Well we are back. Flew all night in Coach and came back at 7.00 am this morning.

I am writing this and then posting in sections so I dont lose the whole thing at some point.

Ken is currently working on pictures and trying to bring it down to about 50 - 60 shots. Not easy to do. He has a lot of people shots they were so fascinating.

An overview.

First night in Lima, nothing much to report here. The hotel was great but we just spent the night and left early the next morning for Cusco.

Cusco is really high and as I mentioned before the altitude is an issue for some. We handled this very well though. We had a tour of the area and saw some Inca ruins just outside of town. This is when the beauty of this area first struck me. There is a lot to see in Cusco. We stayed at the Monasterio and found this to be a great hotel. I really liked it. Ken will post an courtyard picture. The main square is just a block or so away so we wandered around there and also ate a good dinner (pizza) that night.

Off to the Sacred Valley the next day. A drive of about 2 hours. Wow is the word for the scenery here. We stopped at a very high elevation at the local Chincero Market. This was our first exposure to the markets and we loved it. Spent some money of course and the Lens Lads got some great pictures. The valley is called the Sacred Valley as it is rich in all the things the Incas worshipped. Fertile earth, water, mountains a truly beautiful valley. Here we visited some Inca towns that are still standing with many of the original Inca walls. The irrigation system comes down from the mountains and is still used by the locals today. Amazing. We did get to go into one house and could not believe how these people live. A courtyard with four "houses" attached They have a great sense of community and share their daily lives in the courtyards. The "houses" are one room, with very little inside. We have a picture. They all have guinea pigs which they raise to eat for special events. Seeing this is a little troubling but you have to look at the people. Here in this poverty they were smiling and proud of their traditions. It is hard not to put our values on other cultures. This is where I used the internet while the gang walked the ruins.

Then off to the Hacienda for lunch. This is a private home up the mountain on a long dirt road. Once there is was great. A HUGE house and a small dining room where a they host only a couple of tours companies guests for lunch or dinner. The house, scenery and food were all quite outstanding. We loved this it was a special treat.

Then we went to a local bar to learn about Chicha. This is a corn alcoholic brew that dates back to pre-Inca times. We had heard stories of how this is brewed and it is in a big pot and the just dish it out. The brew is covered with a towel, we could not bring ourselves to try this. Anyone else who has been there tried it?? I think if it was served in a restaurant and we did not see it in its natural state it may have been more appealing. Anyway it was fun to see and we have some pictures. They have a stick outside the buildings with a red plastic bag tied to the end that means "Chicha" is here. They also play a game in these "bars". A wooden platform with holes and a frog with an open mouth. You toss coins onto the platform and try to get the coins into the frogs mouth or the holes. Well we had a contest and I won and I beat the driver. He could not believe it and wanted me to do it again. No way, I knew it was a fluke and I was not about to give up my status as "champ". He was quite funny after that I think that really impressed him.

We stayed at a great hotel called Sol Luna. A four star property but with incredible grounds. The flowers were everywhere and the spa was incredible. Love this place would come back in a heartbeat. No five star properties in the Sacred Valley.

Next day off to the Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu. This is ridicuously expensive but I must say I really enjoyed it. Service was great, food was outstanding and very comfortable. On arrival you board a bus for a windy hilly road up the mountain to Machu Picchu. The road ends at the Sanctuary Lodge that is VERY close to Machu Picchu. A small but charming place. Rooms nothing special but being right there at Machu Picchu is special. We loved staying here.

For those with walking difficulties you can still see Machu Picchu. There is a walk and a few steps but you can reach a staging area where you can see Machu Picchu. Most people could manage this. I was told even people in wheelchairs have been able to make it with help. So those with some walking problems should not deny themselves an opportunity to see this awesome site. If you walk all over the ruins then you can walk literally hundreds of steps, that are very uneven and it can be quite challenging. There are options here it is up to you how much you do. We walked for four hours and went all over the place and were really tired at the end. The day was clear and the opportunity to see the place in the sun was really a blessing. The next morning it was foggy and that also had a beauty of its own. Ken's pictures will show both aspects. Machu Picchu exceeded my expectations. You can see the pictures but you cannot get the feeling of the entire area. It just cannot be captured in a picture.

The Inca Trail that Leslie and Brad did must be quite challenging. I have new respect for these two now. What an experience. I know I could not do it.

Ken climbed Wayna Picchu. The huge pointed mountain you see in the shots behind the ruins of Machu Picchu. This was really tough. None of us would even attempt it. In fact a team of rescue workers were looking for a man that had gone missing a few days before. I have given up with Ken, he has to do these things but I was SO GLAD when he returned safely. There are drop offs here right into the jungle. If you fell they may never find you.

We came back via the Hiram Bingham train and had an outstanding dinner along with our newly discovered drink PISCO SOUR. Yes, we got quite fond of those during our visit. Kind of like a Margherita. Crashed that night and then flew to Lima the next day.

Lima is a fairly interesting city. Not somewhere I would run back to but we enjoyed our day. We saw the normal sites, the square, the Monastery, the Catacombs do not do it for me at all. Saw so many skulls and bones not my cup of tea. We toured a private home that only this one tour company, Lima Tours can get into by special arrangement. A museum of pottery PRE-INCA was pretty fascinating. By the way Lima Tours does the tours for Radisson to Machu Picchu. They did a spectacular job for us we were very pleased. We did have a great lunch at La Rosa Nautica and we have some pictures of this restaurant. It looks Victorian in architecture and is on a pier in the ocean. Wonderful food and a great atmosphere. We toured hotels as well and the Swiss Hotel Radisson uses is very nice.

Well that is it in a nutshell. A great trip, off to bed now. Hopefully tomorrow Ken will post pictures.