After so much time off the beaten path we couldn't avoid it any longer if we wanted to see Machu Pichu.
In case you didn't already know the 'Lost City of the Incas' has been found and is squarely at the epicenter of tourism made easy. All you need is money and a strong tolerance for crowds.
So we boarded the 28th pre-dawn bus as 5:30 am which was way too late to be the first in line and headed up several switchbacks to join the next line for entrance to the prized site.
FYI ~ The secret to enjoying Machu Picchu to the fullest is to 1. Sleep in late, eat a leisurely breakfast and arrive after the rush is over, then stay till after the crowds thin out in the afternoon 2. Go again the next day and see all the details you missed the first day due to visual and physical overwhelm and tourist overload!
We always manage to have fun where ever we are, sticking with our motto of 'Play Hard Now'.
We even met up with our friend Evelyn who joined us in the fun, we never know when Evelyn is going to show up next.
How did the Incas manage to individually cut each multifaceted stone, haul them into place and then fit them perfectly together, seamlessly!? This is the conversation that accompanies you and everyone around you the entire time you visit these ruins. Mind boggling to say the least.
One Inca archaeological site is never enough so we saw a few more in the nearby vicinity.
Meanwhile back in Cusco we enjoyed the celebration of Inti Raymi (winter solstice). The streets were alive with dancers in fantastic traditional costumes in a four day continual parade. Plus brilliant fireworks every night! If we were going to join the beaten path, why not join it in a 4 day street party!
Traveling can often be a strange mix of cultures and time zones. The giant tour bus sharing the road with the herder and his mules bringing home the days harvest.
The time had come to head to dreary Lima and sadly say farewell to our travel companion Robin.
But first a word from our sponsor, or rather Robin's culinary sponsor during her month long survival course of huevos (eggs) and Choclo (corn). Traveling in Peru and while being a vegetarian is near to impossible.
But......with a final Pisco Sour and it was 'all good' or 'todo bien'!
So our threesome became a twosome again as we traveled north to see.....yes, more ruins. The coastal desert of Peru is dotted with ruins from pre-Inca cultures. These sites are clearly less well funded, less restored but no less spectacular or rich.
Many look like this, a large sand mountain yet when unearthed burial sites have been discovered that rival King Tut's tomb. The riches revealed are housed in a museum and...no photos are allowed so we just had to enjoy it without the camera. Trust us, it was spectacular and there were no crowds!
Our final entertainment in Peru was catching a Paso Fino Show. We couldn't resist watching these beautiful horses prance around even if it was a slightly tacky tourist show. The horses were beautiful and whetted our appetite to go riding again.
Thank you for more spectacular photos and fun story. I hope you purchased, and are continually wearing, some of those fun Peruvian hats. Got to run, the Pink Caps await.
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