We returned to Machu Picchu today to climb to higher heights. Maggie and I did not get our wake up call so we rushed through breakfast which meant no time for coca tea and no time for my altitude pill to start working.. We began climbing very steep steps, everyone was winded but I was not recovering as fast as the other days. I opted to turn around and spend the morning exploring by myself. After two hours I returned to town to site see until after lunch.

Lunch was at another fabulous buffet. After lunch there was shopping and the the train back down the mountain.

We had another long bus ride to Cusco for a two night stay.

Saturday Feb 2

Cusco is a lovely city with a very large square, built originally by the Incas. When the Spanish came they decreased the size of the square by building several streets of shops.
The Spanish also built a very large cathedral with a basilica. The art, silver and gold that adorns the walls,niches and side chapels is stunning and mind boggling. When the church was built the people in town pleaded for prime spaces to decorate with commissioned art work. There is a solid silver carriage that was pulled by horses. It has been converted to ride on a golf cart and is used for religious festivals. My favourite is the Last Supper painted by Zapota(?)) the food on the table consists of Andean bread and cheese and a roast Guinea pig. The face on Judas is the face of Pizzaro the Spanish conquistador.

We visited the Korichana, the sun Temple which has been converted to a Catholic Church. The architectural skill of the Incas is still maintained in parts of the building.

We stopped at Sacsayhuaman, an Inca fort that was never completed. The size of the stones and the shapes they are cut I so that each stone fits perfectly against the next and has remained in place several hundred years without mortar.

After a quick stop at an alpaca factory were we hosted in a private home for lunch. The meal was all native dishes made from ingredients purchased at the market that day. The surprise treat was Guinea pig. It is a greasy, stringy meat with small bones, one piece will last me a lifetime.

Evening free time was spent shopping the small stands for souvenirs that my kids will eventually donate to goodwill or toss.

13* South

Tuesday Jan 28- Jan 30

Tuesday we took the boat to Iquitos, the bus to the airport, the plane to Lima, another plane to Cusco, a bus through Cusco to our fabulous hotel, Casa Andia, Private Collection. This journey took most of the day. The only unscheduled stop was Bembos Burgers, the most popular fast food store in Peru.

I also lost my innocence today. We drank coca tea and chewed the leaves as a preventive.

Dinner was exquisite with the requisite Andean harp player. This is the night that the rest of people joined trip. There appeared to be no problems until today when one of the older ( than me) women fell down stairs, fell getting on the bus and was barely responsive until the guide sent her to the local doctor. She is suffering from altitude sickness.

Our first stop today was a women’s weaving cooperative. They demonstrated the hand spinning techniques, and the natural dye. The red dye was the most amazing, it was made from a crushed bug that is a parasite on one of the cactuses. It takes one woman thirty days to make a table runner for which they charge $225 solaces or about $75 American. The woman dressed in native costumes. Each tribe has a distinguishing characteristic, this group’s was braided hair. Many purchases were made, sweaters, table runners and hats.

On the bus ride to lunch we learned about the history of land ownership in the Scared Valley. At one time all the land was owned by six families. The government bought the land and distributed it among 350 families. The large land owners were allowed to keep their houses and the reduced plot of land. We had lunch at one of the old plantation houses, Tunupa. The house has been restored and is very spectacular.

The major crops are potatoes (380 kinds), barley,quinoa, asparagus, coca and corn ( apparently) with the largest kernels in the world.

The last stop was Ollantaytambo, the best preserved of all the Inca sites and a still functioning Inca Village. I was faltering on the climb up but one of the guides stayed with me and cheered me all the way to the top. I dubbed him my hero and gifted him with beer.