Taken in the Andes at the end of a day excursion in Peru’s Sacred Valley, these llamas gave us quite a chuckle.

As we wandered the alleys of a hill village looking for traditional weavings, we turned a corner to see these two llamas checking out the local wares.

What a hoot! I’m particularly fond of photographing llamas on any day I have access to them. They are so animated, and always put on a good show.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

This woman sat alongside of one of the ancient towers at the archeological site of Sillustani, near Lake Titicaca in Peru.

It was a rather gray day when this photo was taken, so her orange dress and hot pink hat really stood out, making her a great photo opportunity.

Sillustani wasn’t a destination we had necessary picked out ahead of time to visit on our trip to Peru. However, we feel it is worth visiting for anyone who might be staying a couple of days in Puno, Peru.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

This photo article has been submitted to the June 25, 2010 edition of Photo Friday, on DeliciousBaby.com.

It was a cloudy day in Lima, Peru as we strolled the downtown area with a mission to tour the main cathedral.  As we stood on the side street, I was struck by how the run down appearance of the buildings and general area made me feel transported back in time.

With the gray sky taking away my options for a colorful photo anyway, I switched the camera to black and white and started snapping. This photo was one of the many that resulted. It’s simplicity and starkness make me feel like I was able to snap an image through time. Black and white has the power to transform travel photos that would otherwise be lackluster if kept in color.

Do you have a favorite black and white image you’ve posted online? Or one from Peru? If so, feel free to post your link in the comment section below.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

This gentleman provided me with one of my most magical travel moments ever.

On one the stops along our Sacred Valley tour, we got out to view some ruins and an entire mountain wall of tombs. As we were walking the trail, we could hear the music echoing over the entire valley, but had no idea where it was coming from. There was nobody else on the trail except our small group, so we felt in the middle of nowhere on this sacred hike. The music continued to build, and at last we rounded a corner to the last part of the trail before the mountainside of tombs.

There he was! In full costume and playing his heart out amongst the plants. I’ve never forgotten him. What’s your favorite travel memory, Trek Hounds?

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

Taken in Cuzco, in Peru’s Sacred Valley, this photo of an elderly woman has always struck me as poignant.

First of all, I adore photos of wisened faces. Period. I just have never seen an image of someone with a long-lived visage that I didn’t love. Factor in the colors and spirituality of the Andes mountains, and I’ll be a fan for life.

The bold blue of her coat combined with the vivid green on the park bench and the stark white cowboy hat are soothing companions to the real star of the photo show – her face. To me, this photo is a testimony to the power of simplicity. So I’m curious . . . do any of you have a photo that is powerfully simplistic? It can be from Peru or any other world destination.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

High in the Andes Mountains, in the Sacred Valley of Peru, I ran into this woman somewhere between Cuzco and Machu Picchu.

Full of it, isn’t she? And I mean that in a good way. I had no way of communicating with her linguistically, but something tells me with the twinkle in her eye, she’s definitely someone I’d enjoy hanging out with. And how ‘bout that view? Living where you get to see a view like that every day is something few people get to experience.

Got a great people pic? Share the link below and join in the travel photo discussion.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

This photo article was submitted to Delicious Baby’s February 12, 2010 edition of Photo Friday.

This photo was taken on the floating islands of Uros, on Lake Titicaca in Peru. I’ve always been struck by how much this little girl looked like so many of the Precious Moments images I remember growing up with.

The weather was phenomenal that day, making the reed islands seem even more amazing.  The local costumes are so colorful, and the lifestyle so simplified that I couldn’t help but spend at least a half hour photographing this child who had not a care in the world.

Do you have a favorite image from the floating islands of Uros? By all means, feel free to post a link in the comment section below. 

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

This photo review was submitted to the January 22, 2010 edition of Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday.

Yes, that’s me in the red tee shirt. What are we all doing in the middle of nowhere you ask? Read on.

With extra time on our hands in Puno on a trip to Peru, we took a day trip out to the ancient ruins of Sillustani. While we were there, our guide led us in an energy exercise. The hubster was kind enough to video the event and uploaded it to You Tube. It was an interesting excursion and worth the trip if you happen to have extra time on your hands while visiting Lake Titicaca and the surrounding areas.