My South America Excellent Eleven...

...because a Top 10 is so cliche.

11. Spying penguins, from a rocky boat. Islas Ballestas. Paracas, Peru. There aren't a lot of places in the world where you can see penguins waddling along in their natural habitat. Luckily for me, I was able to go on a (relatively inexpensive) tour where our very skilled boat driver took us extremely close to the rocky outcroppings, in very rough waters, which the Humboldt penguins call home.

10. Strolling through the Witch's Market. La Paz, Bolivia. This is, without a doubt, the only place I have been where you can pick up a llama fetus, talisman, and an aphrodisiac on the street. The dried fetuses were the most bizarre sight amongst the goods for sale, and are buried by the poor when a new home is constructed.

9. Bodega Wine Sipping. Cafayate, Argentina. I have never been a big fan of wine, nor do I know much on the subject. In Cafayate, as a result of perfect conditions, the myriad bodegas and vineyards make the divine drink difficult to avoid. Over the period of a few days we visited four vineyards, giving me an appreciation for the work that goes into producing the stuff. And, the free samples were a nice bonus too!

8. Overnight family stay on the tranquil Taquile Island. Lake, Titicaca, Peru. Truly, this entire tour was really quite pleasant, and a bargain at that. The unique, man-made, Uros islands were fascinating, as were the cultural & societal norms on Amantani (island). But, sharing a home with a humble family on the incredibly quiet Taquile island was the frosting on the proverbial cake. Beyond their graciousness and the town dance (in which we participated), it was quite relaxing to hear sheep out the window, rather than incessant horn honking.

7. Hiking to hidden waterfalls along the Rio Colorado. Cafayate, Argentina. We almost didn't make it to this hidden gem, as I was too cheap to shell out some $5 to have a local kid guide us. Luckily, some young girls saw me leading us up the wrong riverbank and corrected our course. After a two-hour walk we arrived at the third, and most spectacular, waterfall. The water was extremely frigid, but we had brought our suits and were obligated to utilize them. After another small group left we were the only people at this great little spot, making us feel like the only people in the world. (Sadly, the walk back out, plus 5 more kilometers back to town, wasn't romantic, so much as backbreaking.)

6. Sandboarding & riding a dune-buggy in the desert. Huacachina, Peru. This place is truly a little oasis, and a great getaway from the main tourist track in Peru. Surrounded by a lake, this seemingly sleepy village is perfect for a postcard, as seen from a distance. Get a little closer and it becomes clear that this is a haven for adrenaline junkies and young backpackers looking to let loose. Although we didn't exactly fit the profile it was nice for a couple of days. And the highlight was doing 60 mph up and down sand dunes, only to be let out of the buggy and given a board to ride down on.

5. Climbing to the top of Huayna Picchu with the sun rise. Machu Picchu, Peru. Getting up at 4:30am isn't usually very rewarding. But when the payout is a picture-perfect day on a peak nearly 1,200 feet above the ancient site of Machu Picchu it's more than worthwhile. Getting up to the top is about a two-hour hike, at a very reasonable pace. It's pretty steep at times, but certainly possible for anyone in decent shape. Only 400 people are allowed to climb Huayna Picchu everyday, so get there early and get your admission ticket stamped. The only drawback is that it's packed at the top!

4. Following the Che Guevara trail. La Higuera & Vallegrande, Bolivia. I learned a lot about the iconic revolutionary hero as we followed the last days before his execution, arriving at the spot his lifeless body was photographed by the world press exactly 43 years, to the day, after the historic execution. He was certainly an amazing man, who held noble ideals and gave himself to causes he believed in worldwide. His greatest flaw led to his untimely demise: an unwillingness to negotiate via any means other than force.

3. Gazing down the Devil's Throat. Iguazu Falls, Argentina. With 275 individual falls, Iguazu is truly a spectacle to behold. From the Argentine side there are a number of breathtaking vistas from which to admire the rushing water, with some catwalks close enough for a good soaking. But, the highlight of Iguazu is certainly La Garganta Del Diablo, better known as the Devil's Throat. You are perched right above the gigantic U-shaped waterfall, rife with rainbows and fluttering birds, which make their nest behind the mighty falls.

2. Partying til the break of dawn with a fellow Northsider (and her studly Argentine man). Buenos Aires, Argentina. They say that Porteños party like nobody else, and Chelsea and Ale certainly showed us that was the case. After a dinner, sometime around 10pm, we started off with a couple of libations at their pad, only to head out to the FIRST party just after midnight. We hit the club as the clock neared 3am! And when we finally emerged from the subterranean disco the sun had already made her appearance...for the following day!

1. Kickin' it with capuchins @ Inti Wara Yassi. Villa Tunari, Bolivia. If you are a frequent reader of my blog you may find this a bit contradictory to statements I made in the blog about this experience. True: it was grueling work with long days and no time off. True: the dormitory conditions are slightly better than horrendous. That being said, it's hard to fathom something more rewarding on this journey, thus far. I was privileged to have the honor of working with capuchins in their natural habitat. While the alpha male would, occasionally, challenge me by jumping on my back or showing his very sharp teeth, some of the others would groom me, or even nap in my lap. It is certainly not for the faint of heart, but is an incredible experience and one I will never forget.