PHOTOS

Jim stands before a rock slide that halted road traffic. We found a dirt path through and over the mountains that allowed us to continue. A closer shot of the smoke pouring from El Misti, which is the backdrop of Arequipa   El Misti didn't smoke continually until the recent 23 June 2001 earthquake that hit Peru. The crater at Sabancaya   Sabancaya mountain Volcano Valley is home to more than 30 small volcanoes.   Colca comes from the Inca practice of storing crops in sealed holes, which they called colcas, carved into the canyon walls. Colca Canyon became known to the world only as late as the 1970s when a Polish team “re-discovered” this vast, scenic, deep gorge.   We flew over Colca Canyon, which is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.     PAIGE'S NOTES   13 September 2001 – Flew over Colca Canyon, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, this morning and witnessed people living in the massive depths of a gorge, which can be reached only via animal or foot. Melted snow from the jagged Andean peaks supplies water to these villagers, who worship the mountain god, Apu, supplier of life-giving water. The valley dwellers live a simple – many would say backwards – life as compared to those who died while working in New York’s Twin Towers. Flying over, though, I couldn't help but think that the people in the valley never have to worry about a terrorist attack.