Machu Picchu and Peru

Each year, my work sets goals to accomplish - including client revenue targets, research goals, and team improvement. We earn points toward a goal trip where we spent between 3 & 7 days doing team building exercises and just having a good time. Depending on the number of points we achieve, we can reach any of four thresholds, each one representing an increasingly impressive destination. This year was the first time we have reached the top level. Our reward - a seven day trip to Machu Picchu in Peru.



When we arrived in Peru, we had some tour guides and llamas and alpacas there to greet us, but not my luggage. It didn't arrive until Tuesday (we got there on Sunday), so needless to say, I was grateful for clean underwear and a new pair of socks. Upon our arrival, we flew from Lima to Cusco and then drove to the nearby Sacred Valley of the Incas. We spent the rest of the day exploring some ruins(a common theme of the trip) and then drove to our hotel. At the right you can see a photo of Syed and me in the Sacred Valley with some terraces in the background.

The next day we visited Ollantaytambo, another impressive Incan site. Take a look at the two pictures on the left. The second picture shows what you find at the top of the steps in the first picture - and it is believed that the crazy Incans brought those huge rocks from a few miles away just to put on the top. All I can say is that they must have been very devoted to some cause or else they would never have gone through all the effort to make sure the masonry was so sound or to carry rocks to the site from miles away. Below you can see an example of just how tight the joints are in the masonry and how carefully the blocks all fit together. Later in the day we visited a salt mine which you can see pictured to the right.

The next two days were spent visiting the legendary Machu Picchu, one of the modern wonders of the world. I will let the pictures do most of the talking for me about what a wonderful experience it was to be there.
Below is a view of some of the ruins at Machu Picchu with Wayna Picchu mountain in the background. Later in our trip, we climbed to the summit of that mountain. It was about a 2 hour hike but it was well worth the view.
We were lucky enough to see some beautiful rainbows while we were at Machu Picchu (after sitting in a sheltered area for about 45 minutes to allow a rainstorm to pass through). Below you can see a shot of one of them.When we were done at Machu Picchu we took a train ride back to Cusco where we spent most of the next two days. The first day, the city was on strike, so we spent a lot of the day at the hotel taking care of company business. When we did go out in the afternoon, we visited one of the Catholic churches and the Incan sun temple which the Spanish had redecorated a little bit. Can you tell which is which? During the evening, one of our tour guides took us on a walk around Cusco to see some of the places that tourists don't usually get to see. I really enjoyed this part of the afternoon - getting to see locals do what they do when tourists aren't flocking around. One of my coworkers even spotted some missionaries out spreading the gospel :-).

On the last day, we went to some more ruins close to Cusco and then caught a short flight to Lima. We spent the afternoon visiting the main square in Lima and at night, we got to see a beautiful sunset on the beach. It is amazing to think that in the course of a few hours, we went from beautiful mountain scenery at an elevation of around 13,000 feet to sea level and an ocean view. Below are some photos from Lima.

I had a great time in Peru. I was expecting Machu Picchu to be far and away the highlight of the trip, but I enjoyed it all. Everything about the civilization of the Incas interested me, and I enjoyed seeing some of the diversity of the country. By the end of the trip, I was happy to be coming home. Every time I come back into the United States and see the big flags when I am passing through customs, I smile and feel a sense of gratitude for the blessing I have to live here in the USA - the greatest nation in the world.


Next year, the top goal trip is to the Great Barrier Reef. Megan says that we better start saving now so that if we hit that goal she can come down after the company part of the trip is over :-).

Grandma Warner

I have wanted to post something about my loving grandma for quite some time, but I just haven't known what to say. Grandma Warner passed away December 28,2007. This was a sad day for me. I have always had such a special relationship with Grandma, growing up so close to her all my life. I am so grateful to know that I will see her again. Grandma always made everyone around her so happy. I loved to visit her because I would always get the, "There's my Megan," or "How's my Megan," and then the grin from ear to ear and a warm embrace. Her family always came first. Many times I would sit at the foot of her chair and listen to her tell me stories of her Mission to New York, the Prophet Joseph Smith, any event in Church history or the new news from the family. I loved these moments. Grandma was always there to support me in everything I did. The most memerable moment I have of my grandma is the day I went through the Temple. It meant the world to me that she was there. She had been fighting her health for a while then and so it was the first time she had been back in the temple. She looked at me and told me that being there with me was the only place she wanted to be. I always felt so special when ever I was around grandma. I will always remember her and the impact that she has had on my life. I know that I am a better person because I knew her and had the relationship with her that I did. I can't wait to see her again!
Now you can't talk about Grandma without talking about Grandpa! What a wonderful man! He always has a smile and a hug for his family. Many Sundays growing up were spent at Grandma and Grandpa's house with Grandpa dishing us up an icecream cone. The thing that I love most about both of my grandparents, I also must include my Calder Grandparents, is the testimony that they live or have lived. Grandpa always testifies of his Savior by the way he lives his life. I am amazed at the man he is! I love you Grandpa! You are the best!

Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets

So for Christmas TJ got tickets to see the Jazz when they came into town to play the Denver Nuggets. We bought Jazz jackets to wear to the game so that we could support our team. Of course we were surrounded by Nugget fans, but it was still so much fun. The only down side to the night was that the Jazz lost. I have to say that the atmosphere in the Pepsi Center is something to experience.
We got to the Pepsi Center early enough that we got water bottles with Carmelo Anthony on them.
GO JAZZ!

I put this picture in for Marci! Iverson is one of her favoirtes.