Archive for the ‘Peru’ Category

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MSI Updates Fair Trade Webpage

30/03/2010

Boots from Peru

Handmade Peruvian boots and textiles have been added to Mountain Spirit Institute’s Fair Trade Webpage.  In addition,  easy-to-use checkout and “Add to Cart” buttons have been added. This webpage and sales are a fundraiser for this non-profit organization.

Handmade Peruvian Textiles

MSI has lowered the prices of all smaller sized boots to $80.00, and custom-made boots will be the same price as generic except for the cost-share of shipping from Peru by DHL.

All of Mountain Spirit Institute’s  products are sold with the original producers in mind, and are purchased and sold with fair trade practices.

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Posted in Fair Trade, Peru, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

New Book on Amantani Island, Peru

25/03/2010

Book on Amantani, Peru

Amantani en el Titikaka by native Amantani islander Marcelino Yucra Pacompia is available in local bookstores in Puno, Peru, and on the island of Amantani, Lake Titicaca, and possibly via the publisher’s website.

This first book available to the public on Amantani Island, is published in Spanish. It covers the geography, attractions, history, culture and customs, natural history plus social and political aspects of the island. Is also includes an important piece on the concept of Ayni or reciprocity, key the sense of community on the island.

Mountain Spirit Institute recommends this book as a good primer before visiting the island. We will see what we can do to have the book available on our website’s Fair Trade webpage.

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Posted in Books, Peru | Leave a Comment »

The InBox: Amantani Island, Peru

23/03/2010

Sustainable Travel, Off the Beaten Track, Lake Titicaca, Peru
Dear Randall,
I hope you don’t mind my contacting you. I saw your blog post about staying on Amantani Island and I wanted to ask your advice. I had been planning to go to the island and stay with Richard Cari at Kantuta Lodge. However, having read your post I am wondering if I should be staying elsewhere in order to be a bit fairer and in the interest of sustainable tourism – such as going to stay with the islanders who don’t usually see a lot of tourists.

I felt a bit nervous not booking something in advance and am also not sure how easy it would be to organise something like this (I will only have one night and we arrive in Puno the evening before we hope to go to the island). Do you know any responsible tour agencies who give back to the islanders and could help me find somewhere to stay? Or would you recommend just turning up and hoping to find a boat / somewhere to stay on the island?

Many thanks for any help you can give.
Kind regards,
Lucy H.

Hi Lucy,

Family Mamani, Occopampa, Amantani

Thanks for your email, and for your concern about sustainable tourism on Amantani on Lake Titicaca. Here are a few suggestions.
Richard Cari and family are good friends of mine, and we do hire his launch/boat to get our clients to the island, and although we might stay one night at his lodge, the lodge has evolved into something bigger than I want my participants to experience, (semester students excluded, plus Richard will help facilitate these longer programs). So we may bypass the lodge in favor of the other families who are wanting to have guests visit them. However, depending upon your comfort zone, and interest, you would enjoy Richard’s family and small lodge in any event. But more about staying with other families:

There’s no real problem with taking one of the boats run by the community of Amantani which you can pick up (more…)

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Posted in Archeology, Experiential Education, Inbox, Peru, Service, South America, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | Leave a Comment »

Mt. Huascaran, Highest in Peru: Images posted

14/03/2010

By D.R. Richards

Mt. Pisco, warmup for Huascaran

We’ve posted images on our Facebook page  from a Mt. Huascaran (21,812’/6767 m) expedition on which I was expedition co-leader. Click here to view the images, which range from climbing on route and images of the glaciated terrain and summits to some group shots.

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Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Peru, South America | Leave a Comment »

MSI Sponsors Fulbright Applicant

27/02/2010

Duke Student Plans for Film Making Project in Peru on Traditional Folklore Music
By D.R. Richards

Berkowitz applies for Fulbright

Avery Berkowitz will be sponsored by Mountain Spirit Institute should his application for a Fulbright Scholarship be accepted this spring. Berkowitz approached MSI in February to see if we were interested in providing contacts, support, and in-country affiliation for his film project, a documentary on traditional folklore music in Peru. The film will cover, not only the music, but the lives of the performers, as well as the impact the music has on audiences and the culture.

Guillermo Seminario, the muscial director of Chimu Inka, co-facilitator on MSI programs in the Cusco region, and key member on the Peru/USA Music Exchange in the U.S. will also provide support on the ground in Cusco.  The exposure could also be good for Chimu Inka, who, although are superb musicians, deserve to have their music and story told more than is presently happening for them. Any film coverage of their story would be beneficial.

Berkowitz is a student at Duke, and if accepted for the Fulbright, plans to head to Peru either in the summer of 2010 or 2011. We look forward to doing what we can to support Avery and wish him the best with his application.

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Posted in Film/DVD, Music, Peru, South America | Leave a Comment »

Peru’10 Cultural Immersion Program

16/02/2010

Specialists in Peru & Holistic Education Since 1998

Mountain Spirit Institute announces June 18th Holistic Learning Program in Peru
By R. Richards
Mountain Spirit first started leading programs to Peru in 1998. I guided high altitude mountains for Alpine Ascents International, such as Mt. Huascaran in Peru, Aconcagua in Argentina and other volcanoes in Ecuador prior to that for a number of years , but then decided holistic experiential education was more for me.

Hiking on Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca

Readers may have heard of  the term “nature deficit disorder”, coined by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods. MSI also addresses “cultural deficit disorder” by taking people to Peru.  We were doing Peru before it was fashionable, and know the country well. We focus on education, service, hiking, music and mountains. We’ll be headed to the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Lake Titicaca.

Our program is limited to 8 participants and will start on June 18th and last for 14 days. We will be staying with long time friends and educational partners. Our  logistics is well organized after leading many trips to Peru.

MSI Peru'09 with Cari Family, Amantani

Description of Curriculum:

MSI’s Cultural immersion focuses on learning rather than touristing, giving back through service, hiking in the Andes, weaving, agriculture, community building, learning music, language and indigenous shamanism and socioeconomic issues. Some hotels and lodges, but also family stays and off-the-beaten track. Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Cusco.  Oh, and  great time too.

Testimonials from two Peru’09 particpants:

Machu Picchu

Thank you for a wonderful time in Peru!! You offered us such a diverse opportunity to really connect with the people, customs and languages. Your continued kindness, constant patience and
positive attitude really helped. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a job well done, an unforgettable time..
G. B.
Peru 2009 Cultural Immersion

I liked meeting the real people of Peru. Randy’s example of energetic interaction with the people worked well and set a good tone for the program.
T. Y.
Peru 2009 Cultural Immersion
More Tesimonials

Stay tuned for more posts about more details, and what we’ll be doing on this year’s 2010 Cultural Immersion Program in Peru.  We hope you’ll consider joining us for a learning of a lifetime. See our detailed itinerary. Learn more about who’s leading the program. Also see posts on Peru to the right.

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Posted in Inner Work, MSI News, Peru, Power of Place, Service, South America, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | 1 Comment »

New Fundraiser for MSI

12/02/2010

Mountain Spirit is always looking for good ways to work with our friends in Peru, to give back,   also to help raise funds for our programs. Boot program fits the bill.

Handmade Fundraiser

By R. Richards
When we walked into Mariano’s boot shop in Cusco last summer we knew we were looking at high quality products. I trained as an apprentice boot maker in Austria, so I recognized the traditional European boot making techniques  when I saw them. And here they were in Cusco, Peru, in the form of high quality suede boots, custom made right in the shop. Mariano takes an outline of one’s foot, then gets to work. While we lived in Cusco we talked with him to see if we could order from the states. At an international fair we had put the boots out and they proved so popular, we decided to put them on our website. All proceeds go to the bootmaker, and to Mountain Spirit Institute to further our non-profit educational mission and programs. If you, or someone you know, would like a pair, read on and contact us.

MSI Handmade Peruvian Boots

Boots from Peru

–  Hand made from Cusco Peru
–  Unique, not mass marketed
–  Popular with the people who have ordered them so far.
–  Custom to your foot: We (or you can) outline your foot, and we send it via DHL courier   directly to Cusco where Mariano completes the order in three days and sends the boots back by DHL
– Suede leather
– Insulated
– Inlaid with traditional local handmade weavings, made on backstrap looms
– Lug Sole made by “Cat” (similar to Vibram)

Uggs Alternative

– Very comfortable
– Made to order.
– We place orders when we have nine or ten orders together.
– GENERIC SIZES OPTION: Some generic sizes are in stock and ship in 24hrs. Call for details.
-PRICES: Custom made $180.00 plus ground shipping in U.S. Price includes custom ordering and shipment from Peru by DHL. Generic sizes $140.00 plus shipping in U.S. from NH, USA
– Turn around time: 8-10 days from when order is sent from USA
-Available in New Zealand starting 8/2010

For further details or to place an order, please call 603-763-2668 or email us at info@mtnspirit.org

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Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News, Peru, Supporting MSI, Sustainable Travel | 2 Comments »

A Coloring Book, Then a Smile

30/01/2010

By D.R.Richards

Coloring for the first time, Amantani Island, Peru

The simple act of giving a child a coloring book on the high mountain island of Amantani on Lake Titicaca, where we have been taking small groups for years, bridges our cultures. It also helps reach out by giving a little something back. By no means is it as big as building a school, or other major project that other more established organisations are doing in Peru. As mother Teresa said, “Peace begins with a  smile,” and in this case a coloring book, then a smile.

We at Mountain Spirit Institute believe that to truly connect with others in our world, when we travel its good to reach out in anyway you can. Reaching out  might be that smile, the  coloring book,  or listening well to the people you’re visiting rather than building them what you think they need, a good lesson from Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea. Of course listening well implies you need a good interpreter or hopefully have studies the local lanquage, and I don’t mean Spanish.  Next time you travel, load up on some coloring books and colored pencils. Leave the chocolates at the city, and take some paper and pencils instead. The local kids will love it, and you’ll smile too.

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Posted in Peru, Service, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | Leave a Comment »

Airlifts from Machu Picchu Resume

28/01/2010

U.S. helicopters help Peru evacuate hundreds after rail line was cut
From AP
Image: Mountain Spirit Institute

Helicopter at Aquas Caliente, MP. MSI file photo

Helicopters ferried almost 600 more tourists from the Machu Picchu area after rains slackened Wednesday, leaving up to 1,600 travelers still stranded by mudslides blocking the only land route from the famed Inca citadel.

Authorities said airlifts would continue throughout the week because more tourists had shown up at the evacuation site on foot after completing treks along the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, the 15th century Incan fortress that is 8,000 feet above sea level.

Rain-fueled mudslides on Sunday cut the train line that is the only transport link to the remote region atop an Andean mountain ridge. Adding to the worries, tourists flown out Wednesday reported that a rain-swollen river had eroded the site where rescue helicopters are landing.

Stranded tourists charged they are being victimized by price-gouging because food, water and accommodations are scarce in the now isolated Machu Picchu Pueblo, a village of 4,000 residents.

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Posted in Climate Change, Peru, Traveling | Leave a Comment »

Room for Improvement at Machu Picchu

28/01/2010

Tourists ‘bribe their way out of flooded Machu Picchu’
By Hannah Strange
From: MSNBC

Bus Road to MP, Image: MSI File Photo

British backpackers were among 1,500 tourists trying to escape from Peru’s Inca citadel of Machu Picchu yesterday, which has been cut off by floods and landslides.

As food supplies dwindled and hostels ran out of space many tourists were sleeping in the railway station and the town’s main square while they waited to be rescued by helicopter.

“The situation is about to erupt,” Rudy Chalco, a tour guide with a group of elderly Europeans, told the Peruvian daily newspaper El Comercio. “We don’t have any more food, disorder is starting to reign, the soldiers and police don’t know what to do or how to organise the help that has arrived, people are getting desperate and no one is taking charge.”

Some tourists were paying up to $500 (£300) for a seat on one of the helicopters, he said.

Fernando Celis, one of 300 Chileans stranded in Machu Picchu, said that people were bribing rescuers. “A helicopter arrived yesterday to take out the elderly and the unwell and some tourists who had more money. There are almost no North Americans left, only the backpackers. People on tours who were waving their money about, they were all evacuated,” he said.

He added that local vendors had doubled their prices. Read the rest of this story

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Posted in Climate Change, Peru, Room For Improvement | Leave a Comment »

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