tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-108874162011-12-13T22:53:17.533-05:00Wanderings through a continent of beauty and mysteryDon Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.comBlogger1391100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-27626487899783400042008-07-18T19:40:00.003-05:002008-07-19T01:35:29.526-05:00

Over the coming weeks, I'll be posting stories and photos from Peru at my business blog: www.polymerstudios.com/blog. Some of the things on the itinerary:Hunting for megalodon teeth with Desert Man of Ica, who was recently written up in the New York Times. (Fortunately, we made our reservation before he became famous!)Shooting video in some remote (as in no electricity and little Spanish spoken)

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-72105468538476021852008-06-11T12:47:00.002-05:002008-06-11T16:07:31.979-05:00

An 1874 map of the Urubamba Valley near Machu Picchu, which researchers claim identifies the archaeological site.I never believed that Hiram Bingham actually "discovered" Machu Picchu. He was simply the first non-native to bring the ruins to the world's attention. And he may still hold that honor. However, according to an article by the Telegraph, he wasn't the first gringo to visit the

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-59332680540854989452008-06-02T22:41:00.003-05:002008-06-02T23:09:38.527-05:00

Solanum Tuberosum, uploaded by FoodCulturaOk, Chile. You can sack Lima, burn down the national library and even attempt to abscond with the bragging rights for Pisco. But don't even try to lay claim to the potato.According to Marigen Hornkohl, Chile’s agriculture minister: “Few people know that 99 percent of the world’s potatoes have some type of genetic link to potatoes from Chile.”Of course

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-18234883061504896542008-05-31T15:22:00.004-05:002008-06-11T16:09:46.867-05:00

I have to admit, I haven't been keeping up on the news coming out of Peru's anti-insurgency and anti-narcotrafficking efforts. I probably should brush up at the Plan Colombia and Beyond blog or the Narco News Bulletin.Like most observers, I figured that Sendero was a bad, but increasingly distant memory. But I see today that the AP reports an increase in Sendero activity in the Apurimac valley.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-58283570869067758082007-02-16T10:47:00.000-05:002007-02-16T11:37:01.785-05:00

Capture from "Lima," a 1944 documentary on the City of Kings.The tireless Alejandro at Peru Food turned up some interesting and ancient documentary footage on YouTube. It's a documentary from the 1940s about Lima that was put together by a U.S. agency, the Office of the Coordinator for Inter-American Affairs (quite possibly the only agency in our government that used its funds to document, rather

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-68237231940482917282007-02-16T09:48:00.000-05:002007-02-16T10:06:42.084-05:00

Ajies andinos (Andean peppers) Photo by Don Ball. By Jeffrey Jones Thu Feb 15, 3:00 PM ETCALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Here's a hot, new discovery: archaeologists have traced what they believe is evidence of the first home-grown chili peppers, used in South America 6,100 years ago.And it was people in tropical, lowland areas of what is now western Ecuador who first spiced up their cuisine, not

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1165300836327384962006-12-05T00:56:00.000-05:002006-12-05T01:40:36.383-05:00

Friends & Family, the latest album by Turkish percussionist Ayhan Sicimoglu.Whoa boy. You know how you occasionally run into a piece of music that stops you in your tracks? It was like that for me the first time I heard Radio Tarifa, Inti Illimani or NovaLima.Listening to MPR today, I heard a short piece about a Turkish percussionist who's a veteran of New York's salsa scene. His name is Ayhan

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1164951502310381782006-12-01T00:38:00.000-05:002006-12-01T00:45:09.420-05:00

I don't mean to knock this video, because it actually does give a fair view of the city through the eyes of someone who's taking a guided tour. Nothing wrong with that.But contrast this with the traffic jam video I posted earlier. Same city, just different facets.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1164950441149061592006-12-01T00:20:00.000-05:002006-12-01T00:34:51.356-05:00

One day this June, as Sophie and I were being chauffeured by my dear Tía Chabuca to downtown Lima, we got caught in a temporary traffic snarl, made worse by an ambulance trying to push through. In fact, you can hear the ambulance driver on his PA system urging other drivers to clear the way. Yeah, right.Is it possible to pine for noise pollution? When I watch this, I long to feel the jolt of

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1162323786535379392006-10-31T14:02:00.000-05:002006-10-31T14:48:39.620-05:00

Happy Halloween, y'all.Halloween shopping in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by kevinfmchugh1.Halloween performance by Colectivo Etereo, Santiago, Chile. Note the DJ's andean costume. Photo by Tubatuba.And for mis Perucos: a hearty Feliz día de Canción Criolla! Thanks to Alejandro at Peru Food, we have a terrific montage of the great masters of this very Peruvian musical form:

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1160287783038502572006-10-08T00:30:00.000-05:002006-10-19T21:07:12.166-05:00

Crema de Zapallo, served with rice. Photo by Don Ball.I was never a huge fan of squash, at least not the way I grew up eating it: acorn squash cut in halves and baked with butter and brown sugar. (That actually sounds appealing as I type it...but in practice has never been my favorite.)In soup form, however, squash really floats my boat. The other day, I took a buttercup squash and did it up

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1160070997520036742006-10-05T12:37:00.000-05:002006-10-05T12:56:37.606-05:00

Contestants line up for judging. Photo courtesy 20 Minutes.A mule is someone who smuggles drugs by swallowing condom-wrapped drugs and then, er, evacuating the drugs upon arrival at their destination. It's a sad fact that mules are usually not hardened criminals, but desperate individuals motivated by threats or extreme circumstances.In Peru's Santa Monica women's prison, accused and convicted

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1160060699166674412006-10-05T10:02:00.000-05:002006-10-05T12:18:13.783-05:00

Professional tourguide, foodie, wine-lover, architecture freak and blogger Robert Wright keeps a terrific blog, Line of Sight, which details his life in Buenos Aires. He recently posted the photo below and commented:"It’s rare to find a religous procession in Buenos Aires. In spite of Argentina being a mainly Catholic country, processions are nowhere as frequent as in Spain. Nor as fancy. While

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1159396648891220492006-09-27T16:22:00.000-05:002006-09-29T12:17:57.636-05:00

Padre y hija, visiting in the Plaza de Armas, Lima.Having blogged about the run-up to mine and Sophie's trip to Peru, and having done no posting since we left in June, I feel like perhaps some reportage is owed to you, dear reader. As I explained to Alejandro at PeruFood, besides being overwhelmed with work upon my return, I was kind of "peru-ed out." (He said he didn't understand what I meant.)

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1159391849731050852006-09-27T15:53:00.000-05:002006-10-03T23:56:06.436-05:00

Rebeca Roa Alva at her 107th birthday. Photo courtesy of Trome.I've told some of you that my dear old abuelita credited her old age (she lived to 95-ish) to onions and strong drink ("cebolla y trago"). But here's a woman who's considerably older, and whose recipe for long life is very Andean. The 107-year-old, quechua-speaking Rebeca Roa Alva eats lima beans, quinoa, kiwicha and amaranth and

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1159216663995716512006-09-25T15:15:00.000-05:002006-09-29T12:22:31.363-05:00

Vice Admiral José Alba Arnez, commander of the Bolivian Navy. Photo by Simon Romero.The New York Times recently added a little color to the age-old story of the Bolivian Navy, who, since the late 1800s has been limited in its range of operations to the 12,500-foot high Lake Titicaca.Read Bolivia Reaches for a Slice of the Coast That Got Away (until it gets archived).Even before reading this

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1149823514227918082006-06-08T21:28:00.000-05:002006-09-08T02:18:20.260-05:00

The great (and ever-so-humble) Wilbur Quispe is back in town. He's the weaver from Ayacucho, Peru, whose rugs are sold by my friend Melanie at Art Andes. I've seen many rugs in many a market and Wilbur's creations stand out not only for the quality of his materials (he uses hand-spun wool and natural dyes) but for how they're brought together into striking designs, many of which taken from

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1149275568357934192006-06-02T08:38:00.000-05:002006-06-02T14:12:48.430-05:00

In a recent piece on NPR, I heard about a study claiming that hispanics assimilate much the same as previous waves of immigrants did: the first generation may not speak English, but by the third and fourth generations, hardly anyone is speaking the mother tongue.But what happens to the second generation? Sandwiched between their parents' old ways and their children's lack of meaningful connection

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1148787366350053402006-05-27T22:27:00.000-05:002006-05-27T22:36:06.363-05:00

The shores of Lake Nicaragua, with a view toward Ometepe Island, home to the volcanoes Concepción (left) and Maderas. Photo by Don Pablo.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1148681711472472472006-05-26T17:00:00.000-05:002006-05-26T19:34:33.566-05:00

Archeologists believe that in Peru's ancient Paracas culture (750BCE-100CE), an elongated skull was a sign of nobility. Photo by Brian RitchieTags: Paracas, Peru, skull, deformities, Paracas Necropolis, archaeology

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1148677034430688312006-05-26T15:56:00.000-05:002006-05-26T19:35:04.106-05:00

For sale in Quindío, Colombia: 36 acres of soil that will grow anything.The ever-entertaining world real estate site, Viviun, features some acreage available in the heart of Colombia's coffee country. Asking Price: $155,000-$185,000. Personally, I wouldn't be able to resist growing chili peppers.Tags: Colombia, Calarca, Quindio, land, real estate, coffee, viviun.com

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1148578635017943592006-05-25T12:11:00.000-05:002006-05-26T13:40:07.433-05:00

Choros a la chalaca (mussels marinated in lime juice) is typical eats on the coast of Peru.Highlights from a recent Washington Post article by Walter Nicholls on Peruvian cooking...High on PeruWith Its Mix of Worldly Flavors, the Country's Cuisine Could Be the Next ThaiTake one part Incan and one part Spanish. Mix well. Add influences of African, Chinese, Japanese and Italian. What do you get?

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1148395952072504782006-05-23T09:12:00.000-05:002006-05-23T09:52:32.160-05:00

Playing Sapo at a Chicheria, Cusco, 1932. Photo by Martin Chambi.In Latin America they call it Sapo, or frog. It goes by other names in Europe, where it most likely originated, despite some elaborate Peruvian legends that involve Inca nobilty throwing gold coins into Lake Titicaca to court the favor of magical frogs.The game is simple, surprisingly fun (more so if it involves beer). You take

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1148015797154259992006-05-19T00:14:00.000-05:002006-05-19T00:16:37.173-05:00

Homeless mother and daughter, Ecuador, 2004. Photo by camera_rwanda.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1147893701014559822006-05-17T13:29:00.000-05:002006-05-17T14:21:51.736-05:00

This recently discovered female mummy (found with a gold bowl covering her face) has archeological tongues a waggin'. Photo by Ira Block, National Geographic.There seems to be no end to the bizarre archaeological finds in Peru. Reuters broke this story yesterday, but there were no decent pictures, so I hesitated to blog it. But now that the NY Times is all over it -- pictures be damned -- I gotta

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1147802897827740742006-05-16T12:54:00.000-05:002006-05-16T13:08:17.886-05:00

Musician and filmaker Toni Nogueira stars in his own whirlwind tour of the Sao Paolo's central market, where, if you can imagine it, they're selling it.View his short video (runtime 2:44) at TurnHere.com. Tags: Toni Nogueira, Sao Paolo, Brazil, central market, Feijoada, cachaça, bacalhau, turnhere.com

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1147800764397856362006-05-16T11:28:00.000-05:002006-05-16T12:35:00.286-05:00

Sounds like some bad medical condition. Perhaps it is.As the powers of our own U.S. Congress are being weakened by executive power grab (not to mention willful acquiescence), I find it interesting that legislative bodies are also seen as expendible in other parts of the world. This from a recent Reuters article comparing the presidential candidates in Peru's coming runoff election: (Ollanta)

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1147574875952805152006-05-13T20:29:00.000-05:002006-05-16T10:54:33.243-05:00

Fishermen in Huanchaco, Peru, bring in their "caballito," an ancient-style fishing boat made from bundles of tortora reeds. Photo courtesy of Manuel Ñique Alvarez and Jorge Vidal Fernandez.Cristina DiRaimo visited Huanchaco, Peru, in 2002 as a sophomore Anthropology student from Utah State University. She spent many hours with Armando Ucanan Gonzales, a 21-year-old fisherman who fishes just as

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1147200832181855752006-05-09T13:41:00.002-05:002006-05-13T21:51:03.640-05:00

Stereograph of Pancho Villa, courtesy Postcards of the Mexican RevolutionTags: Pancho Villa, Mexico, Mexican Revolution, postcards, stereograph

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1147193633473143532006-05-09T10:55:00.000-05:002006-05-14T20:56:00.183-05:00

Members of the Tangaroa expedition team set sail on a wooden raft at the start of their expedition in the port of Callao in Lima April 28, 2006. The Tangaroa expedition aims to recreate Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki voyage across the Pacific Ocean on a balsa raft in 1947, from Peru to Polynesia. The team, which includes Heyerdahl's grandson Olav, will launch the Tangaroa from Callao on Friday.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1146755470897681702006-05-04T09:56:00.000-05:002006-05-04T10:18:25.206-05:00

Alan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez, President of Peru from 1985 to 1990. Reuters photo by Pilar Olivares.Unbelievable. Where else but in Peru will people even contemplate bringing back a president who introduced the country to the horrors of hyperinflation? How bad was it? According to the Wikipedia entry on Garcia, he presided over a cumulative total of 2,200,200% inflation, between July 1985 and

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1146695316201275102006-05-03T17:05:00.000-05:002006-05-25T12:38:54.463-05:00

Climber ascending the "La Cobra" rock formation in Huayllay, Peru.Photo by Jim Bartle, via ACAPTags: La Cobra, Huayllay, Junin, Peru, Jim Bartle, ACAP

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1146255578148470442006-04-28T15:19:00.000-05:002006-05-03T11:42:46.463-05:00

La Iglesia de La Ermita, Barranco, Lima. Photo by Roddy Scheer.If you've ever wandered through the quaint Lima district of Barranco, filled with decaying (and increasingly restored!) Republican mansions, then you've probably seen this church. It's to your right as you stand on the Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), looking down toward the ocean.I've only ever known this church as the place

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1146260467564873852006-04-28T14:04:00.000-05:002006-09-06T16:36:54.386-05:00

I'm happy to report that I just got clearance from my boss (and from work, too) to take my daughter Sophie to Peru, so she can be properly introduced to the land of her ancestors.La Reyna Sophia in her native environment.Creating a travel itinerary is half the fun: looking through travel books, poring over maps, hunting for obscure destinations. But it's even more fun when you know that you're

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1145382825997527542006-04-18T12:42:00.000-05:002006-04-18T19:43:56.586-05:00

I just discovered this album, "Afro" by Novalima (thank you, KCRW), and had to download it immediately. I'm in heaven listening to these cuts, which are a modern, downtempo take on some Afro-Peruvian classics. According to their website, Novalima is a "production collective created in 2001 by four Peruvian musicians based in Hong Kong, London, Barcelona and Lima."If you remember the album of

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1145312439768837462006-04-17T16:56:00.000-05:002006-04-20T22:44:19.960-05:00

Ferrovias Central Andino chugs to an altitude of 16,640 feet. Photo courtesy of the Kells Transport Museum Website.The world's highest railway reopened for service on April 13. Only $50 for a round-trip ticket from Lima to Huancayo. See my previous post for more pictures.Tags: Train, Ferrovias Central Andino, Lima, Huancayo

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1145305972217163722006-04-17T10:59:00.000-05:002006-04-17T15:32:52.266-05:00

A holy week procession, complete with an "alfombra," or rug, usually made of flower petals or colored sand.Gringoperdido is a blogger at Anthropology.net who lives in Guatemala and made these observations of the country's lead-up to Easter:This whole week is rife with pagany goodness throughout the Christian world. In the US and Western Europe, the strange fascination with bunnies and eggs

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1145070342284086882006-04-14T22:03:00.000-05:002006-04-14T22:05:42.296-05:00

Public telephone in Puno, Peru. Photo by Suedehead.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1145025966005088022006-04-14T08:53:00.000-05:002006-04-14T09:51:17.246-05:00

As you munch your poppyseed muffin, consider how absurd it might seem if suddenly the United Nations were to declare your muffin illegal.Something similar happened in the late 1940s on the coca front. Despite more than a millenium of legitimate use by the people of the Andes, the crop was criminalized by the U.N.Recently elected Bolivian President Evo Morales, himself once a radical defender of

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1144099369308405612006-04-03T14:02:00.000-05:002006-04-04T10:25:33.183-05:00

Helicopter pilot C.O. Ruiz is truly an eye in the sky. At his website Aerial Photographs of Mexico City, he offers a gallery of photos he has captured while flying over the Distrito Federal. For those of us who haven't been there before (and perhaps for those of us who have), it's a fascinating glimpse of this diverse megalopolis.Are they new housing projects or a Hollywood CGI backdrop?The "

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1144042867559199802006-04-02T21:03:00.000-05:002006-04-03T00:41:07.603-05:00

What is it about real estate listings that stokes the imagination? I can't help but to check the homes section of the local newspaper whenever I visit another town, even if it's the last place we'd ever consider moving (i.e. NYC). But with properties in South America, the location and the price makes you think, "what if...?" With that, I submit for your consideration a handful of interesting

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1144025015102842542006-04-02T19:18:00.000-05:002006-04-02T19:43:35.126-05:00

Geez, has it been seven months? Guess I got a little distracted with that hurricane down South. Since we last talked, I helped launch a relief organization that is sending caravans of volunteers to New Orleans and soonly to coastal Mississippi.Ruins of the Day Dreams Beach Bar, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Photo by Don BallLooking for a photo to post that relates to my post-K activities, I found

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1125090201791363912005-08-26T14:46:00.000-05:002006-02-25T07:37:32.673-05:00

Tropeiros are the famed muleteers of Brazil, who in the olden days transported goods over the Mantiqueira mountain chain of eastern Brazil. These days, descendants of the orginal tropeiros get together annually to celebrate and preserve their culture. And they come by horse. Tatiana Cardeal, a Brazilian photographer who has built a huge following on her Flickr site, recently documented a Tropeiro

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1124601915141318782005-08-20T22:50:00.000-05:002005-08-26T16:10:22.486-05:00

Wow, has it really been 17 days that this blog has been fallow? Guess so.I took time for some intense soul searching at the Landmark Forum, which certainly gave me a kick in the poto and prompted me to think differently about my priorities.Then it was on to our first family vacation with all four kids. We drove through Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennesee and Mississippi to see

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1123085336386880952005-08-03T09:53:00.000-05:002005-08-03T13:19:45.573-05:00

Associación "María Elena Moyano", Chalaco, Perú. Photo Ángela Valverde OrtizRummaging through the blog of a development worker in the northern highlands of Perú, I saw this photo of a flag belonging to an agricultural cooperative. The name on the flag, María Elena Moyano, is one I'd forgotten since I first heard about her murder back 1992.Moyano was one heck of a brave woman who took on Sendero

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1123079872290787172005-08-03T09:19:00.000-05:002005-08-03T09:37:52.320-05:00

Male club-winged manakin. Photo courtesy Science.The male club-winged manakin serenades females with violin-like hums that are produced by vibrating its wings in a shivering motion at 106 times a second, which is the fastest known in the animal world.The strange sound intrigued Charles Darwin, who wrote about the club-winged manakin in 1871 in his treatise the "The Descent of Man." Although his

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1122270577121454372005-07-25T00:17:00.000-05:002005-07-25T00:49:37.130-05:00

Chunka iskayniyoq sumaj Qosqo mijunakuna (12 exquisite dishes from Cusco). Photo by Noemí Vizcardo Rozas.Noemí Vizcardo Rozas is a Quechua-speaking lawyer in Lima who runs a blog called hablaquechua (translation: Speak Quechua). Also known as Runasimi, Quechua is the native tongue of more than 8 million native people in Perú, Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina.Noemí's site is devoted to helping

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1122097151926202512005-07-22T22:31:00.000-05:002005-11-27T00:29:00.810-05:00

Barrels of Uruguayan Tannat, aging in the cellar of Bodega Juanico.South American wines have made great headway in the United States. And for good reason. When it comes to price and quality, you really can't go wrong with a Chilean Cabernet or an Argentinean Malbec.South America also harbors some rather eccentric wines that are fun to drink if only because of their colorful histories. Have you

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121956770102555232005-07-21T09:16:00.000-05:002005-07-23T00:41:22.176-05:00

Professional wrestling in Bolivia. Photo by Noah Friedman-Rudovsky.In the latest installment of El Alto Journal in the New York Times, Juan Forero describes the mayhem that is lucha libre, or professional wrestling. El Alto is a poor, indigenous district of 800,000 that overlooks La Paz. Here, professional wrestling looks nothing like we know it in Mexico or in the States. No spandex. No monster

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121752840366808822005-07-19T00:47:00.000-05:002005-07-19T01:12:27.600-05:00

For $60k, this could be the view off your porch every morning.For sale: One recently-built mountain cottage in Sorata, Bolivia, just three hours (on a non-striking day) from LaPaz.Asking price: US$63,000, negotiable.Now, as Eduardo at Barrio Flores might attest, Bolivia is not in a happy place right now. But for 63 large one could almost afford to be wrong about the future of Bolivia.I'd be first

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121738149800761882005-07-18T20:25:00.000-05:002005-07-19T01:13:59.793-05:00

On the heels of the last post, I recalled that my blogging friend Rebecca had captured some excellent vistas along the Inka Trail earlier this year. I can't remember all the names of all the ruins anymore, so I'll just give my inner archaeologist a rest and let you enjoy the eye candy! Photos by Rebecca Verner. Derechos muy reservados.Tags: Peru, Inka Trail, Inca Trail, photos, Rebecca

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121720313986156232005-07-18T15:18:00.000-05:002005-07-19T01:21:25.270-05:00

The climb. The sublime. Hiking the Inka Trail is one of those experiences that's difficult to describe. On the one hand, sure, it's a hike on a high-altitude trail. It pretty much like four days of Stairmaster, eight if you take the long way. The trail rarely goes horizontally. As the Inkas seemed to view things, the fastest way between two points was a straight line. If that meant going

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121717255878466352005-07-18T14:46:00.000-05:002005-07-22T15:33:20.750-05:00

The border of Perú and Ecuador at Tumbes. Photo by Dana Weniger & Andy Leach

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121395420889777202005-07-14T21:09:00.000-05:002005-07-14T22:18:24.220-05:00

The Chincha Islands in 1864.The nearby (and also guano laden) Islas Ballestas, off the coast of Perú. Photo by Don Ball.Found this beaut in the South American Explorers Club e-newsletter today:Toes!That’s what a horrified Robert Murphy saw sticking up from the ground when he visited the Chincha islands at the height of the guano boom. These were the toes of the dead, their bodies thrown into

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1121209719263783792005-07-12T16:54:00.000-05:002005-07-13T12:28:38.593-05:00

A friend of mine is heading off to Lima today for a professional conference. She gets one free day before flying back to the states. So, I tried to give her some ideas -- based on my own limted experience -- of what to do if you have a short amount of time to experience the best of Lima.If you think I missed anything, please leave a comment. That'll help me add to my list of new things to do next

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1120797771428372462005-07-07T23:03:00.000-05:002005-07-07T23:42:51.436-05:00

"Cotopaxi" by Frederic Church, 1855. The buildings in the lower right presumably belong to Hacienda San Agustín de Callo.From an archaeology standpoint, Ecuador sure got the raw end of the deal. As the second Inca capital, Quito must have boasted some splendid buildings. But there's no trace of them today. Ecuador's most famous ruins, Ingapirca, are nothing more than stone foundations, a sad

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1120200276044387672005-07-01T00:09:00.000-05:002005-07-01T01:59:46.316-05:00

Mega cities abound in South America. But few of them are as big and beautiful as Buenos Aires, Argentina. Many first-time visitors will express surprise at the city's strong European feel. It's no surprise, really. Millions of Spanish and Italian immigrants settled there through the late 1800s and early 1900s. And during those boom years, when Buenos Aires was the largest and probably the

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1120192205581506382005-06-30T23:16:00.000-05:002005-11-10T21:16:38.830-05:00

Admirers of tango legend Carlos Gardel, assembling at his Buenos Aires tomb. Photo by Robert Wright.Robert Wright, an American expatriate living in Buenos Aires, writes about the 70th anniversary of the death of Carlos Gardel, on June 23. He describes the man and his following:"Before he died in a plane accident in Colombia 70 years ago today, Carlos Gardel brought tango to the world. A shining

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1120099355211952582005-06-29T20:50:00.000-05:002005-06-29T21:42:35.216-05:00

Care package, delivered safe and sound. Photo by Rebecca Verner.A few weeks ago, I followed my own advice (see "One-click care packages") and used the Peruvian e-commerce site, Iquiero.com to have a care package delivered to the Zapallal children's refuge in Lima where my blogging friend Rebecca was volunteering. I ordered on a Sunday night and it arrived on a Tuesday, in time for Rebecca's

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1120070317543504222005-06-29T13:38:00.000-05:002005-06-29T13:53:04.546-05:00

As long as we're rummaging through the family photo archives, here's my mother, Bertha Isabel Bernuy Carbajal, in 1955, walking through the arcade along Lima's Plaza de Armas, with my cousin Juan in tow.Last week I stumbled onto a treasure trove of family photos from Lima in the 50s and 60s. Just like in the States, the men all wore suits and ties and the women wore dresses and heels -- even for

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1119941684728561832005-06-28T01:49:00.000-05:002005-06-28T01:54:44.733-05:00

This is my great, great grandfather Abel Carbajal, who fought in what's known as the Great War of the Pacific. It was a conflict waged between Chile and Peru, over the guano trade. Bolivia was also somehow involved, because they lost their access to the sea as a result. Anyway, the story I've been told is that Abel was a prisoner of war and scheduled to be executed. (that part doesn't sound

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1119907604862214512005-06-27T16:26:00.000-05:002005-06-27T16:31:11.786-05:00

A picture of my mother's grandmother, taken in Lima in 1914.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1118727367564558712005-06-13T23:35:00.000-05:002005-06-14T08:39:47.440-05:00

The leader of the Nambikwara, photographed at an indigenous people's meeting in Betioga, Brasil. Photo by Tatiana Cardeal." 'Cacique' means the Indian tribal chief. He is the leader of the 'People from the Ashes' and he emphasized it to me when I asked permission before taking his portrait.They have a special ritual for this nose piercing. They do it to mark the puberty's masculine passageway,

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1118648260901107672005-06-13T02:31:00.000-05:002005-06-13T11:04:18.806-05:00

Work, life and ice cream in Aguas Calientes, Perú. Photo by Don Ball Carbajal.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1118073462999443782005-06-06T09:38:00.000-05:002005-06-07T17:02:39.130-05:00

Fog at Machu Picchu. Photo by viiny.Until now, I've deliberately resisted posting Machu Picchu photos. As with any breathtaking vista -- Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Pyramids at Giza -- a photo rarely does it justice. And neither do words. Of course, that never stops us from trying. This photo, by one of my Flickr friends, Viiny, hints at the spiritual experience that many people have at the ruins.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117937502961012612005-06-04T21:11:00.000-05:002005-06-14T15:52:25.856-05:00

Coca leaves for sale in Potosí, Bolivia. Photo by teamtrev.Have you ever tried coca? Numerous acquaintances of mine are familiar with the powdered form (not me --- I guess the 80s passed me by). I've only chewed the leaves and drunk the tea.Coca is a sacred part of Andean culture. Since ancient times, spiritual healers have cast coca leaves onto the ground and read the future in them, much as a

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117178391576628572005-06-04T01:51:00.000-05:002005-06-14T15:47:35.293-05:00

Thanks to everyone who expressed interest in a crazy idea from an earlier post, in which I described an online service, based in Lima, that I used for sending flowers and cakes to my abuelita. This same service also delivers baskets of basic food items -- noodles, rice, beans, milk, flour, sugar, etc.So why can't we use this same service to fill the pantry of a needy family in Lima? We can. And

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117780520790983602005-06-03T01:11:00.000-05:002005-06-03T02:13:04.923-05:00

A few of you already know that this blog is an attempt by me to seek notoriety and riches. And we're making progress. My Google ad revenue is already pushing $3.But let's say, for the sake of argument, that the riches thing falls through. I still hope this blog will help me snag a few newspaper and magazine writing assignments and justify a trip to South America later this year or early next

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117777930264182642005-06-02T23:27:00.000-05:002005-06-03T00:52:10.270-05:00

Untitled, by Felícitas Flores Laura, a resident of Paccha, PerúI recently discovered a Web site that depicts the horrors of Perú's 20-year civil war (1980-2000). Called Yuyarisun, the site is an archive of testimonies, drawings, poetry and comics created by peasants of the neighboring departments of Ayacucho and Huancavelica, the epicenter of the conflict.The images on this site convey how

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117692777065549762005-06-01T23:25:00.000-05:002005-06-02T16:52:52.943-05:00

It seems I've caught a music meme, which calls on me to describe my musical state of affairs.1) Who passed it to me:Eduardo at Barrio Flores2) Total volume of music files in my PC:49 GB 3) Last CD I bought:Spymob - Sitting Around Keeping Score4) Which song I'm currently listening :"Lazy Lover" by Brazilian Girls 5) Five songs I've been listening to frequently: Fire Coming Out of a

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117604873531865722005-06-01T00:35:00.000-05:002005-06-02T23:26:02.486-05:00

Well, he doesn't look like the nicest guy, but I know of at least one person who shed a tear for him when he died. Above is a picture of Peruvian president Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro, who was assassinated in the presidential palace during the military coup of 1933. At the time, my great grandfather Otoniel served as an officer in the presidential guard. The story goes that Abuelito returned home

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117176677305369912005-05-27T01:01:00.000-05:002006-11-12T11:34:11.843-05:00

Freestyling in El Alto, Bolivia. Photo by Noah Friedman-Rudovsky for The New York Times.If you're a fan of hip-hop, especially intelligent and politically charged hip-hop, you probably know that rap has become a global language of protest.Bolivia, in the midst of its new crisis (or, depending on your point of view, in the 473rd year of its age-old crisis) has given birth to a new form of rap.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1117173681897071642005-05-26T23:30:00.000-05:002005-05-27T19:52:11.683-05:00

20,000 angry protesters can't be wrong... Or can they? Photo by AFP.Ok, we're back from a little break...I've blogged a whole bunch on Bolivia. Bolivia, that beautiful, but sad country, which for the past few weeks has been inching toward chaos. I'm not knowledgeable enough to explain the cause of Bolivia's troubles other than to say that it's about natural gas. Bolivia has lots of it. And a

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1116466185467799632005-05-18T20:29:00.000-05:002005-05-18T21:24:41.943-05:00

Jim Thornton, being painted with herbal dyes in preparation for a futile anteater hunt. Photo by Olivier Laude.Jim Thornton is one of the few people about whom I get to say, "I knew him when..." I met Jim many years ago taking his magazine writing class at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. I'm pretty sure I never finished the main class assignment, but I do fondly remember finishing plenty

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1116401149829190552005-05-18T01:33:00.000-05:002005-05-18T10:36:08.213-05:00

There but for the grace of God: A house in a shantytown on the outskirts of Lima. Photo by Rebecca "Rebel" Verner. Many moons ago, I visited Perú for the first time as an adult. I was a second-year art student and somehow piggybacked an independent study on top of my vacation. So, I dutifully brought my sketchbook along, hoping to fill the pages with brilliant observations and fodder for future

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1116397496890125952005-05-18T00:37:00.000-05:002005-11-10T21:13:16.370-05:00

On several occasions, I've gone online to order flowers, cakes, liquor and other goodies to be sent to my relatives in Lima. Tried a couple of services, but the one I like best is called Iquiero.com. This is a service that began in Perú but has since expanded to serve Colombia and Bolivia. The premise is simple: there are millions of latinos in the U.S. who besides sending money back to their

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1116382413795724262005-05-17T21:01:00.000-05:002005-05-17T21:13:33.816-05:00

Virgen de Carmen church in Barrios Altos, Lima, Perú. Photo by Patrick Barry Barr.A couple of posts ago, I mentioned the church in Lima where my family has attended for many years and where the sisters in the adjacent cloister make an ancient dessert out of key limes and dulce de leche. Well, not having any good photos of the church, I prevailed on a friend in Lima, Patrick Barry Barr (also the

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1116221774918077992005-05-16T00:36:00.000-05:002005-05-16T00:47:19.583-05:00

Visca collecting rainwater, Moca, Republica Dominicana. Photo by Jezmin.Jezmin recently returned to the Dominican Republic for her grandfather's funeral and took this picture. Her narrative follows..."I shot this picture in my grandfather's house located in Moca, Dominican Republic. This area is relatively poor and potable water is very scarce. My grandpa built this water tank many years ago to

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115962403524042932005-05-13T00:11:00.000-05:002005-05-13T00:33:23.530-05:00

Girls goofing around in Soacha, Colombia. A boy in school in Otavalo, Ecuador.Sisters playing while their dad works, Soacha, Colombia. All photos by Anne-Karine.Anne-Karine is a traveler from Montréal who has a gift for capturing the innocent joy of the children she meets. Her photos of Colombia and Ecuador are few, but delightful.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115929819731445682005-05-12T15:30:00.000-05:002005-05-13T23:04:26.150-05:00

Photo by Don Ball. Lots more family photos at my Flickr site.In the foreground is a wedding gift to my cousin Rosa from the Sisters at Virgen del Carmen, an ancient cloister in the Barrios Altos neighborhood of Lima. My family has attended the church there for years and my abuelita would chat on the phone with the "madrecita" nearly every day.The gift itself is a cultural treasure: it's a

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115818735822727602005-05-11T08:38:00.000-05:002005-05-11T10:21:05.210-05:00

Natural arch along the central desert coast. Photo by Jackson Lee.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115784947077070352005-05-10T23:15:00.000-05:002005-05-10T23:19:27.700-05:00

The imposing massif Illimani, as seen from La Paz, Bolivia. Photo by Greg McGee of Ultra Ridiculous Mountain Guides.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115661018112810882005-05-09T12:50:00.000-05:002005-05-11T18:55:40.366-05:00

Everyday life in my grandmother's kitchen. No single room in Peru holds more good memories for me. At left is abuelita herself, who passed away recently at 95 years old, give or take a year (nobody knows for sure!). My tía Chabuca (center) cared for abuelita, her mother-in-law, until the very end, even though she had been widowed for some 15 years. My cousin Martín (right) is an engineer in his

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115357027849789262005-05-05T23:52:00.000-05:002005-05-06T00:47:00.046-05:00

Colonia Ecologica's new building, in progress.Colonia Ecologica, in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is a home for 17 orphans or former street children that "offers prevention, protection and promotion: preventing more children turning to street life, protection and safety in a happy family and promotion of responsibility and moral values."Some of the girls of Colonia Ecologica.Claire Hamnett and Gertjan

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115249606994444712005-05-04T18:26:00.000-05:002005-05-04T18:33:27.103-05:00

Retired train in southwest Brazil. Photo by Bruno Furnari.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115173738988781822005-05-03T21:28:00.000-05:002005-05-04T12:50:57.536-05:00

May Day parade in La Paz, Bolivia. AP photo. Thanks to Eduardo Avila.Many years ago, I concocted a beautiful Fidel Castro Halloween costume, complete with fatigues, beard, 60s-era horn-rimmed glasses and cigar. When I arrived at the party in Northeast Minneapolis, I was greeted by shouts of "Hey, Saddam!"Groan.When it comes to third-world leaders, there's a strange math that many Americans do

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115151624547869482005-05-03T15:20:00.000-05:002005-05-03T15:28:37.393-05:00

Photo by Anne-Karine

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115063185739583132005-05-02T14:46:00.000-05:002005-05-03T01:55:16.563-05:00

"Religious" idols for sale in a stall at Luján, Argentina.Photo by Mark Payne.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115049520902174202005-05-02T10:18:00.000-05:002005-05-03T01:55:40.866-05:00

Patrick is truly a man of the world. He was born in Jamaica, educated in Wisconsin and then spent the bulk of his working years at the United Nations, UNICEF and AT&T Public Relations.Today, retired and living in Lima, Patrick traipses the streets of the city with his digital camera in tow. He also takes occasional trips to other interesting places, including NYC, Europe and his favorite country,

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1115043944106630732005-05-02T09:25:00.000-05:002005-05-03T01:57:18.043-05:00

Perú Negro's percussion section, demonstrating uniquely Peruvian instruments. Photo by Gilmar Lopez, courtesy www.perunegro.orgIt's a sad history that has parallels in North America. During colonial times, African slaves in Perú were not permitted to play music using drums and other percussive instruments. So, they invented entirely new instruments using available materials, including (above,

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1114576608829493562005-04-26T23:21:00.000-05:002005-11-08T19:46:28.196-05:00

Chacaltaya ski lodge, 17,785 feet. Photo by Harvey W. ReedChacaltaya ranks number one in several ways. It is the world's highest lift-served ski area, and the only ski area in Bolivia. The rope tow there was the first constructed in South America. The tow was built using an old car engine, and many who have been there say it is the world's fastest and most difficult to ride drag lift. The base is

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1114555834593271322005-04-26T17:10:00.000-05:002005-05-03T01:59:02.963-05:00

Children posing above their home, overlooking downtown La Paz. Photo by Scott Henderson.At a height that puts the Mile-High City to shame, La Paz, Bolivia, is perched at 12,000 feet, making it the loftiest capital city in the world.At these altitudes, the difference of a few hundred feet can make all the difference. The lower you go in the La Paz Valley, the more oxygen and the warmer the temps.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1114449461345171722005-04-25T12:17:00.000-05:002005-05-03T01:59:47.593-05:00

Vernazza, Italy. Photo by Dante VonoDante Vono has returned from a trip to Italy, where he not only took digital photos, but made field recordings in full stereo. It's a great idea -- you get to see and hear the enchantments of St. Peter's Basilica, the streets of Rome or the seaside town of Vernazza.Listen to the bells of Vernazza (tower in lower right of picture).Go to Dante's Flickr page to

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1114147287029596582005-04-21T23:49:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:00:21.500-05:00

Picarones in syrup. Photo by Jackson Lee.Who can resist a good doughnut? Even though Dunkin' Donuts has won fans in Lima, picarones are lo más auténticos. Made from pumpkin flour, with a hint of clove and cinnamon in the batter, picarones are served hot, swimming in a pool of light molasses syrup.Picarones are popularly served at open-air anticucho stands, which ring the parking lots of soccer

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1113976401346231742005-04-20T00:10:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:01:03.160-05:00

Solanum maternum Bohs. Photo courtesy of Michael Nee, Flora of Parque Nacional AmboroAs long as we're on the topic of lost crops of the Incas (or any pre-Colombian peoples for that matter), it's amazing to note the tremendous contribution that has been made by the Nightshade family (genus Solanum). It's a big family, with some 90 genera and 2,600 species, and it has spawned some serious

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1113973441393730602005-04-20T00:04:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:01:31.956-05:00

Lucuma is a strange fruit, native to the highlands of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Just one of the many so-called lost crops of the Incas, it makes the most wonderful ice cream. For this author, securing an obscenely large bowl of lucuma ice cream is always a top priority upon arrival in Lima.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1113803295686468082005-04-17T23:48:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:01:59.730-05:00

La Avenida Nicolás de Piérola. Photo courtesy of Arquandina.com.When my dear Abuelita Cármen was born in Lima in 1905 or 1906 (nobody's quite sure when), the city had about 100,000 inhabitants.San Isidro, a bustling and wealthy suburb of Lima.In a mere 100 years, the city has grown to more than 7 million and would be utterly unrecognizable by a visitor from the past.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1113799305912057262005-04-17T23:41:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:02:31.906-05:00

Iguanas being fed by a city worker in Plaza Bolívar, Guayaquil, Ecuador.Photo by Don Ball.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1113779435225818702005-04-17T18:10:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:03:36.516-05:00

Refreshment stand, Baños, Ecuador.Photo by Don Ball.

Don Ball Carbajalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05150702783216630024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10887416.post-1113159867158816812005-04-10T14:04:00.000-05:002005-05-03T02:04:17.066-05:00

Voodoo commercialized: A Voodoo curio shop in New Orleans. Photo by Don Ball."Voodoo is widely regarded as a mysterious and sinister practice that's taboo in many cultures. The mere word conjures images of bloody animal sacrifices, evil zombies, dolls stuck with pins, and dancers gyrating through the hot night to the rhythm of drums.But experts on voodoo beliefs say there are many misconceptions

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