i landed in lima, peru. and i left south america from lima four months later. incredible experience. different world as we don't know it in our spoiled western world. i do have an advantage though. i grew up in communism, remember? i could relate to many aspects of life in south america.i saw a lot of poverty. that i do not miss. simplicity. that i do miss. common sense? yup, i enjoyed it then and enjoy it now.  
if you are planning trip to south america, make sure you have enough time to experience it.

peruvian coast

      i was amazed how dry peruvian coast is. it is basicaly a desert. sand. and lots of it. everywhere. from mancora down to mollendo. almost two thousand kilometers.  for some people it is perhaps boring. i fell in love with it.

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machu picchu and lake titicaca

      i didn't want to go to machu picchu. i thought it is just a terrible tourist attraction. but i went. and i have no regrets!! it was powerful feeling to be up there at 7 am, this old inca town emerging from morning mist. the size, the jungle, the mountains, the river. you have to see it to believe it. pictures don't do it.

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hiking and sandboarding

     hiking and climbing possibilities are amazing. my advice- don't go during rainy season :-) if so, go sandboarding!! the most fun i ever had on snowboard sliding down sand dunes. who needs snow? except, snow melts. sand doesn't. showers take long time.

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few more pics

few more which didn't fit anywhere :-)

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