Letters: Running on the Inca Trail, Peru

Back on the Inca Trail

I enjoyed “Tackling the Inca Trail” by Mike Morris [Aug. 18]. It brought back great memories of one of our favorite vacations. My wife and I traveled to Peru several years ago on one of Andes Adventure’s tours to run the Inca Trail. We ran the “Classic” 18.6-mile run that we were all sure was at least a marathon distance. It could not take that long and be only 18.6 miles. Running the Inca Trail was magical.

The article left out how nice all of the accommodations were. The meals were all trip highlights, most with entertainment. We expected average, at best, hotels and meals based on how affordable the trip was. We were wrong.

Andes Adventures seems to have snatched up the best guides. We still keep in touch with one of our guides.

Thank you, L.A. Times, for such a great article and bringing back such fond memories.

Mike Bartlett

Topanga

Regarding On the Spot by Catharine Hamm [“When Plans Hit a Snag, Whom to Call,” Aug. 18]: I work for a major airline and I can tell you — with certainty — that if a passenger books with any agency or vendor other than our airline, we are not going to help you. You must contact whomever you bought your ticket from, period.

Lynn Harris

Manhattan Beach

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Museum of Glass

Alex Pulaski’s article on glass in Tacoma, Wash., missed one of the gems — the Museum of Glass [“Beyond Seattle, a Glass Quite Full,” Aug. 18]. The museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibits have fabulous works; it has a great family program in Kids Design Glass, and best of all, you can watch world-class artists work in the Hot Shop (with an emcee to explain and answer questions). Outside, you can walk through the Chihuly Bridge of Glass. Everyone coming to the Seattle area should make a trip to MOG.

Susan Field

Los Angeles

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Thank you for the article and photos about Tacoma’s new glass-blowing reputation. I would never have dreamed it.

When I was 4 years old, our whole family took a vacation to visit friends and relatives in western Washington. Everyone liked that trip so well, and the state of Washington, that we all moved to West Seattle. During the next five years, we explored every bit of Seattle, as well as many other parts of western Washington, but we always avoided Tacoma not only because of the stench from paper manufacturing but also because of its reputation as an aging, dirty town.

My parents and I returned to Southern California, but Tacoma still maintained its “old and dirty” reputation. It’s been a long time now since I was up the coast. I’m thinking of going back to see what has changed, and now I just might look around Tacoma.

Gail Noon

San Pedro

A quick response to a needless part of the article by Arnie Cooper on Brazil [“Just Coasting,” Aug. 11]. He writes about a mistaken turn onto Avenida Presidente Roosevelt. Because he was driving a Fiat he was able to “squeeze onto the bike lane — a maneuver that barely fazed the cyclist I almost clipped.... Try doing that in L.A.” Here’s the unfortunate reality to this statement — someone will.

There are reckless drivers here that think it is fun to see how close they can come to a cyclist in a bike lane. I am a cyclist, I obey the traffic laws and yet I have to deal with this dangerous nonsense on a regular basis. That was a very irresponsible remark to make.

I have never written to object to anything I have read in the L.A. Times, but that article made me very uncomfortable. It was just thoughtless.

Deborah Pierce

Walnut