hi all!
let{s see where was I in the grand catching up game? I did see that miss jenny summed up our weekend prety well, but what{s fun is the different perspectives, right?
(wow, just realizd that apstrophes are actually brackets on this keyboard. that{s annoying. i
don{t think i can hang. please know that not only do i know when to use one, but it is in fact one of my pet peeves - i have actually based some pretty big decisions on when they are and are not properly used...(amber will attest to this, wont you?)
(I am also aware that it is many of your pet peeves when people do not capitolize their I,s)

OK - back on track, sorry for the tangent.

Saturday 11/28 continued...
Alive and well off the dunes! After having a bit of free time to relax, we were off to the wineries! Very cool. Jenny brought up the point that put into perspective that (someone/many) had to haul the water from somewhere for this incredible wine making process. the equiptment was a treat in itself...ceramic vats, copper pipes, cement holding tanks. Incredible. Besides the 8 different grape varietals, the winery also housed pecan trees and 3 different types of mango trees! After the tour and tasting (YUM!) we sat in the shade of the trees and had lunch; then off to Nasca! The two hour drive wasn{t bad. About 20 miles or so outside of Nasca we stopped at a (36ft?) tower so we could see two of the lines. Kinda scary - but pretty cool - got us excited for what was to come!
I think we all enjoyed the walk through town to Panchos restaraunt - and the food was fantastic! (so great in fact, you might be able to read about it in Lonely Planet - we{re all going to write in to give him the boost he needs!) Really excellent BBQ chicken served with a lovely fresh salad (yes - this is the one i ate).
Buenos Noches Saturday....

...Buenos Dias Sunday 11/29
no desayuno this morning - we{re headed bright and early to fly over the Nasca Lines! I think to be honest were all a little nervous ( i think Pancho thinks i might have another panic attack). Our housemates back in Ayacucho had warned us it was pretty tipsy turvy...when we saw the six seater, that was nerve-wracking enough! But honestly, it wasn{t bad at all - it was exciting and fascinating to be able to see such treasures! (i liked watching our little shadow). Funny Jenny and I were both interested in the lines that were not on our map.
after safely landing and eating breakfast - we stopped at this little house outside of town - come to find out, its the ceramic demo. very cool. the young man - Andreas - talked to us about the history of his family and the craft to which his grandfather had learned the secrets...all while creating a beautiful piece right before our eyes! We were able to touch, hold, and feel pieces of pottery that were over 2,000 years old. Andreas let us feel a piece he was working on - let us feel the gritiness of the paint on the clay, then proceeded to take a smooth stone - touch it to the oils on his face - and rub it on the design. We were then able to feel it again - it was not only smooth to the touch, but shiny, and amazingly enough, ready for use! This was something the Nasca people figured out - because they were having trouble keeping the vibrant colors after the pieces were re-fired. Pretty ingenius, huh?
Back in Ica we were given a free afternoon. The four of us attemped to have lunch - after the 3rd time the staff came to let us know there was a problwem in the kitchen, we opted to just pay for our waters, and have ice cream.
I went in to lay down and woke up to a fever and the beginning of my untimely "cleanse".
i didn{t want to be a party pooper (no pun intended), so i popped a little green pill, had a EmergenC, and headed out with the group to the witches village.
It was a exciting and a little spooky too. This was the real thing. I couldn{t get a grasp if I thought Sara would have been psyched or freaked. There are no (public) women witches anymore. They were all condemmed, the last one having died in the late eighties - would love to know a little more about that...
We all got our cards read - I appreciated the fact that he wouldn{t read for the boys. wanted them to have good full lives without his words being in the back of their minds...
I realized afterwords that maybe I should have gotten my palm read; only because I hadñt before...anyhow, it was interesting having the cards read and then translated...I wanted to make sure he knew that I was feeling pretty bad at that poiint and that I hoped that wouldn{t have too much bearing on my reading. He said that I was sick because I was always taking care of everyone else...nothing I didñt already know. Though he did say my aura looked weak...I{m hoping this trip is helping with that.
Not sure what everyone else{s take was...but I think this trip will be life changing in some way for everyone. How could it not?
I spent the rest of the evening either asleep in the car or hanging out in the gigantic grocery store bathroom. Very exciting and TMI, I know.
But for the record, once we got back to our rooms I had the most wonderful care giver ever:
Mr. Edward James Farmer, Jr. He even battled a cockaroach in the shower because that water was colder for my forehead washcloth! Thanks Eddie!
xoxo

Monday 11/30
VIOLA! Must have been the waashcloth - cause it was a brand new day, with not a gurgle on the horizon!!
The boat ride was great. Had a really nice conversation with my seat buddy (Justin from both Washintons) about the different ways different people travel. Was refreshing to hear I{m not the only one who enjoys getting lost in where i am...and holy *¨´" - we were on a boat in peru - can{t beat that! the rock formatyions were incredible - much like natural bridges...learned some interesting informationa bout guano and sea lions and even saw penguins! (yes, mom, i said hello!). A bit of a hard mix of emotions. Exciting to be that close to the animals, yet feeling so invasive to their space....and hating the fact that they hardly even noticed our presence...
after the boat we walked around town, shopped the little markets, and finally got to have ceviche!!!! it was fantastic!!!!

I was nervous about the ride home, and the lack of toilts. But besides for the slow, steady climb (pretend you are a balloon...that{s how we all felt), we all survived.
Never felt so good to be (not) home...

i think i might actually go lay my head down on the bottom bunk again...

signing off a few days closer to being caught up...
now all that matters is that we are all safe and healthy...

christin