and the skies were threatening rain, we explained our situation to him and he offered us a place to stay right by his house, in the local community center.

The three of us flagged down a ride in the back of a pickup truck, and headed on up the road to this small building with an incredible view. The man with the chainsaw went to his house, grabbed the keys and unlocked the building for us, giving us a free place to stay for the night. The community center is part school, part church, and part dance hall, but that was fine with us because it was a roof over our heads and a secure spot to camp out until morning.

From our newfound lodgings, we could see down across the deep-cut valley, giving us a nice perspective of the waterfalls that landed on the base of the town and of the mountains rising above. As we get settled into our lodgings, the clouds dropped even more and it started to pour. This was fine with us because we had a dry place to watch the town's lights switch on throughout the dusk hours, and once again we realized that we were seeing this view from above, out and away from the bustle of the city.

I woke up early in the morning to get a clear view of the snow-capped volcano towering up above us. Within half an hour, clouds surrounded the summit, waiting for the next crisp morning when the air would be clear enough to provide the beautiful view. We packed up quickly and hiked back into town in the hopes of climbing a staircase that rose up the mountain across the valley. Driving in the previous evening, we had seen this stairway that seemed to rise towards heaven, climbing towards what we thought was a church up on the side of the hill. Once again we starting climbing, 40 lb. packs and all, still waking up as we walked up. Whether it was the altitude or the grade, we were exhausted when we arrived at the top, somewhere around 670 stairs later. We just collapsed there for a little while, watching the valley and town come into the day from the other side. The "church" that we were seeking actually turned out to be a huge statue of the Virgin of Holy Water, the town's famous saint.

Descending the statue, we made our way to the cathedral, where this Virgin of Holy Water is showcased through many paintings within the building. Actually, the paintings are of numerous accounts of people being miraculously saved from natural disasters and auto accidents, depicting the very nature of how this happened. The whole church was an odd sight, from the paintings to the eclectic taxidermy museum that was kept upstairs.

Another bus day later we arrived in Cuenca, after a breathtaking and memorable ride. The roads that brought us there were the kind that would make your mom squirm, especially when you were 16 and just had gotten your learner's permit. I really wonder how these highways were constructed; one mistake and you would be sliding for about half of an hour. It seems like the mountains would make some great sledding hills if they ever got enough snow. There are of course no guardrails, not that they would probably be of any use if you unsuccessfully maneuvered a curve... Half of the time when I looked out of the passenger side window, the grade only allowed me to see the cliff-side more than a hundred feet below the bus. The driver was pretty good about taking it easy around the turns, but a few times I had to wonder...

We arrived safely in Cuenca, a beautiful colonial town that has cobblestone streets and 17 churches located in the downtown area. We had made connections with Clayton and Thelma Nisley to spend a few days in the area, and they kindly set us up at the church/house called Casa de Vida. We met Victor, Sheila, and many others living in the house, and quickly felt right at home.

On Sunday morning we attended the service at the Casa de Vida and then went out for the day with a group of newfound friends, doing some hiking and exploring the city. We made our way up the side of a cow pasture to a hilltop that provided us a great view of the city, and got back down just in time to be hit by the afternoon rain. During the evening hours, we walked around the historic downtown, munching on empanadas and checking out the Christmas lights. After arriving back at the house we hung out until late into the night, sharing photos, playing the guitar, and just enjoying each other's company.

The next morning we were once again on our way, wishing that we could have spent more time with our friends in Ecuador. Our time in this country was short, but still very memorable, and we can tell that as we need to pick up the pace a little, we are trying to cover a lot of ground in barely enough time. The weeks continue to fly by as we approach Christmas and look ahead, as new parts of our journey seem to be on the horizon. We are now in Cusco, Peru, and will be here doing some backpacking throughout next week. We have five more weeks in South American, and then we will fly to the Middle East at the beginning of February.

Colombia: Expectations and Pleasant Surprises

Early last Friday morning, our peaceful retreat in the mountains of Costa Rica came to an end. Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, we packed up our musty-smelling clothes, had a quick breakfast, and hurried on down the mountain. Passing fields of coffee plants and broad-leafed tropical palms, for once our thoughts were not on the natural beauty that surrounded us. Exciting challenges lay before us. Another continent... our first flight by air... a new country. Although we always experience the expectation and excitement that comes with entering a new country, this feeling was noticeably different. We were on our way to Colombia.

At least we thought we were on our way. For several weeks we had been following the prices of a flight from Panama City to Bogota on the internet, assuming we could simply purchase an E-ticket when the time was right. Now only a day before when we hoped to fly, we decided it was time to finally purchase our tickets. As we sat down at an internet cafe near the Panama border, we soon discovered that not only did very few of the local airlines provide E-tickets, there didn't even appear to be open seats on any of tomorrow's flights. With few other options, we decided to take an overnight bus from the border to Panama City, and then show up at the airport hoping something works out.

The first thing that most people think about when hearing the word Panama, of course, is the Panama Canal. Originally, we had hoped to spend half a day visiting the locks and learning a bit about this engineering marvel of the early 1900's. However, given our untimely assumptions regarding buying airline tickets, we both felt that now our first priority should be getting to the airport and trying to find a last-minute flight out of the country. As a consequence, instead of learning about the fascinating history and functioning of the Canal, we were left with an unwanted, comprehensive understanding of the operations of Panama City airport.

After waiting in lines and making phone calls for most of the morning, we eventually found a last-minute opening on an Avianca flight to Bogota. Passing quickly through immigration and security, we made our way out to the gate just in time for bording. After take-off, I finished off my meager chicken sandwhich and promply fell asleep, exhausted from the hassle and stress of the past 24 hours. The rest was short-lived, however, as 45 minutes later I was bounced back to life via a bumpy landing at Bogota International Airport.

Much of what one hears about the country of Colombia is negative. Based on typical portrayals of this place, I almost expected to be swarmed by guerrillas or be given some sort of illicit drug upon exiting the airplane. After all, isn't Colombia a country of hardened criminals and drug lords, all fighting violently for a piece of the political pie? Isn't the government here simply a corrupt and avid promoter of illegal activity around the world? As portrayed by the media and our State Dept., that's the reality of this place. So why would anyone ever want to visit?

As we learned from our experience in Panama, assumptions are a dangerous thing to base decisions on. Had we chosen to do the same regarding traveling through Colombia, we may have avoided this country completely. And looking back, we could have quite possibly flown right over one of the most memorable and enjoyable parts of our trip thus far. The Colombian people that we have met here in Bogota are wonderful, warm, and incredibly generous. The culture is alive and vibrant. The churches are actively growing and full of vision. And the air is fresh and cool, reminding us that Christmas is indeed on its way.

During our time in Bogota, we have been staying at the home of Curtis and Les Book, missionaries here through Brethren in Christ World Missions. They have been wonderful hosts, providing us with delicious meals and excellent conversation. Based on their 10+ years of living here in Colombia, they have also given us with an insightful perspective on the complex situation here in the country, and the church's intervening role in the midst of it all. On Sunday, we were able to attend church with them in the morning, and then traveled to an afternoon service at a recent church plant on the outskirts of the city. Perhaps because of the situation here, as well as the committment of the leadership, the churches have retained a very strong and active Anabaptist identity. Organizations such as JustaPaz and Mencoldes are both playing an important role in peace and justice work within the country, with very encouraging results.

Along with the Books, we have had opportunities to get to know many other wonderful people here. On Monday, Natalia (who we met at church) and her sister Katarin volunteered to spend the day giving us a tour of downtown Bogota. Not only were they excellent tour guides, but they also lots of fun to talk to and get to know throughout the day. Colombia's capital city is a sprawling metropolis of congested highways and high-rise apartment buildings. Snaking its way through the busy city streets is the TransMilenia transportation system, which is a sort of above-ground subway system. We used the TransMil on many ocassions to get around the city, and as normal received the curious stares that we've almost come to expect here in Latin America. In Bogota, those sorts of looks seem to be even more common, given the vitual nonexistance of gringos visiting the city.

Bogota itself is located on an expansive plateau, surrounded on all sides by a beautiful ring of mountains. This afternoon, Dave and I hopped on the TransMil, transfered to another bus, and were soon climbing a steep mountain road with expansive views of the city below. Near the top, we stopped to take a few pictures and snack on some roasted corn and a traditional cheese arepa. After eating, we paid our bill and the friendly owner casually asked us where we are from. A bit hesitantly, we replied that we are from the United States, which she accepted with a nod. Upon further thought, she explained to me that gringos rarely come here, because of the negative impressions that many have of this country. With a smile, she made me promise to tell my friends back home that Colombia really is a wonderful country to visit, regardless of any perceptions they make have to the contrary. This plea has been echoed by numerous other Colombianos that we have talked with as well.

Another enjoyable part of our time here in Bogota has been hanging out with a young man named Charlie, who we were introduced to by the Books on our first night here. Charlie has also done quite a bit of traveling, including a year in the States, when he was a conversation partner for EMU's Spanish Department. Last night we went out with him, his sister Liliana, and girlfriend Gloria to explore another part of the city that is known for its colonial architecture and upscale restaurants. We had a great time talking with them and just joking around with people our age. And being on a fairly tight budget, we passed on the fine dining and opted for a greasy empanada restaurant, which proved to be just as tasty.

I recognize that in general I have been painting quite a rosy picture of this country. The reality is that particularly in the rural countrysides, this is a country torn apart by violence and injustice. Innocent people are being killed, the government is struggling to mantain control, and refugees are flocking to the cities to escape the constant violence. It reminds me quite a bit of another place where Dave and I spent some time a few years ago...the Middle East.

Both Colombia and the Middle East share a long history of violence, injustice, and tension. It has been interesting to observe that in both of these locations, we have encountered a local population that is overwhelmingly friendly, welcoming, and appreciative of the blessings of life. What is it about living in a place of constant tension that seems to produce this sort of mentality? Why is it that in places where we least expect to witness joy and hope, that is precisely where we find it the most? Places such as these are special...it is no wonder that we leave with a strong desire to someday return, having met many wonderful people and experiencing true hospitality and joy in the most unlikely of places.

In a few hours we will be leaving Bogota by air, this time flying to Quito, Ecuador. Although we had planned to continue our tradition of traveling by land as much as possible, many of our contacts here discouraged us from traveling to Ecuador by bus, as there are areas near the border that are still quite dangerous. We were fortunate to find a very low price with a discount Venezuelan company, which didn?t turn out to be much more than a bus would have cost us anyway. After a day in Quito, we will continue south to Cuenca, Ecuador, before crossing into Peru and arriving in Cusco a day or so before Christmas.

Website Updates: Daily Itineraries...

We have been keeping track of our itinerary and route on a daily basis, mainly so that we will not forget a lot of the names of the people and places that we have encountered. They outline our daily happenings and some of the events not written about in the journals. If these are of interest to anyone, we have posted them within the route pages of this website, listed under the page for each specific country in Central America. As we finish larger regions, we will post more as we have time and Internet access.

Blessed are the Cheesemakers...

Welcome to Costa Rica, a place where National Parks cover over 15% of the land, where the military has been dismantled for over 50 years, and where there are trees that can use their roots to walk through the jungle. We have spent our last week or so in this wonderful country, and it has been an ideal place to end our time in Central America and to prepare for the transition to our next grand continent to our south.

We decided to make Monteverde one of our stopping points, a community that is famous for its unique history, enchanted cloud forests, and delicious cheese. Costa Rica's incredible biodiversity is sampled here as mountains running along the continental divide almost constantly host clouds that create and sustain a high altitude jungle environment.

The community of Monteverde was originally founded by a small group of peace-loving Quakers in 1951 after they decided to move from the United States as a reaction to the requirement of draft registration. Since Costa Rica had just decided to dismantle its national Army in 1948, the country seemed like a good choice, a place where they could share and promote peace together, and the awe inspiring green hills of Monteverde make you feel like you're right in the middle of Psalm 23. The group of Quakers started a cheese factory, which became quite prosperous and brought more people this area, sharing in the vision and the community. And the cheese is pretty famous...we've been seeing it all over the country.

In the midst of our 8 km hike up to the cloudforest reserve, we passed a Friends school that was having a fundraising sale. Remembering the Quaker history, we decided to stop in and check the place out. Inside of the school we met one of the teachers named Steve, and he filled us in on a little of the history and lifestyle of the Friends community, and he invited us to stay for the Meeting on Sunday morning. Since either of us had never been to a Meeting, we decided to take an extra day and head south after the service in the morning. Steve even graciously offered his front yard as a camping site for the night, and we spent a good part of the evening getting to know each other. Steve was very familiar with EMU and Mennonites in general, and is pursuing a Ph.D in creative solutions to conflict transformation. Mennonites and Quakers are sort of theological cousins, and our common background and beliefs combined with the hospitality of everyone that we met immediately made us feel like we were part of the community.

The Quakers, or Society of Friends, is a Chistian community that believes strongly in peace, and works through various means to promote ways that people can live together and find reconciliation, both at the level of their community and in broader social structures. The Meeting is a time when the community gathers together and shares in this peace. The time is mostly held in complete silence, providing an opportunity for reflection and for God to bring thoughts to individuals. After the of silence, there is an time for sharing and fellowship. The meeting was a new experience for both Eric and I, and we felt priviledged to be able to share in it.

I think that it was around this time that I really started to realize that Costa Rica is a special and unique place. We had been running into people that had come to this country from all different backgrounds, each trying to find their own piece of the peace that the symbolized and emanated through its natural beauty and national policies. This country just feels more inviting and friendly than most of Central America, and it seems somewhat ironic that we feel the most secure in a place that has invested the least in national security. And compared to its neighboring nations, Costa Rica reports one of the most peaceful histories and has invested time and money into proactively working at promoting reconciliation in the region.

Stepping back a little, we began our time in Costa Rica with a family connection in the northern part of the country near a town called Upala. Levi & Mildred Friesen and their seven children have been living simply on their farm for a number of years now, sustaining their lifestyle by growing rice and working faithfully through each day, receiving the blessings for each hard day's work.

Our introduction to the mindset of Costa Rica came on their farm, sharing the days with the family over wonderful home-cooked meals, learning a bits and pieces about farm work, riding the combine through the rice fields, and helping to right a banana truck that didn't quite make it around a turn. It impressed us how romatic and fruitful this style of living is, using the earth to create only what is necessary, working with it in a mutual respectful relationship. As time progressed, our understanding of why the Friesens came to Costa Rica became more clear, and we started to see the broader picture of this atmosphere of shalom.

Just south of San Isidro is the home of Chris and Joya Gorton, parents of Naomi (a friend from EMU now working as an admissions counselor), high up in the lush, green mountains. Unfortunately the family was in the states for the holidays, but they said it would be no problem for us to spent a few days at their house. From what I had heard from Naomi before we left, it definitely sounded like this was a spot that we wouldn?t want to miss.

Our first goal was to get to this house, and with few phone calls and a little work, we were able to make it. We took the bus as far as possible, and once again started an 8 km hike to our destination. Even though the grade was quite grueling and we were somewhat weighed down with a decent supply of food, we couldn?t complain because the views were absolutely spectacular. Up and up we hiked, knowing that our final break would come with the very last house on the road, our hope continuing to grow into the reasurance that it would all be worth it.

The road ended and we walked through a fence gate, and we introduced ourselves to Warner, a Tico that works for the Gortons and loves living up in the misty mountains. Immediately we became friends with Warner, and he invited us in to take the load off our backs and to get a glimpse of the "pura vida" that comes with living at the top of a mountain.

Warner absolutely loves living and working on the mountain, his gateway to heaven, and is passionate about sharing his faith and lifestyle with anyone that finds their way up to the top. Set apart from the distractions and busyness of the world, he explained how the tranquillity of the location helps to keep him closer to God, and as two wearly travelers that are constantly being more drawn to place of retreat and natural beauty, we felt right at home.

The Gorton's house is completely self sufficient, powered by hydroelectricity from their stream and receives cold, clean water from a spring flowing from within the mountain. They are working on plans to expand the garden and possibly buy a few goats or cows to suppliment their food supplies. The location is beautiful, set above and apart the haste of San Isidro, and it was all that we could do to spend a few nights on the porch, watching the city lights below, and wondering how we could so quickly transition from that place to our peaceful hammocks in the fresh, crisp night air.

The uphill border of the property is on the edge of a 1600' cliff that drops off rapidly down towards the Pacific Ocean. On a short afternoon hike, we unexpectedly found ourselves on this high point, wondering if we had reached the of the world. We were somewhere in between the clouds, and felt like we should start flying, taking off through a new and distant land. If you follow the ridge south and down, it runs into the Rio Diamante, which is on the property of Jon Chapman, one of the family's close friends. Following the river through a series of cascades, you will eventually arrive at a few couple sets of huge falls, one of which pours over an overhung cave that is called, "Casa de Piedra."

Early Thursday morning Warner guided us from our house, skirting the death-defying ridge down towards the river and cave. Upon arriving, we felt like we had really stepped off the world and entered into a Rivedell-like place that left us trying to catch our breath. The cave has been outfitted for people to come and find retreat, complete with stone sleeping platforms, bathrooms, and a basic kitchen. Jon has developed this location for his Tree of Life Tours, and allows people to come there when they feel the need to get away, for reasons such as escaping an addiction or trying to find God for the first or thousandth time. In the middle of the rugged jungle, we also understood the healing power of this peaceful place, and why so many people who were struggling or searching were drawn there. We spent the rest of the day and night there, trying to just take in what was going on around us, wishing we never had to leave...

Costa Rica is a country that I will always remember for a number of reasons, but mainly for the people that are drawn to the lifestyle that points towards that original shalom. The peace that we have felt and experienced in this country is unique, and my mind has been trying to explore options that have made this quite different from the other Central American countries. Is it the stunning natural beauty that is utterly inescapable everywhere? Is it do the many foreigners that have settled into a rural life, pursuing simple goals such as rice farming and cheese production? Is it the fact that this nation does not invest money in a military, but instead puts it into land conservation and public health issues? Does this drastic altercation in national priorities create a mindset that filters down into many people's personal lifestyles and perspectives? Or is it a complex combination of all of these reasons, something that I won't ever be able to explain, in a similar way to the beauty of that sunset we saw over the Pacific from that natural 1600' shelf on Tuesday night?

I do know that Costa Rica was a perfect place to end our Central American travels. Tonight we will be taking a bus to Panama city and hopefully flying to Bogota tomorrow afternoon. Our first continent is complete, and we are excited to start a new leg of the journey. Time continus to fly by, and it's all that we can do to try to grab ahold of it as our year moves right along. Two months down, ten more to go...

Encounters Along The Road Less Traveled

After a few short days (and more than our share of papusas!) in El Salvador we made our way back into the country of Honduras. Our destination this time was the capital city of Tegucigalpa, where we planned to spend a night before hopping on a bus to Managua the following morning.

Traveling by bus, although convenient and fairly inexpensive, certainly isn't always easy. It often involves making a number of split-second decisions, which depend largely on our schedule for the day. Do we want the most direct? The cheapest? The most scenic? Sometimes choosing the most comfortable also factors into the decision. Once on the bus, the adventure continues. At nearly every stop, vendors board the bus and crowd into the aisle, selling fried plantains, sodas, and full chicken dinners. The topography of the land also provides a unique challenge, as many of the roads curve and wind through the rugged mountainous landscape. Add to this picture two large gringos, carrying bulky packs, on a cramped bus designed for small-framed people, and you get the idea. By the end of the day, we are more than ready to get out and stretch our legs.

It was late afternoon when we finally arrived in Tegus, and so after a quick search we soon found a reasonable hostel for the night. We dropped off our bags and headed out to explore before it got too dark. With no particular destination in mind, it was the perfect opportunity for something exciting to happen. As we left the hostel, Dave and I stopped to admire the beautiful ring of mountains gracefully surrounding the city. Following the ridgeline, our eyes were simultaneously drawn to a massive statue of Jesus looking down on the city below. Although daylight was quickly fading, the challenge before us was evident. With a few glances and a nod, the decision was made.

From our vantage point near the hostel, it was impossible to tell what roads would lead us up the mountain to the statue. But we knew we had to go up. So we started off, always keeping one eye on the road in front of us, and the other on the figure of Jesus towering on the mountain above. As we climbed from the city below, the roads gradually became steeper and narrower until finally turning into a stairway leading between small concrete houses. By this point it was no longer possible to see the statue above us, and we began to doubt our chosen path of ascent. Probably noticing our confusion, an older woman leaned out of the window of her house and with a perplexed look asked us where we were trying to go. Responding that we wished to climb to the statue, she informed us that this in fact wasn't the path to the top, and that the road below was the better way to get there. Continuing on, she mentioned that walking the road would take quite a long time, and was not a very safe place to be with night approaching. Reading the disappointment on our faces, she thought for a moment and then offered an alternative. Leading us into her backyard and through a neighbor's house, she pointed to a small overgrown path that headed straight up the mountain behind her house. By taking this path, we would be much safer and get to the statue in a fraction of the time.

As it turned out, this shortcut over the mountain was not an easy climb. It required doing a bit of bouldering and crawling through some very dense vegetation. After a half-hour of strenuous climbing, we climbed over a small fence and saw the Jesus statue directly in front of us. Turning around, our reward was a beautiful late-afternoon view of the city spread out below us. As we relaxed and talked about the experience of the previous few hours, we laughed at our own stubborn determination that drove us to this spot on the mountain.. And of course we thought about the kind woman along the way who helped us get there.

Our time in Managua will also be remembered by a number of wonderful encounters while we were there. As we arrived at the Managua bus station the following evening, we were once again exhausted from a long day on the road. A heavy rain was falling, and it would have been a lonely night to be wandering around the city. Fortunately, my mom has a cousin who has lived in Managua for many years and they had offered to host us for a few days as we passed through. After making our way to their house, we were greeting by familiar, smiling faces and a delicious evening meal. Spending time with family is always a blessing, but particularly after spending a long, exhausting day on the road.

Although it has been several years since i've seen Marcos and Lois Orozco's family, I have many memories of them visiting with us in Lancaster. While traveling through the States, they would often come to our house and share stories of what's happening in Nicaragua. Marcos, who is from Nicaragua, has been the president of the Mennonite Church here for many years. Now that my Spanish has improved considerably, i enjoyed the opportunity to communicate with him and hear more about his many involvements in this country.

Lois is a Kindergarten teacher at the Nicaraguan Christian Academy in Managua. On Monday morning, she arranged for us to give a presentation during the morning chapel at the school. Although somewhat unrehearsed, we shared a few stories from our trip and challenged the students to live an attentive lifestyle that is open to whatever God might be calling them to. We felt like it went well, and enjoyed the opportunity to share from our experiences.

At the school, we met a young guy about our age by the name of Mayker Bantz. He has joined up with several other young people and created a program called Manna Project International. Only several years old, it is a program for children that emphasizes the importance of relationship building and community development. The three main ways they achieve this is through education, sports activities, and a feeding program. On Tuesday, Mayker took us up to the center for lunch, giving us an opporutnity to see first-hand what the program is all about. Overall, i was very impressed, and enjoyed getting to know some of the people working there. It was encouraging to see young people who noticed a need, took the initiative to develop a program, and are workign hard to keep it running.

A final memorable encounter from our time in Managua was getting to know Lyndon and Krista Bontrager. A young couple from the States, they are here through Rosedale Missions and are working at the Mennonite Retreat Center just outside the city. Much of their work involves upkeep of the facilities and accomodating groups that spend time there. Since they were expecting a group the following day, we spent the afternoon on Tuesday tagging along as they went on an extensive grocery shopping trip. Once the back of the pickup was loaded with food, we headed back to their place and enjoyed a tasty dinner and good conversation.

Looking back on our time in Managua, what I will remember most is the people we met during those few short days. It has been fascinating to observe how a connection with one family or individual can present opportunities to get to know a variety of other people as well. No doubt we could spend years following this chain of contacts around the world...

Leaving Nicaragua, we crossed the border into Costa Rica and spent a few days with Dave?s cousins near Upala. From there we visited the beautiful Quaker town of Monteverde before traveling to our current location, San Jose. This afternoon we plan to head for southern Costa Rica to visit the area around San Ignacio. From there, it?s a long bus ride to Panama City, where we will fly across the Darien gap to Bogota, probably on Friday.