crazy stuff

A Passage to the Underworld!!

2007-10-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

I was visiting a Maya village in Guatemala. I went for a walk in the morning I came upon what looked like a small swamp or pond. The pond was deep into the ground and looked very mysterious. When I came back to the village I asked my friend from there what it was. He said it was a Cenote, a passage to the Underworld. Every morning I walked passed the Cenote, imagining and wondering what would happen if someone had jumped in. Would they really go down to the underworld?
One morning I decided I just couldn't sit around and keep wondering. I wanted to know! So I decided that I would jump into the Cenote. I looked around so that no one could see me and jumped. I came down crashing into the water. It felt as though something was pulling me down. I grasped or air, trying to pull myself out of the scary water. I couldn't breath and the air in me was losing. I had no idea what i had gotten myself into.
The next thing I knew I was swimming in a pool with many souls. It was terrifying, my voice screeched in terror. I swam as fast as I could souls of Mayan people grabbing onto me, as I reached to edge of the pond I relized that I was no longer in the jungle. I was in the Underworld!

I think blogging is helping me synthesize the things we are learning about because it's fun to right things into a story in your own words. It also helps me visualize it as well.

The mysterious lines

2007-10-23T07:38:00.000-07:00

My name's Maria Reiche, and since I was young I've wondered what the mysterious lines, in the Peruvian desert, were. I've walked along the lines just thinking of why the Nazca made them. I've heard of the many theories people have and I also have a theory of my own. I haven't told anyone this for fear that it might just be shot down by many other astronomers and archaeologists. I know that someday I must tell someone of my idea for I am old now and don't know how much onger I will be around.

Hiking to Machu Picchu

2007-10-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm hiking to Machu Picchu on the Inca trail. It will take four days to complete my journey. At least I have my friends here with me to keep me company. When we first start the journey it takes a few hours to reach the Inca trail. Once we were on the Trail for many hours all we could see was trees and bushes and plants everywhere. When it came to be dark we set up our sleeping bags. Everyone was exhausted. The next day we would stop in a small market next to Machu Picchu to trade for food and other things.

The next day I woke up right as the sun was just barely showing. My friends were still in their sleeping bags sound asleep. I went to find sticks and leaves to make a fire to cook some breakfast for us. As I walked up the trail I found the strangest thing that i didn't not expect at all. There was a silver llama just standing thereI wasn't wearing any carrying baskets and there was no rope around it. It was a stray llama just wondering around. I didn't kno what to do so I woke up my friend emily. She just stood there in amazement. The llama came closer Emily backed off, but I stayed still. The silver llama looked kind and gentle. There was no need to be afraid of it. I've heard before that a silver llama was to bring luck, health, peace, and happiness to it's master. As we left that day to the the market to trade, the silver llama followed. We decided to name it larry.

Larry turned out to be very helpful and he was alson very kind. When we traded our things for food and clothing we also got a carrying basket for him. Larry would carry our things and that made everything go much quicker. As we reached the hill to where we could see all of Machu Picchu, tlhough there was still a long way to go, we stopped and looked at the view around us. the butiful mountains with clouds surrounding the tips of them. The Ancient buildings of the Inca. Then, we started down the hill toward the city.

The next day when we were haflf way up the large mountain.

Fishing on Lake Titicaca

2007-10-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

My family and I take a train to lake Titicaca. It's been delayed so we have to wait a few hours before we can get going. Finally two and a half hours later we start moving down the rusty tracks. Two days later we reach Peru were we meet up with my grandparents we own a small cottage near Lake Titicaca. I put my things down at there cottage and then my cousin and I walk to the lake, where we meet up with Marcelo, my grandmother's old friend. Marcelo is a fisherman on the lake and he promised to show us what it's like.
He takes us out onto the lake in small reed boats that his friend makes for him. The reed is very strongly woven together. Marcelo hands us each a large net to dip into the water and try to catch some fish. I caught 3 small ones but they weren't big enough to eat so we through them back. My cousin caught 2 little ones that we also had to through back. Marcelo caught many large fish. He's had many years of practice.
After a few hours fishing we work our way bak home. Grandmother has made fish, which my cousin and I were a bit sick of. Tomorrow we will leave for Buenos Aires in Argentina.

A trip to El Salto de Angel

2007-09-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Sam and I'm on my way to Venezuela to see the waterfall El Salto del Angel. I've been on this plane for many hours and now we've finally arrived at the airport in Venezuela. I'm so excited to leave the plane that I'm practically jumping out of my seat! When i look out the window of the plane I see many trees and swamps. I can't wait to see the waterfall!

After we left the airport we started driving to the waterfall right away. It took a while to get there but it was worth it. My sister and I are going to jump off the the water fall with a parachute. I'm a bit scared but I'm sure that in the end I'll be happy I did it. We get strapped up as the instructor tells us what to do. Finally, we're ready to jump. My sister goes first with the wind blowing her hair everywhere. Now it's my turn. I get into the ready stance and jump! The view is beautiful. The wind blows through me as if I'm not even there. I can hear the water rushing down but besides that all is silent. I pull my chute and the wind catches it as i slowly float down. The expierence was awsome!