Have you ever seen a llama?

The summer I graduated high school marked a significant event in my life. The summer of 2008 I traveled out of the country to Peru for ten days. I traveled with my aunt and my sister, Olivia. It was the first time in my life I went to South America. I experienced a new culture, gained a sense of spirituality, and received a new appreciation for my life.

            The first place we traveled to in Peru was the capital, Lima. I was very anxious on the plane, for it was the longest flight I had ever been on. It took us eight hours to reach our destination. We stayed at Lima for a day. It was not much unlike the city in LA. It had tall buildings with billboards and large outlet malls to go shopping. We ventured out and went to some of the stores and ate at a restaurant on the beach. In the restaurant I experienced a new drink. It was a lemongrass drink that is a common soda. It was not very tasty to me. In the restaurant our server spoke English. He gave us a tip since we were three female tourists, and told us to not take any cabs by ourselves. They had a problem with human trafficking over there. We completed our first day in Lima and went to our hotel at the end of the night.

            The next day of our trip we took another plane to Cusco. Cusco was a very beautiful city, and I saw many new places and a different way of life. There were children in the streets selling small hand woven puppets. They would run away and hide from the police, for it was illegal for children to be selling items to tourists. Students that were artists sold their paintings on the streets. In every restaurant they served “cuy de horno” translating to “roasted guinea pig.” It shocked me they ate guinea pigs as a specialty item. We experienced the history of the Incas. We rode horses through the woods that led to caves women and children hid in. We visited a couple museums and saw real mummies that were preserved. We saw street performers dancing in traditional Inca clothing. Every place we went to had something new and exciting to behold. My aunt then told my sister and me that the place we were going to next was the main reason for the trip. We would be leaving to see the wonder of the world, Machu Picchu.

            We stayed in Cusco for most of our trip, but then we left on a train to Aguascalientes. When we got off the train, we were informed there was only one way to reach Machu Picchu, and that was by bus. We took the bus and made it to the city. The scene I witnessed was the most stunning site I have ever seen. It was literally a city on the top of a mountain. Our tour guide led us through the mountain. Its foundation was made out of stone. There were wild llamas running around everywhere. On the end of the city was another mountain you could climb to see the view of Machu Picchu from above. We got in line, but to our dismay we found out only a certain number of people were allowed to go at a time. We waited for a while to see if we would make the cut. Fortunately for us, we made the cut and we climbed our way to the top. The view was worth the brutal hike to the top. We could see Machu Picchu’s shape which looked almost like a bird. The mountains around Machu Picchu were covered in fog. It cleared away to a remarkable view. It was a sight that not even a picture could capture. As beautiful as all the pictures we took, none could compare to actually seeing the whole sight.  

            When we were led through the city our tour guide pointed out the wild cocoa leaves that grew spontaneously. He told us the Incas used the leaves in a spiritual sense with prayer. He showed us how to pray with the leaves the way they did. It was a moment in my life where I really got in touch with my spiritual side. We went to a room with a small window where they prayed. One by one we held the leaves and he chanted the prayer. After that we held the leaves up to the window and blew them out. We left soon to the train to go back to Cusco. We returned back to the hotel we were staying in. Our trip was coming to an end.

            The plane home was a straight shot from Peru to the United States. We made one land in San Salvador. It took us twelve grueling hours to get home. The plane ride was not smooth or fun. We were flying in the middle of the storm. I remember looking over out the window and seeing nothing but black clouds. Lightning was visibly striking and I could only envision it hitting the plane. I looked over to my aunt on the verge of tears. She just told me we would be okay and not to worry. I had to sleep to keep myself from hyperventilating. She was right, for I did have nothing to worry about. We made it back home safely. Looking back on the trip I was able to reflect on what I experienced. It opened my eyes to the way other people live and celebrate their culture. It made me appreciate how I live my life and appreciate what I have accomplished.

            In conclusion, my trip to Peru was a significant moment in my life that I will never forget. I saw how the people in Peru lived their daily lives. I learned about their culture and their history. I saw the wonder of the world Machu Picchu and got in touch with my spiritual side. I reflected back on my experienced and gained a new sense of appreciation for my life as it is. Hopefully, one day I will be able to travel there again