My new blog

the site for backpackers in Cusco:

www.peruenroute.wordpress.com

See you en route!

Wealth

Do not become blind by the purse of richness of money. Try to be rich in your soul too.

The Book of Luke 12:15 says:

"Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man´s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth".

You will not take material things when you leave this life.

Heart

Even though you have gone through bad times, there is always hope of better days.

The Book of Psalms 95: 8 says:

"Harden not your heart".

Keep your soul and mind positive and enthusiastic.

Blessing

My grandfather taught me that you should not end the day without talking about your differences with anybody else so you can go to bed in peace.

The Book of Peter 3: 8-9 says: "Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethen, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing".

Even without a word you can hurt or make happy anyone else.

Carpe diem

Life is not a destination, it is just a journey, which lasts a blink of an eye. So seize the day.

The Book of James 4:14 says:

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away".

Carpe diem.

Love others

Our self-esteem would be even greater if we share our feelings with other people.

The Book of Matthew 7:12 says:

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye so do to them: for this is the law and prophets".

The best way to keep from selfishness is love.

Patience

If you are in a hurry, just stop, take a deep breath and you will feel better.

The Book of James 1: 4 says:

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing".

You wouldn´t get anywhere unless you are patient.

Worth

Do not make material things your priority in life. Rather, keep your mind and soul growing.

1st Timothy 6:8 says:

"And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

One way to feel happiness is being satisfied with what we have.

Respect

Each one of us is special and important so all deserve good treatment.

The Book of Hebrews 10: 24 says:

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works"

This is true eventhough time changes "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

Self-control

Are you wise enough to find the perfect balance between our physical and spiritual needs?

The Book of Hebrews 12:11 says:

"Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Self-control is one way of wisdom.

Slow down

There is no doubt that most of us are in a hurry every day, and that may lead us to anxious and stressful thoughts.In that case, just slow down your path, and stop for a moment to contemplate your surrounding.

The Book of Mattew 6:26 says:

"Behold the fowls of the air..."

We can find peace of mind and soul if we just take a moment for ourselves.

Humble

We may have almost everything and we should think that we know more than anyone else, but keep yourself from pride, because there should always be someone wiser, richer and better than we.
The Book of Psalms 36:11 says:

"Let not the foot of pride come against me".

Humility of thought and behaviour will eventually open us more doors than pride.

Soul

If you trust in your soul and heart, you will have an invencible friend.

The Book of Ephesians 5:9 says:
"For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth."

Our inner world is more powerful than our body.

Inside

If we give much importance to our look, we may become proud of ourselves and critical toward others. The Book of Mark 7:15 says:

"There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man".

What really counts and matter is the things on the inside: attitudes, behaviours, feelings and thoughts. We ought to keep from bitternes and judgemental attitudes.

Be sincere and honest

We may think that only an outright lie is deplorable, but even a cover-up or a slight lie is regrettable.
The Book of Proverbs 25: 14 says:

"Whoever boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain".

Let's make sincerity and honesty a daily-basis habit.

inner world

We may have a lot of things to do not only at home, but also at work or university. But we ought to bear in mind our inner world too, whether you name it soul, spirit, heart, feelings or conscious.
The Book of Galatians 5: 22-23 says:

"the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance"

It is good to work out our body, but it is also important to develop our inner world.

listen and ask

If you happen to witness a discussion between two or more people, the first thing you ought to do is take time to investigate the facts and listen to all sides of the matter. That will help you avoid wrong conclusions.
The Book of Deuteronomy 13: 12-14 says:

If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; Then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently.

The value of listening is not nearly as great as the value of jumping to wrong conlusions, which is one of the greatest of all dangers. So, listen and ask, always.

No complain

It is easy to complain. However, it is a challenge to live complaint-free lives.
As Philippians says in 2:14:

"Do all things without murmurings (complaining) and disputings"

Live above and beyond complaint.

truth

When we say something or talk to other people, we ought to avoid criticism as well as flattery. Rather, "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another...Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Ephesians 4: 25, 29

We better think; then, we may speak.

We all have bad days or go through confusing circumstances, but if we look for help and trust someone, we may likely find relief and peace of soul and mind. As The Book of Luke says in 1: 78-79:

"the dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death".

We all need somebody to listen and to be listened, this is a truth nobody can deny.

Hotel California song

Hotel California
On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dimmer
I had to stop for the night.
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself
'This could be heaven or this could be Hell'
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,I thought I heard them say...
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face.
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year) you can find it here
Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys, that she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So I called up the Captain,'Please bring me my wine'
He said, 'we haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nine'
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face.They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling,The pink champagne on ice
And she said, 'we are all just prisoners here, of our own device'
And in the master's chambers,They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast
Last thing I remember, I was Running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before
'Relax' said the night man,
'We are programmed to receive.
You can check out any time you like,
But you can never leave!

i always wonder what was the meaning of this song. Does it have something to do with life after death, the Heaven or Hell?
Does it have something to do with religion? I am open to any kind of creed or religion, so if you know about other faith other than Christian, just let me know what you know.

A nation, many languages

Languages are one of the most important human achievements. They´re developed at the community level. Thus, it´s saidthat its nature is mostly cultural. Moreover, cultural diversity means an array of knowledge, and how life or realityis understood.Each language and dialect has its own system of distributing its linguistic elements, which includes sentenceconstruction, pronunciation, word formation, and meaning organization.Throughout Central and Latin America, the predominant language is Spanish (except Brazil, a portuguese-speakingcountry). Nowadays, more than 320 million people speak spanish, making this language the second most widely spokenafter mandarin (chinese). Spanish derives from Latin, so it uses Roman script. And, in general, the way you speak orpronounce is like the way you write or spell.A nation, many languagesAccording to the current peruvian Constitution of 1993, official languages are castellano (spanish), quechua, aimara andthe aboriginal tongues. The last census of 2007 showed that 83.9% of all peruvian population speak spanish as theirmother tongue. Peruvian spanish is regarded as one of the purest of all. However, we can´t say that it´s standardacross the country. How peruvians speak vary from coast, highlands, and jungle.People from the Amazon Basin that comprises eastern departments alongside the border to Colombia, Brazil and Boliviasuch as Loreto, Ucayali, and Madre de Dios speak as if they were singing with a peculiar accent or ´dejo´ in spanish.So do happen on the north coast in the departments of Piura and Tumbes, next to Ecuador.Many andean indians don´t pronounce spanish well, because their mother tongue is quechua or aimara, which have adifferent phonetics than spanish. In rural areas, this gap is much more noticeable.The cleanest spanish is found on coastal urban cities, especially in Lima, Trujillo, Chiclayo, and Tacna (on the borderto Chile).In addition to changes in pronunciation, there is a slightly differences in enunciation. Almost each area has aparticular manner to name a few things and express ideas, which is known as ´regionalismos´.A common mistake is a kind of cluster. For example, cuñado (brother-in-law), and agotado (sold out) become cuña´o,and agota´o. Some interjections such as oye or pues become o´e and pu´e.Slang and jargon are continously changing, and it´s used especially by the youth. Thus, pantalon (trousers), chofer(chauffeur), mujer (woman) and hotel turn out lompa, fercho, jerma, and telo.Other examples: estoy apurado (i am in a hurry), ser un experto (be an expert) would be said: estoy apurimac, and ser untrome. Also, ser estudioso (like studying), and ser tonto (be lazy) become ser chancon, and ser corcho.If you make a mistake, you would say: me quincie rather than me equivoque.As an example of jargon, gang teenagers greet each other as: hola, causita, instead of hola, amigo (hello, my friend).More ways to say amigo (friend): collera, pata, chochera, and even brother.It is rare, but it may happen that peruvians themselves endure some difficulties understanding echa other, even thoughthey speak spanish, especially if they are of different age, region or socioeconomic status.

love: easy or complicated?

Whether or not we think about them, feelings and sensations play a key role in anyone´s lifetime.
In the novel ´La llamada de la carne´ by Frederik Koning the main character Apolonios, as he studies to be a doctor, he wonders about his inner world as well as his senses. Neron rules the roman empire, and people worship different gods and goddesses, and christians begin to increase in number and represent a threat to the goverment, which starts to pursue and execute them.
At the very beginning of the novel, when Apolonios is just 14 years old, and works as his father´s apprentice, he witnesses a sad event: the dead of a slave woman when she is about to give birth. He feels sorrow because she meant something for him, eventhough they were never together as a couple. However, he soon forgets her. This puzzles him. what does anybody need to make a bond last longer: a pledge, vow, kiss or caress?. This first notion would become a background to compare his upcoming experiences.
Few years later, being a student at the Asklepieion, the school of doctors, Apolonios finds and enjoys sex. As a guest at friends´s homes, he is allowed to overnight with slave women. Besides, his classmates or colleagues takes him to the house of women. He is driven by passion and lust, but he asks himself whether or not there is a reality far beyond the sensual reality; something that exists behind the reality of his own body farther than his mere senses.
Not long after, he answers his own question when he meets and falls in love with Frine, a yound and beautiful woman who wants to be an actress. He is willing to commit and marry her. Having to play in Rome, Frine leaves him, but promises to come back. During her absent, he decides to be faithful to her, and denies any invitation to spend nights with slave women. However, one night as one slave is washing his feet, he can´t help having sex with her. He believes that this is just a failure of his senses, and he recognizes his own weakness. Nevertheless, he still loves Frine. He is sure that complete happiness exists if both feel and share their love. Life makes an unexpected turn, though: Frine never comes back. Apolonios ponders: is it that men´s nature is always to give while women´s is always to demand or require?, would women´s sacrifice be the giving of her virginity or the giving birth of children?, has Frine given herself away as he has?. Now he knows that Frine´s career as an actress is more important than her relationship with him.
He meets other women, but his thoughts about love and desire remain a mystery to him: would it be that affection start and grow through a strong desire of the flesh?, where is the boundary between love and sexual desire? Through our entire life, our own experiences can mould our points of view and behavior. As Demetrios, Apolonios´ teacher, says: time makes things change, and we also change through time. However, he adds that love, happiness, suffer, hatred, and jealousy are passions that never change.
Apolonios, as a doctor and scientist, try to find a reasonable explanation, but it is a woman, Foibe, who tells him that human thinking makes love a tough issue, when, in fact, love is an easy matter: when you find it, there won´t be any doubt in your heart. Love creates beauty, in your body and spirit too.
He also witnesses another kind of love. Many christians rather die before rejecting their faith because they strongly believe that the supreme love is God, infinite and sublime, who is able to redeem human from his own misery.
Almost at the end of the novel, the matter of love seems to keep unresolved, as one of Apolonio´s friend, Helenos, claims that love is just an abstract and subjective concept which only serves to measure a pleasant or unpleasant experience. Now Apolonios is about 25 years old, and he thinks that his friend is wrong. He believes that the most important thing about love is to regard himself as a spiritual unity with the loved one. Finally, he states that the true love is mutual understanding.
Once i read this verse: i love because i like you. All in all, the search and find of love is just a personal challenge and achievement.

History of the conquest of Peru

A few days ago i finished reading "History of the conquest of Peru" by W. H. Prescott.The book has five books or parts with 32 chapters and one appendix which contains documents and letters from the chroniclers and conquistadors, though most of them are presented in spanish.The author gives a general overview of the inca culture and society in the first book or part. It doesn't contain too much detail for the person who want to know more about this culture, though it is useful if you just want to have an idea of the political, economical and social organization of these peoples before the arrival of the Spaniards.However, from the second part until the last one, the author leads the reader to the events that changed history in this part of the world from the discovery of this "new" continent by the europeans until the middle of the XVI century.The reader becomes a vivid witness of the lives and deeds of the main characters of this story, especially of the spaniard conquistadors whose leader was Francisco Pizarro. On the other hand, inca names or characters seldom appear, except of the last two incas Huascar and Atahualpa, and the inca who was enthroned by the spaniard: Manco Inca, who, at first, followed the foreigners, but after a few years, he run away from them and lay seige the capital of the inca kingdom, Cusco. Eventually he was defeated by the conquistadors and so this original and unique culture.However, history continues with the fight between the two conquistadors, Pizarro and Almagro. This civil war would spread the blood of Pizarros's brothers and Almagro's son too. The spanish crown sent two emissaries to crack down this revolt. The first, Vaca de Castro, was defeated. The second, the clergy Blasco Nuñez de Vela was able to end this civil war in the batlle of Huarina in the middle of the sixteeth century. Every event is told with minute detail by the author, so reading the book seems to be as watching the events with your own eyes.

Independence Day

July the 28th is Peru's Independence Day. 187 years ago, in 1821, we got our freedom as a nation or country.
Today, monday, is a holiday as well as tomorrow all around Peru. Some people have already travelled since friday night so that they may enjoy more free time until tuesday, when most people would come back home overnight just in time to go to work wednesday morning.
On friday night, bus stops are crowded with people. You can easily stumble through dozens of suitcases and backpacks. Bus fares or tickets become expensive; most of the time they double their original price. However, people would take advantage of this chance to travel around.
I used to go on hiking and camping with some friends. Nowadays i prefer to stay home since wherever you go, there would be too many people and noise. I choose peace and quiet.
On monday morning, the President of the nation addresses a speech in the Congress after attending the mass Te Deum in the cathedral. On the 29th, there is always a military parade near downtown.
Most houses and cars carry the peruvian flag and we usually say: Viva el Peru, carajo!

Holy Warriors DVD

Holy Warriors DVD
I no longer go to the movie. On the other hand, i rarely watch Tv. However, from time to time, i happen to see some DVD`s. I am fond of not only fiction films but also documentary ones.
Lately, i have seen a drama-documentary called The Holy Warriors that i strongly recommend to those who like history.
In 1187 a muslim king, Saladin or Salah al-Din sieged and took Jerusalem back from the christians who had taken that city a few years ealier. That was the beginning of the Third Crusade which was commanded by the king of England Richard the First, byname Richard the Lionheart.
The film tells the story of the lives of both kings and the encounter and struggle between two different cultures, the Christian and the Muslim, in order to take control of the holy city.
The muslim king is depicted as a sober man who thought that his sacred duty was to seize Jerusalem back to muslims, and he was regarded as a merciful man because he spared the lives of the christians who were taken as prisoners when he captured that city. On the other hand, the king of England the First is showed as a brave soldier who did not doubt to kill his infidel enemies, and from that on he was known as lion-hearted.
Eventually, he failed to capture back Jerusalem though both kings got a peace agreement in 1192. The film presents interviews to sholar from both sides which gives an impartial overview of this part of history.

The Joshua Tree

The Joshua Tree by U2
This is one of my favorite discs. The song that i like the best is, of course, "with or without you". I had not known very much about this band until i heard this song many years ago. As a matter of fact, if i am not wrong, that song made the band known worldwide, or at least, here in my country, Peru.
I remember the first time i heard it, i immediately caught the rhythm and the lyrics. Soon after that, i learned the whole lyrics, and i used to sing it as much as i could.
Actually, a few years passed until a female friend gave me the disc as a birthday present. I used to sing that song with her, because we were very fond of the melody. I did not expect this gift, but i couldnot help feeling very happy, after all, it wasnot a copy, but an original issue.
This song is one of the eleven songs which complete the disc, most of it has a sad or melancholy feeling, such as "running to stand still", "one tree hill", and "mothers of the disappeared". The lyrics keeps showing that feeling through the first two tracks: "where the streets have no name" and "i still haven't found what i'm looking for", though these songs sound more powerful and aggresive.
However, there are some songs which have a subtle meanings which make them like poetry such as "in god's country", "trip through your wires", and "exit". I suppose most of the songs have to do with the Bible and its message. That is why the disc is called The Joshua Tree.

Zwak is het vlees

"Zwak is het Vlees" by Frederik Koning
A few days ago i began to read this novel. It is about the life of a young man named Apolonios, who wants to become a doctor like his father, Demetrios. The story takes place in the first century during the Roman empire.
The young student has to move from his hometown to other cities in order to study medicine. As he studies medicine, he gets acquaintance with many philosophers' point of views about important topics such as faith, desire and love.
Apolonios is reluctant about the new sect called Christian, however, more and more people take the decision to convert to this new religion and avert their old belief in greek, roman or egyptian gods or goddesses. As a doctor, he doesnot believe in miracles, and with other students he tries to find a reasonable answer to this phenomenon.
As he grows up, he is puzzled about his own desires and feelings. There are more questions than answers, as if the author would try to make the reader find their own answers. The main doubt is about the subtle line which divides love and mere desire.
By the way, the spanish translation of the book is "La llamada de la carne", which in english would be like "the call of the flesh". Actually, i donot even know what language is the original.
The book is interesting because it deals with real history and philosophy ideas which i would develop on other post.

backpacker

i have been a backpacker since i was 14 years old.
At school my friend Nestor Oshiro suggested a group of us to go campings. I remember that nine schoolmates accepted to go. At the end, he and i were the only two who went. The spot was Cieneguilla, a countryside near a river. There were many woods and we overnighted not inside a tent, but under a sheet of plastic. It was a cold night and i swore i would never do that again. However, a few months later i was heading to another adventure. I managed to know a group of elderly people who go out to make small walds around the country. They walked at a slowly pace so you could admire the landscape. At evenight, however, we all returned home. I realized, then, that what i really wanted to do was to overnight under a sky full of stars and listen to the sound of nature.

english or spanish?

Yesterday, i could not update my blog. I was so busy and tired that i just wanted to go to bed when i get home last night. I recognized it was my fault, but my goal is to update this page every day. I hope i live up to my decision.
Well, my native languaje is spanish. However, i have learned english as well. As a matter, i am still learning how to communicate with those two languages though as a second language, english, is a little bit more difficult for me to handle in listening as well as writing and speaking.
Thus, one of my first concerns was to decide what language i would use to build this blog. At first, i thought to use both languages eventhough i would not necessarily mean to translate one into the other. However, i thought that it would be time-consuming so at the end i chose to use english so that i can aslo practice it a little bit.
I wish my writing would be easy to understand, but you know: practice makes perfect. If you spot any mistake, your suggestions would be very welcome.
Finally, i have to say that when i was at school i was bad at english class or lesson. I did not even understand the use of modals verbs such as "do" and "does". However, after school, i decided to study english and from that day on, i am fond of this second language. Keeping learning it has become a hobbie to me.

how this blog started

At last, this is like a dream come true. I am writing my own blog. I was thinking about it, but it really took me a lot of time to make up my mind. My first concern was what i could write about.
I remember the sentence "keep it simple", so i decided to write about my hobbies or pastimes. who doesnot have a hobby or pastime?
As everything else, hobbies may vary along our entire life. They may differ as if we were children, teenagers or adults. However, they are always with us. The reason is simple: they give us relax, leisure and joyfulness, no matter if we are alone or in group, poor or rich, healthy or ill.
Actually i have done and still do many things on my spare time which i really enjoy. They go from the most ordinary and simple activities to the most, how would i say it?, personal, exquisite or expensive things you can ever imagine. Most expensive hobbies have been a one-time experience though, i should say. Never mind, i think they all help to show who i am and what are the things that i am eager and anxious to do.
i would like to share this amazing world of hobbies with everybody and i hope you enjoy this work. Thus, it would also become one of your favorites hobbies.