Here are a couple of e-mails that I sent to Paula, Meredith, and Oz today:

Noon

An incredible morning started at 5:30 a.m. ... dressed and had a leisurely breakfast. Our guide, Rudy, and driver (EddieJohn (?)) met us at 7:15. Rudy will be with us our entire 3 days at MP. We were not on the Hiram Bingham train, but had FRONT row seats on the Vistadome, complete with a picture window (the only thing between us and the track). You can imagine the number of pictures I took and I know you can hear GrandDaddy's "oh my goodness!" at every turn.

It was an AMAZING train ride (1.5 hours) to the village at the base of MP (we kept wanting Taylor at our side to identify and describe the varied geological formations). That was followed by an AMAZING 30 minute bus ride up switchbacks to our hotel (MP Sanctuary Lodge) ... a quick glass of cocoa tea, agreeing to meet Rudy in 2 hours for lunch and an afternoon intro to the ruins. We were then led to our AMAZING SUITE, complete with a patio (one of only 2 suites among the 31 total of rooms) surrounded by flora (including orchid plants and bromeliads).

GrandDaddy is BEYOND thrilled --- and we haven't even been to the ruins!

Possibly the most AMAZING 5 hours in a single day that I have ever experienced (besides, of course, family events).

More soon.


5:30

We are in the bar following 3 hours in the ruins. Dad is speechless .... Our guide rivals Elena in St. Petersburg ... Rudy is going at Dad´s pace with great assistance, patience, and personal attention. I even got a photo of the Inca Wren .... this is the ONLY place in the world this bird is found ... Rudy drew it to us via a recording on his Treo.

OK, time to shower before dinner.