Giromondiamo

Trujillo

Danila — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:07:42 +0000

Pitcured here are the colouful housefronts of the colonial houses of Trijillo, approximately 500 km north of Lima. Trujillo was one of the first towns to be founded when the Spanish arrived in South America on their ill-fated hunt for gold. In fact the city is emblematic of the well-heeled urban middle classes of Peru mostly living on the prosperous coastline. In contrast, the Andean towns and villages of the Pervuan interior live under crippling poverty conditions.

Desert Sunset

Danila — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:34:37 +0000

The arid desert coastline of Peru. It’s a strange journey once you start travelling north out of the capital Lima. On your right-hand side is an arid dry dessert with harsh rocky hills stretching as far as the eye can see and on your left is the raw and powerful Pacific ocean. It’s strange to be caught on the boundary between this humid wet coastal area and the dry stultifying desert.

Volunteering in Arequipa

Paul — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:45:40 +0000

Arequipa is the second city of Peru and so has attracted thousands of poor people from the destitute Andean countryside neighbouring. Many come for a better life but end up living in squatters shacks outside the city’s suburbs with no running water or electricty. Whole families live in complete squalor with now services or help from the city council. We volunteered in a school in the centre of one such area. It was a truley amazing to teach the poor little kids, we didn´t want ot leave!

The White City: Arequipa

Danila — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 04:57:52 +0000

Under the shadow of two volcanoes Arequipa is known as the White City for the rock that forms most of the buildings in the old historical centre. They come from the unique ancient volcanic rock of the region. The city is the second biggest in Peru and has mellow feel. We’ve managed to stop here for a few weeks while we’ve been volunteering in a local school.

Machu Picchu che meraviglia!

Danila — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 23:47:38 +0000

Il Machu Picchu è un sito archeologico inca situato nel sud del Perù, nella valle dell’Urubamba, vicino Cusco, a circa 2.430 m d’altezza. Il nome deriva dai termini quechua, machu (vecchio) e pikchu (cima o montagna). La sensazione che si prova una volta arrivati su in cima é indescrivibile: la vista dei resti di questa civitá, sullo sfondo di queste maestose montagne, emoziona a tal punto da non credere ai proprio occhi. Ci si domanda come solo 500 anni fa, gli inca abbiamo vissuto in questo villaggio, fatto di semplicissime abitazioni minuscole, di scalinate infinite e di templi numerosi sparsi qua e lá dove i sacrifici per gli Dei prevedevano riti lunghissimi. Che sia stato eletto nel 2007 una delle 7 meraviglie del mondo moderno, é assolutamente comprensibile!

Isla del Sol

Paul — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:05:14 +0000

The worlds highest navigable lake the Lake Titikaka contains the Isla del Sol, Island of the Sun. The islands holds a sacred place for the local indigenous who believe the island to be the birth place of the Sun and the origin of their people. The island is doted with Incan ruins and remnants of ancient civilisations from before the Incas. At 4300 metres the surrounding landscape is blanketed by a layer of cloud. The thin air is noticeable and so are the snowcapped peaks that pop through the clouds horizontally across from the lake.

Per le strade della Bolivia

Danila — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:22:33 +0000

É quasi ironico affermare che la Bolivia é uno dei Paesi piú poveri del Sud America, se si pensa che é tra i piú ricchi in risorse naturali [minerali, petrolio, gas, terra, acqua ecc..]. L’arretratezza sociale ed economica sono visibili non appena si entra nel Paese. La popolazione indigena rappresenta circa il 49,95% della popolazione totale. Percentuale che arriva fino al 73,20% se si considerano le sole zone rurali. Purtroppo la maggioranza di queste etnie vive in condizioni pietose: igiene inesistente, scarsa alimentazione, lavori precari e molto spesso senza un alloggio.

The light of world

Danila — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 23:49:16 +0000

A nativity scene in the centre of Sucre main square. The Bolivians aren’t afraid to light up their buildings and parks with bright tacky twinkling lights of all shapes, sizes and colours. This manger scene was full of twinkling lights including a constantly blinking roof and transparently lit Mary and Joseph with flashing halos.

Poder de Dios

Danila — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:43:29 +0000

South America is famed for its brand of Catholicism and Bolivia so far has been the most impressive for this. Superstition, idolatry virgins and evangelic preachers are the norm in a country that is so impoverished like Bolivia. Similar superstitions and traditions were in Asia. While listening to this band thumping out hymns on their lambegs and trumpets an earnest parishioner approached me to hand me a religious flyer. It said “Who do you serve? The Devil or God?” with an eerie illustration of the Devil, God and an indecisive Bolivian on his knees.

Salt Flats of Uyuni

Danila — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 17:10:14 +0000

Millions of years ago an ancient lake used to reside high up on this plain 3000 metres above sea-level. The lake has since dried out with all the salt residues from the neighbouring mineral rich volcanic mountains trickling down to leave an eerie white desert which stretches for 10,582 square metres.
The amazing salt flat goes as far as the eye can see. Equipped with warm jumpers and sunglasses we went for an unforgettable trip across this barren bizarre wonder.