Downward dog in the desert - Nico, Alejandro, and Michael do Huacachina

Mike and I bused back down from Lima to the world famous Nazca Lines, a collection of shapes and pictures etched in the desert by the ancient Nazca people ranging from 50-500 meters in length.  As we sat in our four-seater plane munching on some cookies and admiring the pictures whizzing by below, Mike had a tremendous insight into one of the most famous figures, a primitive outline of an astronaut seemingly waving towards space (a basis for the theory that the shapes were made by aliens) - "He's not waving, he's just holding his hand out to ask for an Oreo!"  Mystery solved.

We were soon reunited with Jesse and the next morning Alejandro as well in the desert oasis of Huacachina, a small natural pond tucked away in rolling sand dunes that stretch for miles on all sides.  We set off in the afternoon for the region's main attraction - a wild buggy ride up and down the dunes with breaks for sand-boarding mixed in.  Daring to take most of the hills standing up instead of lying on my stomach, I felt pretty bad-ass at first for someone who never snowboarded before.  And then the little Japanese boy sped by me.

Along with us for the ride was Canadian girl named Hue.  A yoga aficionado, Hue believed that the dunes, sunset, and yoga poses would make for a great combination.  I'll let the pictures (one of which features me screwing up the downward dog position) speak for themselves.

And then a tearful goodbye, and suddenly all my homeboys were gone and I began to adventure alone.

But not for long.  The next day I happened to sit next to an Israeli named Shachar on a bus, and it was Hebrew for the next few days on the Isla del Sol and in La Paz (also reuniting with Salkantay-buddies Oded, Stav, and Shaked and meeting new friends Yogev and Liron).

Check back soon for Wavin' Flag - Nico does Sucre

Asch kalt - Nico and Alejandro do Lake Titicaca

Though its main draw (for many) remains its difficult-to-believe name, Lake Titicaca is also famous for its high elevation and array of islands (floating and other) filled with remnants of Incan and pre-Incan cultures.  Taking a tour of some of these islands, we were hosted for a night by a native family along with fellow travelers Matthias and Diana from Germany/Poland. 

After climbing an island hilltop to watch the sun set, we ate dinner and prepared for the coming fiesta in the suddenly freezing night. Matthias pulled out a flask he had been carrying with Polish schnaaps straight from the motherland.

As Matthias was explaining that the schnaaps would warm us up from the bitter cold, Alé hoisted the flask. Wanting to toast in the language of our comrades, I asked, "How do you say it in German?" "Asch kalt." So Alé and I shouted "Asch kalt" and took sips.

Matthias and Diana started rolling on the floor laughing. "What did we do wrong?" "Asch kalt isn't what you say when you toast; we thought you were asking how to say 'Really cold' (literally: Ass-cold)."

Still, it made a good toast and we've been saluting "Asch kalt" ever since due to the frigid temperatures of high elevation Peruvian winter nights. Also, Polish schnaaps is great.

Dancing at the fiesta turned out to be the Peruvian version of a hora. As I was laughing about this the next day with a Jewish girl I'd just met, three other Jews overheard and concurred. Turned into a little Jew party on Taquile island (to the confusion of Lindsay, a nice Christian girl from Michigan who was also standing with us). Never know when the opportunity for Jewish geography will strike.

Soon we were back in Arequipa where we attempted to barbecue a guinea pig on the roof of our hostel. Then it was off to Lima with Michael for Shabbat. Check back soon for Downward dog in the desert - Nico, Alejandro, and Michael do Huacachina.