April 29th – May 1st : District 4300 Conference

We have various events to attend for the District Conference for our last weekend in Peru. This is a type of conference that all Rotary districts have once a year. We are all very excited for some of the events planned because we get to see many of the Rotarians we met previously during our month in Peru. More specific details of what we did and photos to follow.

Photos from April 28th

The Arch they have in the Plaza de Armas in Tacna

The public library we toured

The group with a printmaking student at the Art school we visited

At the NCAPeru olive factory, this is how they "marinate" the olives prior to sorting them

Some of the workers at the olive factory

Susan giving a pin to club president at the Rotary meeting

April 28th - Day 1 in Tacna

We started our morning by meeting in the plaza where they have a similar arch as St. Louis. We then visited their public library in Tacna. This library is a project that the Machilla Rotary Club has supported. We then visited an Art school they have in Tacna. We got to tour the building and see some of the types of classes they have to offer. We then headed outside of Tacna to an industrial area they have where we visited an olive factory. We got to see how they sort and house the olives to be exported out.

We then went to lunch with the Rotarians hosting us for the day. After lunch, we had free time to tour the city of Tacna. We ended our evening by having a formal meeting with the Tacna Rotary Club. They had a special ceremony where they honored a fellow Rotarian from Chile. We had the opportunity to meet several Rotarians in Tacna including the district governor.

Photos from April 27th

The coastline of Ilo

Some of the children and one of the teachers at the daycare 

One of the two classrooms they have at the daycare

The group trying to take a picture with several 2-4 year olds

Andrea with her football buddies

Saying goodbye to our new friends in Ilo

The group that welcomed us in Tacna

At the Caplina Rotary Club Meeting in Tacna

April 27th - Ilo to Tacna

           We started our morning by visiting one of the projects the Ilo Sur club works with.  It is a daycare on the outer edge of Ilo.  The Rotary Club has helped them pave the area where the kids play as well as given them a variety of materials for the kids to use.  We got to meet the children, ages 2-4, and play with them for a little while.

            The late morning was spent visiting with our host families.  We then went to lunch with the Ilo Rotarians one last time before heading to our final city in Peru, Tacna.  Once we arrived in Tacna several Rotarians graciously met us.  We then spent the afternoon getting settled in our host family’s homes.  We ended our evening with a Rotary meeting with the Caplina Rotary Club.  

Photos from April 26th

Outside the Southern Copper refinery with our hosts for the day

Copper in its raw form

Inside the refinery plant

The cells filled with the sheets of copper and the electrode bath

The workers aligning the copper sheets

The sheets getting ready to be dropped into one of the cells

The final product, 99.9% copper sheets

The group with our tour guide at the refinery, Abraham 

The University we visited in Ilo

April 26th - Ilo

           Our first spot we visited was the Southern Copper Southern Peru copper refinery.  At this plant we learned all of the steps they take to make copper sheets.  At this refinery they receive the sheets of copper containing approximately 99.2% of copper and they then go through several steps to make the sheets 99.9% copper.   We learned a lot at this refinery and enjoyed our visit very much.

            We next spent some time relaxing at Andrea and Susan’s host family’s house.  They have a pool so we got sit outside and enjoy the sun.  Their family also cooked us lunch.  Some of us then stayed on the patio by the pool while some of the group went to the beach. 

            Our next stop for the day was at a University they have in Ilo.  Their university in Ilo is similar to a community college we have in the United States.  We got to tour their facility and see different classrooms they have.  We ended our evening by eating pizza at a local restaurant and then enjoying karaoke at a local discoteca.  

Photos from April 25th

Some of the pottery we saw at the Museum 

Outside the museum with our host for the day, Sandra

The first beach we visited

At the second beach we visited

Some of the boats in the harbor

Our team!

The ladies posing with the mermaid

The group with the Peruvian dancers the club surprised us with 

The group with the Ilo-Sur president, Sabino and our coordinator for Ilo, Rosa

April 25th - Ilo

         We started our morning by heading to the Museum Chiribaya located just outside of the city of Ilo.  At this museum we got to learn about some of the history and culture of this area.  They had different types of pottery for us to see as well as the history of the mummification process in this area.  We got to see some different types of artifacts the people in this area used in everyday life.   Most of these artifacts were pre-Inca time. 

            We then headed back into the city of Ilo and visited a couple of beaches.   We then went to lunch at a local restaurant.  After lunch we browsed several different types of markets, including their local fish market.  We ended our afternoon by heading back to the Plaza de Armas and enjoying some ice cream. 

            Our evening was spent with the Ilo – Sur club at their Rotary meeting.  After our formal presentations, the Rotary Club surprised us to a presentation of local dancers.   We were then treated to a buffet of local Peruvian food.  It was an very relaxing and enjoyable evening.  

Photos from April 24th

Our morning breakfast with the Arequipa - Sur Rotary Club at the bus stop 

Outside on the pool deck at the country club

Some of the coast line in Ilo 

More of the beach in Ilo 

The streets of Ilo 

April 24th - 1st Day in Ilo

          We traveled through the night to Arequipa and met again with the Arequipa-Sur Rotary Club at the bus stop for breakfast.  We greatly appreciate their kindness and generosity with waiting with us for our next bus to Ilo.  We then departed from Arequipa to Ilo where the Ilo – Sur Rotary Club greeted us. 

            After getting settled with our host families in Ilo we headed to a lunch at their country club.  We had the chance to meet and talk with some of the members of the Ilo-Sur Club.  After lunch we went out into the city of Ilo to see some of what the city has to offer.

Ilo is one of the smaller cities we have been to with a total population of a little more than 20,000 people.  Ilo is also a coastal city so there are a lot of beaches to see and it also makes this a very beautiful place to visit.  Some of us ended our evening by attending church while others spent time visiting with their host families.  

Photos from April 23rd

Christa and Bridgett touring the city of Cusco

Looking down into the plaza at the Contemporary Art Museum

Christa and Bridgett with Christa's host family 

Andrea and Jennifer showing how narrow the streets are in Cusco

A dance festival in the Plaza de Armas

A close up of one of the dancers at the street festival 

Susan with her host family, minus Luis. 

Andrea with her host family

Jennifer and her host mom

April 23rd - Last day in Cusco

       We spent our last day in Cusco touring the city at different spots.  We were able to see more places in the city that some of us wanted to see as well shop a little more in some of the markets.  We then visited with our host families one last time before getting on the bus to head to Arequipa and then to Ilo, our second to last city in Peru.  

Photos from April 22nd

The train that took us to Machu Picchu 

The village at the bottom of Machu Picchu.  

A panoramic shot taken of the mountain top. 

Looking out into the citadel

Looking down onto the terraces, another good perspective of how steep the mountain is. 

Machu Picchu

A detail of the terraces

Sitting on some of the steps built by the Incas

Walking into the citadel 

Another panoramic shot of the mountain top without the clouds

The group in front of Machu Picchu 

The beautiful landscape

Another group shot looking out into the citadel

Bridgett and Jennifer walking into the citadel 

The other peak, Wayna Picchu.  They allow 400 people a day climb this peak to see another perspective of Machu Picchu.  We unfortunately did not get to the mountain early enough to get in line for this, but it something that everyone recommends doing if you can handle the 1 1/2 hour hike. 

A more detailed look of some of the Inca construction 

Some orchids growing in the center of the citadel 

In the citadel looking up at the terraces, where we walked in from.  

One of the few construction issues they have at Machu Picchu.  Something they have not restored yet.  

Looking through a doorway out into the citadel

Nilo, our tour guide, showing us how to fly on top of Machu Picchu

The citadel up close

How did the Incas move these giant rocks? 

Some of the landscape around the citadel 

A condor monument built by the Incas.  On the ground is the head, while the body and the wing goes up to the right.  

A type of rabbit they have living in Machu Picchu 

Looking out into the central plaza 

A detail of some of their amazing construction 

Another perspective of the citadel 

Where we spent our second half of the day, hanging out watching the citadel and its visitors 

Hanging out at Machu Picchu 

Walking back to catch the bus

Our grass jewelry Andrea made for everyone from the grass of Machu Picchu 

Enjoying pizza, burgers, and cervezas at a local restaurant.