This video we shot while we were in Peru, however, is something we're very proud of and hope will help Sonia Newhouse and her Living Heart NGO in some small way.

We spent some time with Sonia and her, then, project coordinator, Chrissie Ellison, learning about the Living Heart organization and the help they're providing struggling communities in the high Andes of Peru.

Of all the  sights we saw this past year, all the places we visited and people we met, the time we spent with Sonia stands out. She's caring, strong, savvy. She makes things happen. She's exceptional.

Not that we've had a horrible time back in LA at all. Not at all! We are so very happy to be back among our tribe. But bad people have done bad things, and we've been the suckers born that particular minute, and it has cost money and time and a lot of anger on my part...  Want to hear about it?

Apparently at some point in Chicuito's past there was a pretty big infertility problem, and the answer was obvious: carve statues to the gods of fertility in the shape of giant penises. Of course!

Even the church got involved. If you look up on the top you can see a phallic shape, where usually a cross might go. At first I was startled by this, but hey - a missinary's gotta do what a missionary's gotta do, right?!

Somebody recently got a bright idea, and now all the statues are in a little walled garden, where you pay admission to walk among them, and then go visit the tourist stalls, where the ladies are selling beer openers in the shape of the Chicuito Phalus. Ella loved it.  No - not really.

Chucuito is a little town on Lake Titicaca, just South of Puno. It's a 15 minute tuc-tuc ride, and a world away. We went to hole up for a few days, hoping to shake the tourist machine that is Puno out of our bones.

Our first morning there I wasn't feeling so well, and when we took a walk to the center of town to buy me a coke, we ran into a wedding party. Literally. The entire town had just come streaming out of the church, and were dancing around the

If you're unmotivated and don't want to go all the way up there to the 'Photos' button, you can just click this link to go to the UK and Scotland photos. Or, here to go see France.

Our homecoming has been very

Here's how they describe themselves:

The vision of South American Explorers is to improve the social, economic and environmental conditions within South America by fostering the diffusion of information and positive cross-cultural interaction.

The mission of South American Explorers is to support and promote a deeper understanding of South American history and culture through programs, lectures, accurate information, and in-country clubhouses.

Mary, Mark, Doris, & Miguel have created a home-away-from-home in Cusco, and our kids

Today is our last full day of travel and tomorrow we return to Los Angeles. I felt like if I didn't put my thoughts down here, right now, I'd regret it later.

I've been so fortunate this year. The time I've had

WOW! That's the best word I think. We spent a week on a little pontoon boat, tooling down the Madre De Dios (Mother Of God) river.