Rustic Bicycle

Although there is relatively a lot of traffic in the Sacred Valley town of Urubamba, you still see many bikes parked along the curb. People duck into small, hidden doorways on their bikes or they might just dump them on the secluded, dusty sidewalk for convenience. Sometimes, like I observed on numerous occasions in Costa Rica, you may see a teenager balancing their younger sibling, who is sitting between the seat and the handlebars, on the crossbar.

This image is everywhere in Peru. Especially in my favorite place — The Sacred Valley.

Downtown Cusco at Night

The walk up the hill from the Plaza de Armas, along Calle Suecia, brings you to one of my all-time favorite viewpoints. On one side, you have the sprawling ruins of Sacsayhuaman (sexy woman), and on the other side, you have this.


At night, the bustling city, which is nestled in a bowl between mountains at approximately 11,500 feet above sea level, is aglow with the lights from the cathedrals and main thoroughfares. I could spend a lot of time here, as it is far enough removed from the noise of cars and barking dogs to observe in relative silence.

This particular photo is taken from a Catholic church perched atop the hill the entrance to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman. Stone and concrete benches are placed throughout the ancient Spanish courtyard, and on any given night you will find at least a half-dozen high school-aged lovebirds cuddling while taking in the view.

Fascinating Cusco Doors

The more you walk around the oldest continually inhabited city in South America, the more you learn about its past through the doors — the wear and tear, the dirt, the multiple coats of thick paint, the colors, and even the surrounding walls.




Below: Probably one of the oldest Spanish doors I have seen in Cusco.


Below: This door is to a fancy Cusco restaurant in the Plaza de Armas.

Cusco, Peru: Doors

During our four days in Cusco, Peru in early January, I made pictures of various doors throughout the city. As we wandered through the alleys and streets, the color, the age and the different styles of doors grabbed our attention. Many are probably from the Spanish conquest — the 500-year-old church doors, at least. They are so vibrant. And, collectively, they tell a story of the city's past.

Catching Up with Travels in Peru

After taking a bit of a hiatus from travel blogging and work in Costa Rica, I would like to catch up with some visuals from a brief stint in Peru after Christmas 2007.

The Hubers recently found work in Whatcom County, Washington. Living in Bellingham, Chris is working as the sports and education reporter/photographer/editor for the Ferndale Record-Journal, while Julie is working as an instructional assistant for the ESL program at Burlington-Edison High School.

That's an excuse for not blogging as of late. However, we have not forgotten about the unending demand for user-based and -generated information and media (YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, etc.).

First things first...

Travels in Peru


The world-famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain" in Quechua) is now a wonder of the world.

Just Chillin'

A man stands in a storefront in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. Evidence of the trademark "Pura Vida!" (Pure Life!) lifestyle throughout Costa Rica is the sight of (mostly older) men standing in doorways or in front of stores for hours on end. Many of those I met were old friends who hang out every day together and simply love to chat with people passing by.


Local men stand in front of a small general store in Boquete, Panama. For anyone, local or gringo aside, who is friendly and willing to chat, they will talk your ear off, giving tips for traveling in the area or stories about Boquete life in the past.





— Christopher

Pigeons Everywhere

Pigeons take flight over people relaxing in the Plaza of Culture in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. I have to be ready for whatever happens, so I always leave my camera on. I was able to catch the pigeons take off en masse above all of the people lounging in the plaza during the lunch hour because my camera was hanging from my shoulder. This was shot while walking through the city on my way back from an assignment. All I did was turn around and pull the trigger.


Pigeons surround a couple sitting in the Plaza of Culture in San Jose. Once the birds find someone with food, they all swarm to the source.


A father watches his daughter feed some pigeons in the Plaza of Culture in San Jose.


— Christopher

Homeless in San Jose

From time to time, I snapped shots like this while walking back to the office after an assignment. People sitting or sleeping in doorways and under roof overhangs is a common sight. This area had virtually no pedestrian traffic, so it is a quiet place for some to rest. During the rainy season, any type of cover will do for those with no place to go.


— Christopher

Costa Rica Street Photography

The next few posts will be of everyday scenes from my experience working in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. Most, if not all, of these photos are candid shots that were taken from about hip level while simply walking through the city — slice-of-life moments. The goal is to capture people in a state of mind that is not influenced by their knowledge of camera or photographer.

In this photo, a man stands under a train tressel bridge near the Tico Times newspaper.



— Christopher

La Sabana Park

La Sabana Park is the largest park in San Jose and is located on the West side of the city. It provides a pleasant setting for runners, friends taking a stroll and for those taking it easy on their lunch break. Surrounded by the loud, busy highways that lead out of the city, La Sabana is a center of quiet and calm for those who want to read the paper, feed the birds, or just sit.