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Enriched Souls, Kinder Hearts, Open Minds, Meaningful Travel, Giving Back, Service Projects, Voluntourism

Destinations

Day 2-Vancouver, BC

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We were really excited that it wasn’t going to rain today and we could spend the day going up to Grouse Mountain and the Capilano Suspension Bridge. We took the free shuttle (as long as you have purchased the Gondola ticket) from Canada Place to the base of Grouse Mountain where you board the Gondola. It takes you up over 3000 ft in just 8 minutes. Once you get up to the top, you can enjoy many activities such as a Lumbar Jack show which was entertaining. They also have a birds show, 2 movies, the grizzly bear habitat, the wind turbine, a zip line, paragliding, and a wolf exhibit.

We then took the shuttle down the hill to the Capillano Suspension bridge. It was very exciting and educational for the kids. They participated in a fun scavenger hunt going around identifying weather patterns, different types of trees and their characteristics, looking for forest animals and learning about their natural habitats, and comparing their own wing span to common birds that live in the forest. The Cliffwalk with it’s high, narraw, and partial glass bottom walkway was a thrilling experience although it could be a bit scary for those afraid of heights.

After our full day of exploring the tourist activities of Vancouver, we took the bus to the ferry terminal, the ferry (SEABus) across to the waterfront and then walked to a nearby restaurant called Nuba for some amazing Lebanese food. The restaurant was recommended by our concierge at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Just outside our hotel,  we stopped for dessert and had some of the best Gelato in Vancouver at Bella Gelateria.

Visiting Seattle and Vancouver, BC

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I’m not sure how many of you have made last minute plans for a quick getaway or vacation, but my family made some very last minute plans to visit a cousin in Seattle and while we are doing that, why not drive upto Vancouver, British Columbia.

So, here we are. We flew into Seattle yesterday evening. Left for Vancouver this morning which was a quick and easy 3 hour drive. We checked into our beautiful hotel on the waterfront, The Fairmont Pacific Rim. Asked the concierge for some sightseeing, restaurant and most importantly some volunteer or service project recommendations. Since we didn’t have the opportunity to pre-plan the volunteer project, let’s see if it works out.

We already tried to contact the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society but they didn’t have any projects for us. Our Concierge also tried to see if we could volunteer with the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, but no luck there either. We will continue trying.

In the meantime, we plan to have fun in Vancouver. This is our first visit to this lush and beautiful city, and we’ve already had a fabulous first day. We spent some time walking around the waterfront, but the highlight of the day was a Seaplane ride for a half hour city tour giving us a birds eye view of Vancouver and what a sight it was!!


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Day 7- Final Day in Cusco

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We were up bright and early today for our final service project day. We were only going to be at the Albergue for half a day so that we would have the afternoon to experience the sights of Cusco, do any last minute souvenir shopping and pack since we have an early morning flight back home.
The team was anxious to make more progress today even though we knew the work would have to be continued and finished by future volunteers. It was satisfying to see the structure coming up, especially the log fence which we managed to get up and even paint a few pictures on. The younger volunteers really enjoyed the painting. It gave them an opportunity to leave a personal mark on their hard work and made the fence more fun for the kids at the Albergue.

We enjoyed another healthy lunch before saying goodbye to all. We headed back to the hotel, showered up and hit the cobblestone streets and main square in Cusco. We really enjoyed the walk, the sights, the shopping, and couldn’t decide where to grab dinner. One of the most beautiful sights was the church at the hotel Monastario. The carvings were so intricate and the colors so vibrant.
Supporting a local street vendor

Our trip to Peru was a lot of fun. We really enjoyed all the sights. Machu Picchu was definitely a highlight, but all the service projects we worked on throughout the week were just as enjoyable, fulfilling and really gave us an opportunity to interact with the local Peruvian people. They are very friendly, grateful and welcoming. I would definitely recommend Peru as a vacation destination with an opportunity to give back….


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Day 6- Service Project at Albergue in Cusco

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We left the Sacred Valley this morning for our final two days of service projects in Cusco. We arrived at the Albergue, a home for 22 children between the ages of 10-18. Most of them have parents who live on farms and in villages that don’t have access to schools, nor can they afford them, so they apply for their children to live at the Albergue and hope to get lucky. Most of the children have been sponsored to live here and go to school for at least 5 years. Some are fortunate enough to be educated for up to 7 years. When they leave the Albergue, they have a basic education and they have acquired some skills in carpentry, sewing, metalwork, cooking, and some basic life skills. Some of them will go on to become educators in their villages so that they can help their own communities.

Upon arrival at the Albergue, our teams were pumped and ready to work. We split into two teams. One group started building the Adobe brick walls of a future classroom and the other group started sanding pre-cut logs for a fence. It was a hot day, so we had to take several water and Gatorade breaks. They also prepared a tasty vegetarian lunch for us. It was a lot of heavy lifting, muddy, dusty and tiring work, but very gratifying when we were done for the day. We could see progress and were ready to continue working the next day.

But before we left the Albergue for the day, the kids treated us to a surprise talent show showcasing their traditional song and dance. They even managed to get some of us to get up and participate with them. After the performance they all came around and gave us hugs and thanked us for our time and effort with beautiful cards. Seeing their beautiful smiles made the day’s hard work all worthwhile.


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Day 5- A free day to experience different activities

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Today was a free day for families and individuals to experience whatever activities they wanted. Several people chose to ride ATV’s through the scenic mountains. Others chose to try paragliding, but since it is dependent on wind conditions, only one person actually took off and enjoyed the thrilling ride from the mountain top to the valley.

Another group of people decided to go shopping for local arts, crafts and everything Alpaca wool. The local Pisac Market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays and definitely offers a huge variety of Peruvian handicrafts and textiles for a bargain. Supporting the local vendors is yet another way of giving back to their community. Our tourism dollars allows them to earn their living.

Some people took the opportunity to tour the Moray ruins, the agricultural terraces with their complex irrigation system and natural green house effects which allowed the Incas to grow an extraordinary variety of crops at that altitude. Nearby was another interesting site called the Salineras or The salt mines where 3,000 pools produce all the salt consumed in the region. It was interesting to learn about the way the land is cultivated and utilized by the communities.

Now that we’ve spent a couple of days enjoying the scenary and activities in the Sacred Valley, we are ready to go to Cusco and get busy with another couple of days of service projects.


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Day 4-Machu Picchu, Peru

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Our day started off at 6:30am when we took a half hour bus ride to the Ollantaytambo train station. From there we embarked on the most beautiful scenic train ride along the river to Aguas Calientes. Another 25 minute bus ride and we were at the entrance to Machu Picchu. We then started our 2 hour walking tour of the breathtaking ruins and gorgeous sights. Pictures don’t do justice to the beauty and scale of the Inca kingdom.

We also experienced a hair-raising hike along a steep mountain side where the views were unreal. It was as if we were hiking through the movie set of Avatar.
The natural beauty and symmetry of the soaring Andean mountains was amazing. The construction of Machu Picchu and the agricultural system of the Incas was unthinkable.

We enjoyed a huge buffet lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge before heading back to the Urubamba Valley for a relaxing stay at the Tambo Del Inka resort & spa.


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Day 3- The Sacred Valley, Peru

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Today we flew from Lima to Cusco and then took an hour and a half bus ride to Urubamba which translates to The Sacred Valley. The sun was out, the air was clear and the views were incredible. We arrived in the valley in the afternoon and took the remainder of the day to acclimate to the altitude. Those who felt a little light headed or shortness of breath just had to lay down and relax while their bodies adjusted. We all drank some Coca Leaf Tea which is supposed to help relieve the symptoms.

We did manage to get out to the local food market and saw the multiple varieties of potatoes that this region is so famous for. We also purchased mangoes, passion fruit, and several other fresh fruits to share with the rest of the group. There is nothing like the experience of a local market for those who enjoy food, culture, and learning about what the locals eat and how.


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Day 2 Peru Service projects

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Our second day in Lima, Peru was incredible. We started the morning off at the Camino de Vida facility assembling wheelchairs. Camino de Vida works in partnership with Free Wheelchair Mission. Our team of 24 (the other team worked on this project yesterday) assembled 4 wheelchairs and distributed 6 of them. It’s amazing how durable they are. My group of 8 managed to provide a wheelchair for a 70 year old woman who was paralyzed and immobile, and the second one went to a 3 year old boy whose legs were amputated earlier this year and he continues to be in the hospital due to a lack of diagnosis.

In the afternoon, all 48 of us went to one of the poorest areas of Lima to distribute shoes through Samaritans Feet. What a humbling experience it was to wash the feet of children, women and men, and to provide them with a new pair of shoes while giving them a message of hope. We encouraged them to attend church and have faith in God. Seeing the smiles and excitement in their faces was well worth the long bus ride to get to the distribution site. We all wished we could speak more spanish.

It was a long day, but very productive and fulfilling.

Stay tuned as we spend the next 3 days taking a break from volunteering to enjoy the sights of Peru.


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