ready-set-go -- whoosh!

ready-set-go -- whoosh!

down the packed snow hill -- and then

the slow trudge back up

So glad to see children playing with their entire bodies not just their thumbs. Sledding was a major treat for me when I was growing up. The sled styles have changed -- now they're plastic saucers and lozenges colored like M&Ms. But the thrill of speeding down a snow-packed hill is the same as it has been for centuries. And there's also something satisfying about alternating fast down, slow up -- time to build anticipation.

          My sled was a Flexible Flyer, with powder-coated red steel runners and a birch-wood bed. Unlike the goose-neck wooden toboggan, you could steer the Flexible Flyer by pushing the front bar right or left. I was still sledding every winter even after I went off to college. When my sons came along, of course they each had a Flexible Flyer, with their names marked on the bar. Got a lot of wear and tear, including broken slats, but still flew down the hill. 

They still make the Flexible Flyer the way I remember, but the price has skyrocketed. This one costs $100.

And this reproduction of an older style sells for $350! But isn't it a beauty?

JUNTOS and the flag

JUNTOS and the flag

painted on every door in 

moon temple pueblo

While we are waiting in this small pueblo to be rescued from our bus stuck in the mud, children in school uniforms begin arriving and walking up the long, wide street to their homes, to enter doors painted with JUNTOS below a red and white flag. Juntos means "together" and I wondered if it was some sort of political campaign slogan. I always thought junta was a small, secret group united for a common purpose, but the signs on the doors are anything but secret and the Peruvian flag seems to indicate a national association. I find out from our guides that Juntos is a national program created in 2008 to support Peru's poorest households. Each family receives 100 soles (about $30 US) per month in cash after agreeing to send their children to school and provide them with basic healthcare. For many women it is the first time they ever held 100 soles in their hands at one time. Many people invest the money to generate more income for their families, so it is a win-win situation for everyone.

two girls with backpacks

two girls with backpacks

under a red umbrella

entering Machu Picchu

These two girls in blue uniforms with red and white stripes, walking in step arm-in-arm under a red umbrella with ears, seem to be entering a magic gateway into Machu Picchu. Their hometown, Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, is the junction point for travelers going to and from the ruins. A tiny town, it sits between two rushing rivers in a deep gorge below the ancient site. Trains run through the town, but no cars are allowed. If you walk to the top of this steep street, past shops and street vendors, you will find the hot springs for which the town is named.