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More stuff in and around Cusco

Monday, June 27th, 2005

24 Jun – 27 Jun, 2005

The 24th is Cusco’s big day. Inti Raymi. Was it touristy? Yes. Worth seeing? Definitely. Worth going out of our way for? Glad we didn’t… The setting at Sacsayhuamán was beautiful, and sitting high up on the rocks with thousands (tens of?) locals was all part of the action, especially fighting for enough space to view the goings-ons below. Costumes were stunning against the rocks, and a colourful spectacle it was indeed.

Inti Raymi

Inti Raymi

The 25th is Jo’s big day. Birthday. Was it touristy? Of course not. Worth celebratimg? Definitely. Is she worth it? 😉 Brunched in the main square, in a little café with a balcony. Dinner was in a cosy grill restaurant that was once part of an Incan palace, where we had lamb, pork, llama, and guinea pig.

Birthday
Lamb, pork, llama, guinea pig, potatoes, and stuffed peppers.

On the 27th, we visited our other World Vision sponsor child, Deyvis. Almost 2 hours from Cusco, we spent a few hours meeting him, his mother and siblings, and viewing various aspects of the World Vision project in his village.

Deyvis
With Deyvis and his mother, en-route to one of the local project sites.

So much Inca stuff

Thursday, June 23rd, 2005

18 Jun – 23 Jun, 2005

In and around Cusco. Loads of cramped local buses. Every set of ruins seems to offer something different.

The sheer size of the blocks and the distances they were moved: Ollantaytambo.

Salt extraction site (still in use): Salinas near Urubambo.

Crop climate testing terraces: Moray.

Yet another great view, and some excellent stone masonry: Pisac.

Inca ruins incorporated into the church: Chinchero.

Working aqueducts: Tipon.

Fort like structure: Puca Pucara.

Carved rocks and sacrificial sites: Quenko.

Some of the biggest fitted stones imaginable: Sacsayhuamán.

Inca Pisac
Inca Pisac.

Inca Pisac
Perfect stonework at Inca Pisac.

Sacsayhuaman
At Sacsayhuamán with Juan (Argentina) and Iosu (Spain).

As if all this sounds like a lot we also found time for other things. Went to a town called San Jose de Urco for a festival of cuy. That’s “guinea pig” as we gringoes call them. Live ones on one side of the square, and barbecued, roasted, or stewed on the other. If we tell you what they taste like, then that would be an admission of guilt, wouldn’t it.

All the while, catching some of the pre “Inti Raymi” festivities in Cusco.

Cusco

Cusco

Cusco
Stacks On!!!!!!

Machu Picchu

Friday, June 17th, 2005
17 Jun, 2005 Machu Picchu Before sunrise. We got up insanely early (you kind of feel you should be making a sacrifice for these things) at 5.00 (impressed?). That got us up there in time to watch the sunrise ... [Continue reading this entry]

Views

Wednesday, June 15th, 2005
14 Jun - 15 Jun, 2005 Finally, out of Bolivia and in to Peru. The flight was, once again, magnificent. Firstly, from Cochabamba to La Paz, flying past peaks that were higher than our cruising altitude. Then, over ... [Continue reading this entry]

Not quite yet

Monday, June 13th, 2005
10 Jun - 13 Jun, 2005 Something about the best laid plans of mice and men... Anyway, it seems we are destined to spend some more time in Cochabamba. If you want to know where one of the best ... [Continue reading this entry]

Enough is enough – time to move on.

Thursday, June 9th, 2005
8 Jun - 9 Jun, 2005 Cochabamba. Llama Foetuses Llama foetuses. (Or should that be foetii??) - Cochabamba market. chillies Some like it hot. More familiar market items - Same market (Cochabamba), different section. [Continue reading this entry]

Footprints from the past

Tuesday, June 7th, 2005
5 Jun - 7 Jun, 2005 Sucre. Lovely Colonial town with buildings dating from 1500s. White walls and red tiled rooves. Simply stunning. Sucre Sucre Visited a rock wall with fossilised dinosaur footprints. Hundreds ... [Continue reading this entry]

Jesuit towns

Wednesday, June 1st, 2005
28 May - 1 Jun, 2005 Travelled from San This to Santa That, visiting some wonderful churches built by the Jesuit Missionaries, during the 1700's. (San Javier, San Ignacio, San Miguel, Santa Ana, San Rafael, San Jose) San Ignacio[Continue reading this entry]