Yiddishamamma

Rachel met an argentinian MD at the hospital who told her that Jewish Moms in Argentina were Yiddishimammas. Here's a Future Yidishamamma with peruvian passover matzoh.

corrections

Previously stated that climbing huayna picchu is 700 m. More like 200-300m -height of macchu picchu - 2350m , huayna picchu, 2667 .

I am also told one CAN induce pulmonary edema at altitude with exertion. Confirmed with MD Consult. Rapid ascent and exposure to cold are the other predisposing factors.

Final weeks here. Time has been occupied with date coding problems in Excel.

small mt. sinai world

Photo evidence of running into PGY2 Stanford surgery resident and former sinai student Bethany Slater at 7.30 in the morning in Cuzco.

Lupin, sun worship and sinking ruins

Lupin, Urubamba mountains in the backdrop. 3800m.
Urubamba mountains.
I really liked the lupin.
Inca aqueduct from 15th century - Ollantaytambo, Cuzco.

Third curve down on the left side of the mountain has the face of an Inca carved into it- supposedly confirmed by geologists. Click on photo to make it larger. On June 21 the sun rises here and hits a specific part of the Sun Temple in the Ollantaytambo Fortress ruins. Sun worship was distinctly Inca as opposed to prior cultures.

Below, device placed by a research team at Macchu Picchu measuring how much the ruins are sinking per year. There is a thin layer of clay underneath the ruins that is being washed away and effecting the retainer walls the Incas designed as well as the ruins themselves.

Photos Pachamac and Lima Centro

albino biringo - peruvian hairless dog. featured again in photo for mike.
santissima church in barranco.
a combi.
pigeons on the church of san francisco.
Tello and the house of chosen women in Pachacamac.

Very sad to see my mother and brother leave!

A few from the jungle

Some photos for you dad!Fishtail plant. Waterproof lasts several years (10?) and is used to make roofs.
Bark from the tree used for quinine. Extremely bitter.
Lake Sandoval in the AM. Flooded palm tree forest. Member of local family that lives on the lake who survived a 5 meter anaconda jumping into his boat and chomping on his hand.
Monkeys. Moon.
Lake Sandoval in the evening.

Photos from Climbing Huayna Picchu

Flower at the top of Huayna Picchu.
Mom and Mike, having scaled Huayna Picchu. (200 meters - not 700 meters as previously noted.) Macchu Picchu ruins in the background.
Climbing the stone hewn path. Stairs cut into the mountainside
Returning down the mountain through the cave near the summit.
Mom and Mike at the beginning of the hike. Urubamba river below them and "Happiness" mountain with cloud forest behind. (Forgot the Quechua word.)

Photos from Machu Picchu

"We were all the way up there!"
Mike, rainbow.
Requisite headstand.
Macchu Picchu, panaromic with cloud.

more MP

Election update

Haven't seen a paper for a while, but was told today Lourdes is rising in decimals as the final votes are being counted. Supposedly about 7% of votes still need to be counted - mostly absentee votes from peruvians in Europe. Favors Lourdes.

Climbing the Young Wad of Coca Leaves and a Quechu Easter

We climbed Huayna/Wayna Picchu (meaning young mountain, as opposed to Macchu Picchu (old mountain) on Saturday. I´ve alternately been told Picchu means mountain or the lump of coca leaves in the side of a person's cheek.

In about 2.5 hours we climbed the stone paved, steep 700 meters for panaromic views of the urubamba river, the cloud forest, and of course, Macchu Picchu. Altitude 2000 meters about (starting point.)

This was a not and easy ascent for any of us at this altitude, but my mother deserves a special note. Not a big fan of heights, she started off saying ¨No way!¨, but persevered. She climbed up paths with sharp dropoffs, up huge slippery stones that needed 2 hands and 2 feet to climb over, and shimmied through a narrow cave that left us all muddy to make it to the top. Dad, you would be proud!!

We then toured the rest of the Sacred Valley. On Easter Sunday we caught a mass in Quechua in Pisac attended by villagers in traditional clothing, and we're off to Puerto Maldonado tomorrow.

Writing this while we all skype with Dad - amazing to be able to walk into any internet cafe and download it!

Ruins, rainfall, rainbows

Having a fantastic time in Cusco with Mom and brother. Macchu Picchu did not fall short of expectations.

Photos to follow

the brother has landed

Mike made it through customs, immigration, baggage claim and a red light luggage check in 25 minutes. Good omen for our trip!

Will be traveling in a few hours with family to Cuzco, Macchu Picchu and Puerto Maldonado (jungle.) All firsts. Very exciting!

Benefit dinner for LimaKids

Joe giving a talk about the new mobile clinic they're starting to serve the orphaned and abondoned street kids who their foundation aims to provide what every child deserves: a childhood, and one that's fun, safe, and healthy.

On the left Fogarty Fellow Carolina and her husband and U of Washinton students Erin and Yuli. Paul Drain, here' s the proof!

Joe and Evelyn - current and former Fogarty Fellows put on a spectacular fundraising event tonight for their organization Limakids.

www.limakids.org

A very worthy cause.

Election disappointment

With 80,68% of votes counted
Humala has 30,24 %
García 24,93 %
Lourdes Flores 24,03%.

Not good news!

If Lourdes does not come in second it will be between Garcia (former president and cause of nation-wrecking inflation) and Humala (a militarist extremist who wants to declare war on Chile, nationalize major industry, kindred spirit of chavez.) The government turnover will be in July, after I've gone.

Tonight coming back from a meeting with Bob, all he could say was, look at these new restaurants, the relative prosperity, with a not-so great, but at least not destructive govt, the nation isn't doing so badly. It will all be gone with the next president if Lourdes doesn't come in 2nd.

Election latest - related photos

A colorful anti-lourdes close-up.
El Peru Glorioso - from Uri's Cuzco photos.
Puno election posters.

And the results from El Comercio:

Ollanta Humala (UPP) 28.70%
Lourdes Flores (UN) 25.78%.
Alan García (APRA) 25.07%.

20 days to the final count.

Election fever

Humala's at 27%, Lourdes in second, Alan Garcia in 3rd. Preliminary results.

Rachel Chasan has arrived safely, for all interested, for her medical rotation.

All the good photos from last month's entries need to be attributed to Uri Felsen, except for wheat farmer mule from amantani.

Mark , good to have you back.

more bones and Lisette

uri and bones at inca graveyard.
La Punta , Callao, Lima. Photo for Chris and Lisette.

Photos from Ica and Tambo Colorado

Inca graveyard. Tambo Colorado. The enitire rocky hillside was covered in bones and whatever clothes were wrapped around the bodies. There are no funds for proper excavation and preservation.
Group photo at Ica conference on TB this Sat. Dave talked about new TB diagnostics. I picked up data. Working with Hugo and Gaby is Joy. Hugo and Cesar top left, Gaby four from left.
Tambo Colorado - Tambo = place of rest. Colorado = colored. Best preserved Incan ruin on the coast. Took a series of combis to get there.
View from inside ruins.
Original paint and grafiti from the 1800s.