August 29, 2009
We catch a plane to Atlanta , then to Lima . We arrive in Lima in the evening. We are met at the airport by a driver who takes us to the Hostal Victor. We buy two beers and celebrate the beginning of our journey.
August 30, 2009
We catch a plane from Lima to Cusco . Again we are met by a driver who takes us to the Inkarri Hostal (204 Collecalle) near the Plaza de Armas. We get to our hotel about 1:30 . After two days of travel, we have finally arrived.
We walk through the city center and find Chaska Tours, which is closed. Find a Sunday market/street festival, eat a rice dish with unknown meat from a street vendor (what an adventure) then go back to the Plaza de Armas and tour the Templo de la Comania de Jesus.
Neither of us has any kind of altitude sickness. It is more than a little disconcerting; however, that running up a few steps to the church makes me loose my breath in the thin air. I wish I had had more than good intentions about working out before the trip. I know I am going to regret that.
We eat dinner at Cicciolina on Triunfo Calle and have a very nice meal, including alpaca.
August 31, 2009
We hire a private driver to take us through the sacred valley. We stop at a textile plant with llamas, alpacas, and vicuna, and see how they die the wool and thread the cloth. Then we stop at the Pisac market and grab a quick bite and we are on our way up to the ruins of Pisac.
We hire a guide, Ruben, who provides information and flute playing along the way. There are at least three sections of the complex, including an agriculture zone made up of the terraces, and housing at the top for the royalty, then above the houses a sort of temple. Around the corner is a military structure that has a view of the valley going in both directions. Across from the military lookout are catacombs built into the mountainside.
We catch a plane from Lima to Cusco . Again we are met by a driver who takes us to the Inkarri Hostal (204 Collecalle) near the Plaza de Armas. We get to our hotel about 1:30 . After two days of travel, we have finally arrived.
We walk through the city center and find Chaska Tours, which is closed. Find a Sunday market/street festival, eat a rice dish with unknown meat from a street vendor (what an adventure) then go back to the Plaza de Armas and tour the Templo de la Comania de Jesus.
Neither of us has any kind of altitude sickness. It is more than a little disconcerting; however, that running up a few steps to the church makes me loose my breath in the thin air. I wish I had had more than good intentions about working out before the trip. I know I am going to regret that.
We eat dinner at Cicciolina on Triunfo Calle and have a very nice meal, including alpaca.
August 31, 2009
We hire a private driver to take us through the sacred valley. We stop at a textile plant with llamas, alpacas, and vicuna, and see how they die the wool and thread the cloth. Then we stop at the Pisac market and grab a quick bite and we are on our way up to the ruins of Pisac.
We hire a guide, Ruben, who provides information and flute playing along the way. There are at least three sections of the complex, including an agriculture zone made up of the terraces, and housing at the top for the royalty, then above the houses a sort of temple. Around the corner is a military structure that has a view of the valley going in both directions. Across from the military lookout are catacombs built into the mountainside.
We eat lunch in Urubamba before heading to Ollantaytambo. This old city has Spanish walls built on top of the
original Inca stone walls and 
aqueducts on the side of 
the small roads/paths coming down the mountain. We climb the terraces to the temple at the top.
Next stop
is in Chinchero to see the Inca ruins there. Large and broad terraces with green grass and sheep grazing everywhere. We eat dinner at El Gusta es Nuestro on Teqsecoche Calle and have a nice long meal (no hurry, relax, take it easy, you will be out of here in three hours) very nice meal, including a great salad and very good lomo saltado. (http://www.elgustoesnuestrorestaurant.com/)
We visit the Cathedral and adjoining church of the sacred family. It contains many icons of Christ and the virgin in varying forms, each of which is intended to envelope the “different” Incan gods. So the Incan Pacchu Mama (mother earth) is represented as the virgin with an ornate robe and other items the Incas would associate with the mountains and the earth. The cathedral also houses the original cross carried by the bishop who accompanied Pizarro at the beginning of the conquest.
We meet our guide, Huber, at Chaska Tours. He encourages us to rent or buy Trekking Poles and asks us numerous questions about our knees. How are your knees? Have you had trouble with your knees? Ever? Do your knees hurt? No? No problems? We will be going down very steep steps, which are very hard on the knees. Any problems? We decide to rent the Trekking Poles.
We eat dinner at Baca on Calle Ruinas and have another very nice meal, including a great salad and alpaca again.
September 2, 2009
Today we start the Inca Trail. The Chaska Tour company van picks us up at 6:00 a.m. We make another stop to pick up the other four members of our tour, all from the Los Angeles area: Jamie, Elisa, Marianne, and Allison. Huber asks us to come up with a group name; the resulting consensus is for “Bad Knees,” and our guide is embarrassed every time we chant “Rodillas Malas!” (Bad Knees!) before continuing the hike in the morning or after lunch.
We stop in Urubamba for breakfast, then stop in Ollantaytambo to pick up last minute provisions. On the recommendation of the guide, we buy plastic rain ponchos. The others on the trip bought walking sticks, as the guide was evidently unable to get them to rent the trekking poles. Next stop is at the trailhead.
We check in at the Control Point, take a picture of our group, then cross the suspension bridge over the Urubamba River and onto the Inca Trail. Our guide, Huber, made several stops pointing out flora and fauna, and we have a pleasant hike over irregular trails, but generally going up.
Our group of six hikers is accompanied by nine porters, a chef, a chef’s assistant, and Huber, the guide. So for every hiker, there are two support persons. We are really roughing it.
We stop for lunch near a creek where we soak our feet in cold water. The porter’s have set up two tents, one to cook in, and one to act as our dining room. The chef prepared a wonderful pan seared trout with a cream sauce and mixed vegetables. The meal is not just good, but great, worthy of a nice restaurant. All the more incredible in that the chef cooks on a propane stove. Almost all the meals for the entire hike are just as good. Hats off to the chef, Ebert!
After lunch we forge on. The scenery reminds me of the movie Seven Years in Tibet ; it is gorgeous. Before now, we have seen ruins in the distance from the trail. Now we come upon some ruins next to the trail, in Wilkarakay, overlooking some terraces below. The ruins served as a station for the Incas overlooking the valley below. We explore the ruins and find two donkeys living in, or at least visiting, the ruins. Another Kodak, or Canon moment.
The hike gets more difficult and we are tired by the end of the day’s hike. It is a huge relief to reach the campsite, which is already set up by the porters, who are waiting to serve us snacks, then dinner. At dinner and throughout the trip we learn more about each other. Elisa A freelance graphic artist has lived all over and should be a cactus expert, but is not; Allison is more used to exercise involving the upper body and is considering performing tomorrows climb on her hands; Marianne an actress who was tired of waiting tables recently turned her love of dogs into a full time job walking them and she knows fun improve games we can play; and Jaime who is also a graphic artist is a good friend, as described by the three who came with him to Peru and evidently is very popular in some circles.
After dinner it is straight to bed. We had been worried that we would be cold. It rained all night, and while it was cold, we were warm in our sleeping bags. In addition to worrying about the cold, we go to bed worrying about the next day’s hike, which will be by far the most difficult.
While we had had no problems with the toilets in Lima or Cusco , the toilet situation on the trail was… well, horrible. You may say, Well you are camping, what do you expect? I might expect to pooh behind a tree. That would be fine. However, I am on the Inca Trail, and at a campsite of several hundred people. There will be no fouling of the Inca Trail by me or any of the other ingrate tourists, instead, they have “facilities” and that is where the problem begins. I won’t say much more than, “smell”, “disgusting floor”, “hole in the ground”, and “squatting.” You can fill in the remaining verbs, nouns and prepositions. With regard to squatting, I will only add that as the hike progresses, and your legs are more and more fatigued, going to the bathroom is not only more difficult, but can be down right dangerous. Moving on.
September 3, 2009
The guide, Huber, wakes us at 5:45 . After a good breakfast, we are on the trail at 7:30 . It is cold this morning. We are bundled up warm for the beginning of the hike. Within fifteen minutes we are panting. We break to catch our breaths and shed layers of clothes. We are down to our t-shirts. It is going to be a long day, climbing 1,200 meters to get over Dead Woman’s Pass. Huber tells us there will be two kiosks, the last (on the entire trail) in about three hours, where we can take breaks, refill canteens, and re-group. As we start the climb, going up the old stone steps, you quickly become numb to everything except the next step and, always, trying to catch your breath. The group quickly splinters, each person on his or her own, doing whatever it takes to get to the next turn in the trail. Frequently, I can take only three or five steps before pausing to breathe. It is beautiful, but sometimes hard to admire as I am panting. In every direction there are beautiful mountains and valleys. As I try to breath in the thin air, I am constantly amazed by the scenery, much of which I feel I am missing as I concentrate on the next step and the next breathe. The porters who stayed behind to break camp, are now carrying heavy loads and slowly pass me. I watch them go by, analyzing their steps for any secrets to making the trek easier. They are amazing. I see one porter with a pack going high above his head. At the top of the pack tied on with bungy cords are two large crates of eggs.
Denyse and I hike together, mas or menos, i.e. within 30 yards or so, as we make our way up, up, and up. We reach the second kiosk at 10:15 , less than three hours since we began this morning. Our canteens are empty. We are both happy to be halfway up and worried that we have halfway to go. After a 25 minute break, we buy Gatorade from the kiosk, refill our canteens and begin trudging up the mountain. No one is talking as everyone is trying to breathe. The most acknowledgment you give or receive is a nod of the head as you pass and are passed by fellow hikers. I am relying heavily on my trekking poles, using my arms to lift my weight to the next step, and now my triceps ache in sympathy with my quadriceps. The summit, Dead Woman’s Pass, looms like a mirage in the distance, sometimes seemingly getting further away.
We reach the summit, windy and cold, at 12:10 . We are at the highest elevation of the entire hike, 4215 meters. We have climbed over 1,200 meters in the last five hours. In about ten minutes, Jamie crests the summit and we celebrate. We decide to wait for the rest of the group, resting on the less windy side of the summit. Marianne and Elisa arrive about 45 minutes later accompanied by more celebrations and photos.
We lengthen our trekking poles for the hike down to the campsite, 600 meters below.
Some people have more difficulty going down than up. The jarring steps down are hard on the knees. The weight seems to be more on the calves than the quadriceps. But it is a welcome change from the constant grind of going up. The scenery changes immediately on the other side of the mountain. A quick and relatively easy 1 ½ hours later, we enter the campsite to cheers.
At dinner we are discussing the day’s hike. Elisa asks Jamie why his green hat that is in the tent is all wet. Which hat? The green hat. Which green hat? Your green hat. The one with the bill like a baseball cap? I don’t know, it’s the wet one. Why is my hat wet? That was my question. Which hat? Your green hat! Well I have more than one green hat. Never mind. I did soak one hat because it was all grimy yesterday, was it green? Yes. [Mystery seemingly solved.] Then what was the confusion? I have lots of green hats, I didn’t know which one you were talking about. Do you have more than one green hat in the tent that you soaked wet?
We leave the second summit and head to more ruins called Sayacmarca. They are huge with multi-level rooms and terraces going down the mountian.
We leave Sayacmarca and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. The trail itself is prettier, usually about four feet wide, the mountain going up on one side and a precipice falling off on the other. The trail dives and climbs through the jungle, over small bamboo bridges, and through small cave-like holes in the mountainside. It is something out of The Hobbit. By early afternoon, the view of the mountains and valleys is blurred by what looks like fog and clouds but it is smoke from a bush fire in the valley somewhere below.
We reach the final summit. Finally no more uphill! The summit is barren and flat. Huber tells us it was used for camping in the past and there are bathrooms…I am skeptical. We leave the summit and have 1600 meters to descend to reach the final campsite.
On the way down we pass another huge set of ruins with lots of stairs. Huber sits us down and gives us an Inca History lesson on one of the terraces. It is beautiful weather and the grass is soft. I am sure Huber is saying something important but all I can think about is a nap.
We take more pictures and move on. We will spend the next few hours walking down stairs. Stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs and more stairs.
Toward the end of the day’s hike, Huber gives us a choice to go an extra hour or so to see the
ruins at Intipata, or take a shorter course directly to the campsite. Most of us choose to take the side trip. It is worth the effort, we come out of the joungle to find a beautiful large set of terraces cascading down the mountian.
It is getting dark and Huber tells us we need to get going as the pumas will come out at night. He is joking isn’t he? Thirty minutes later we arrive at the campsite. There is an establishment in the form of a banquet hall that is selling beer. We have beers with dinner. The mood is celebratory. We have made it. We exchange stories with other hikers. Huber reminds us he will be waking us before 4:00 a.m. We are off to bed.
September 5, 2009
We wake up at 3:40 a.m. this morning to get ready for today’s hike. We were on the trail a little before five o’clock . We pass through another control point. We are wearing head lamps to light the path in front of us. Looking back and seeing all the other headlamps is like a scene out of the Body Snatchers. A few hours of hiking through the jungle, and Machu Picchu comes into view. It is a beautiful city built 500 years ago on the top of a mountain surrounded by taller mountains. Truly amazing, it is a huge city complex perfectly preserved.
The Spaniards went out of their way to demolish Incan temples as being sacrilegious. Other structures were destroyed to make way for Spanish buildings, etc. The Spaniards never discovered Machu Picchu , which was deserted about the time the Spanish arrived. Machu Picchu was not officially rediscovered until 1911.
The defining characteristic of Machu Picchu is its mystery. How
and why did they build it on this mountaintop? Why was it deserted? 
How did they carve and move these huge stones into place without modern metal tools or horses? What was life like here? What types of rituals took place in these temples? We spend the day roaming the ruins and taking photos.
We have a late lunch in Aguas Calientes and visit the market, before starting the three and one-half hour train ride back to Cusco . The shower at the hotel, after four days, is marvelous. Now each step up a moderate slope causes a sort of good pain all over. We have some pizza down the street from the Inkarri Hostal and go to bed early.
September 1, 2009
Check in at Chaska Tours to ensure everything is in order. It is. We just need to return at five for the orientation. Stop for café con leche, which is delicious, in the nearby square.
Check in at Chaska Tours to ensure everything is in order. It is. We just need to return at five for the orientation. Stop for café con leche, which is delicious, in the nearby square.
We visit the Cathedral and adjoining church of the sacred family. It contains many icons of Christ and the virgin in varying forms, each of which is intended to envelope the “different” Incan gods. So the Incan Pacchu Mama (mother earth) is represented as the virgin with an ornate robe and other items the Incas would associate with the mountains and the earth. The cathedral also houses the original cross carried by the bishop who accompanied Pizarro at the beginning of the conquest.
We meet our guide, Huber, at Chaska Tours. He encourages us to rent or buy Trekking Poles and asks us numerous questions about our knees. How are your knees? Have you had trouble with your knees? Ever? Do your knees hurt? No? No problems? We will be going down very steep steps, which are very hard on the knees. Any problems? We decide to rent the Trekking Poles.
We eat dinner at Baca on Calle Ruinas and have another very nice meal, including a great salad and alpaca again.
September 2, 2009
Today we start the Inca Trail. The Chaska Tour company van picks us up at 6:00 a.m. We make another stop to pick up the other four members of our tour, all from the Los Angeles area: Jamie, Elisa, Marianne, and Allison. Huber asks us to come up with a group name; the resulting consensus is for “Bad Knees,” and our guide is embarrassed every time we chant “Rodillas Malas!” (Bad Knees!) before continuing the hike in the morning or after lunch.
We stop in Urubamba for breakfast, then stop in Ollantaytambo to pick up last minute provisions. On the recommendation of the guide, we buy plastic rain ponchos. The others on the trip bought walking sticks, as the guide was evidently unable to get them to rent the trekking poles. Next stop is at the trailhead.
We check in at the Control Point, take a picture of our group, then cross the suspension bridge over the Urubamba River and onto the Inca Trail. Our guide, Huber, made several stops pointing out flora and fauna, and we have a pleasant hike over irregular trails, but generally going up.
Our group of six hikers is accompanied by nine porters, a chef, a chef’s assistant, and Huber, the guide. So for every hiker, there are two support persons. We are really roughing it.
We stop for lunch near a creek where we soak our feet in cold water. The porter’s have set up two tents, one to cook in, and one to act as our dining room. The chef prepared a wonderful pan seared trout with a cream sauce and mixed vegetables. The meal is not just good, but great, worthy of a nice restaurant. All the more incredible in that the chef cooks on a propane stove. Almost all the meals for the entire hike are just as good. Hats off to the chef, Ebert!
After lunch we forge on. The scenery reminds me of the movie Seven Years in Tibet ; it is gorgeous. Before now, we have seen ruins in the distance from the trail. Now we come upon some ruins next to the trail, in Wilkarakay, overlooking some terraces below. The ruins served as a station for the Incas overlooking the valley below. We explore the ruins and find two donkeys living in, or at least visiting, the ruins. Another Kodak, or Canon moment.
The hike gets more difficult and we are tired by the end of the day’s hike. It is a huge relief to reach the campsite, which is already set up by the porters, who are waiting to serve us snacks, then dinner. At dinner and throughout the trip we learn more about each other. Elisa A freelance graphic artist has lived all over and should be a cactus expert, but is not; Allison is more used to exercise involving the upper body and is considering performing tomorrows climb on her hands; Marianne an actress who was tired of waiting tables recently turned her love of dogs into a full time job walking them and she knows fun improve games we can play; and Jaime who is also a graphic artist is a good friend, as described by the three who came with him to Peru and evidently is very popular in some circles.
After dinner it is straight to bed. We had been worried that we would be cold. It rained all night, and while it was cold, we were warm in our sleeping bags. In addition to worrying about the cold, we go to bed worrying about the next day’s hike, which will be by far the most difficult.
While we had had no problems with the toilets in Lima or Cusco , the toilet situation on the trail was… well, horrible. You may say, Well you are camping, what do you expect? I might expect to pooh behind a tree. That would be fine. However, I am on the Inca Trail, and at a campsite of several hundred people. There will be no fouling of the Inca Trail by me or any of the other ingrate tourists, instead, they have “facilities” and that is where the problem begins. I won’t say much more than, “smell”, “disgusting floor”, “hole in the ground”, and “squatting.” You can fill in the remaining verbs, nouns and prepositions. With regard to squatting, I will only add that as the hike progresses, and your legs are more and more fatigued, going to the bathroom is not only more difficult, but can be down right dangerous. Moving on.
September 3, 2009
The guide, Huber, wakes us at 5:45 . After a good breakfast, we are on the trail at 7:30 . It is cold this morning. We are bundled up warm for the beginning of the hike. Within fifteen minutes we are panting. We break to catch our breaths and shed layers of clothes. We are down to our t-shirts. It is going to be a long day, climbing 1,200 meters to get over Dead Woman’s Pass. Huber tells us there will be two kiosks, the last (on the entire trail) in about three hours, where we can take breaks, refill canteens, and re-group. As we start the climb, going up the old stone steps, you quickly become numb to everything except the next step and, always, trying to catch your breath. The group quickly splinters, each person on his or her own, doing whatever it takes to get to the next turn in the trail. Frequently, I can take only three or five steps before pausing to breathe. It is beautiful, but sometimes hard to admire as I am panting. In every direction there are beautiful mountains and valleys. As I try to breath in the thin air, I am constantly amazed by the scenery, much of which I feel I am missing as I concentrate on the next step and the next breathe. The porters who stayed behind to break camp, are now carrying heavy loads and slowly pass me. I watch them go by, analyzing their steps for any secrets to making the trek easier. They are amazing. I see one porter with a pack going high above his head. At the top of the pack tied on with bungy cords are two large crates of eggs.
Denyse and I hike together, mas or menos, i.e. within 30 yards or so, as we make our way up, up, and up. We reach the second kiosk at 10:15 , less than three hours since we began this morning. Our canteens are empty. We are both happy to be halfway up and worried that we have halfway to go. After a 25 minute break, we buy Gatorade from the kiosk, refill our canteens and begin trudging up the mountain. No one is talking as everyone is trying to breathe. The most acknowledgment you give or receive is a nod of the head as you pass and are passed by fellow hikers. I am relying heavily on my trekking poles, using my arms to lift my weight to the next step, and now my triceps ache in sympathy with my quadriceps. The summit, Dead Woman’s Pass, looms like a mirage in the distance, sometimes seemingly getting further away.
We reach the summit, windy and cold, at 12:10 . We are at the highest elevation of the entire hike, 4215 meters. We have climbed over 1,200 meters in the last five hours. In about ten minutes, Jamie crests the summit and we celebrate. We decide to wait for the rest of the group, resting on the less windy side of the summit. Marianne and Elisa arrive about 45 minutes later accompanied by more celebrations and photos.
We lengthen our trekking poles for the hike down to the campsite, 600 meters below.
Some people have more difficulty going down than up. The jarring steps down are hard on the knees. The weight seems to be more on the calves than the quadriceps. But it is a welcome change from the constant grind of going up. The scenery changes immediately on the other side of the mountain. A quick and relatively easy 1 ½ hours later, we enter the campsite to cheers.
At dinner we are discussing the day’s hike. Elisa asks Jamie why his green hat that is in the tent is all wet. Which hat? The green hat. Which green hat? Your green hat. The one with the bill like a baseball cap? I don’t know, it’s the wet one. Why is my hat wet? That was my question. Which hat? Your green hat! Well I have more than one green hat. Never mind. I did soak one hat because it was all grimy yesterday, was it green? Yes. [Mystery seemingly solved.] Then what was the confusion? I have lots of green hats, I didn’t know which one you were talking about. Do you have more than one green hat in the tent that you soaked wet?
September 4, 2009
We wake up excited about the day ahead. There are delicious omelets for breakfast. I have two. Who carried the eggs? While not as hard as yesterday, today’s hike is the longest distance, about nine miles. As we leave the campsite, I realize that we will be going uphill, again! Huber tells us it is only for an hour or so and then we will reach the second summit and half way up there is a small set of ruins for us to explore...yippee.
We leave the ruins and head back up. Near the summit we see a beautiful glacier fed lake. When we reach the second summit we find a place to rest and take the longest break of all the groups hiking. Huber finally orders us up and back on the trail. The truth is while still difficult, today is a joy compared to yesterday’s grinding climb. Everyone seems to be in great spirits.
We leave the ruins and head back up. Near the summit we see a beautiful glacier fed lake. When we reach the second summit we find a place to rest and take the longest break of all the groups hiking. Huber finally orders us up and back on the trail. The truth is while still difficult, today is a joy compared to yesterday’s grinding climb. Everyone seems to be in great spirits. 
We leave the second summit and head to more ruins called Sayacmarca. They are huge with multi-level rooms and terraces going down the mountian.
We leave Sayacmarca and the scenery is absolutely beautiful. The trail itself is prettier, usually about four feet wide, the mountain going up on one side and a precipice falling off on the other. The trail dives and climbs through the jungle, over small bamboo bridges, and through small cave-like holes in the mountainside. It is something out of The Hobbit. By early afternoon, the view of the mountains and valleys is blurred by what looks like fog and clouds but it is smoke from a bush fire in the valley somewhere below.
We reach the final summit. Finally no more uphill! The summit is barren and flat. Huber tells us it was used for camping in the past and there are bathrooms…I am skeptical. We leave the summit and have 1600 meters to descend to reach the final campsite.
On the way down we pass another huge set of ruins with lots of stairs. Huber sits us down and gives us an Inca History lesson on one of the terraces. It is beautiful weather and the grass is soft. I am sure Huber is saying something important but all I can think about is a nap.
We take more pictures and move on. We will spend the next few hours walking down stairs. Stairs, stairs, stairs, stairs and more stairs.
Toward the end of the day’s hike, Huber gives us a choice to go an extra hour or so to see the
ruins at Intipata, or take a shorter course directly to the campsite. Most of us choose to take the side trip. It is worth the effort, we come out of the joungle to find a beautiful large set of terraces cascading down the mountian. It is getting dark and Huber tells us we need to get going as the pumas will come out at night. He is joking isn’t he? Thirty minutes later we arrive at the campsite. There is an establishment in the form of a banquet hall that is selling beer. We have beers with dinner. The mood is celebratory. We have made it. We exchange stories with other hikers. Huber reminds us he will be waking us before 4:00 a.m. We are off to bed.
September 5, 2009
We wake up at 3:40 a.m. this morning to get ready for today’s hike. We were on the trail a little before five o’clock . We pass through another control point. We are wearing head lamps to light the path in front of us. Looking back and seeing all the other headlamps is like a scene out of the Body Snatchers. A few hours of hiking through the jungle, and Machu Picchu comes into view. It is a beautiful city built 500 years ago on the top of a mountain surrounded by taller mountains. Truly amazing, it is a huge city complex perfectly preserved.
The Spaniards went out of their way to demolish Incan temples as being sacrilegious. Other structures were destroyed to make way for Spanish buildings, etc. The Spaniards never discovered Machu Picchu , which was deserted about the time the Spanish arrived. Machu Picchu was not officially rediscovered until 1911.
The defining characteristic of Machu Picchu is its mystery. How
and why did they build it on this mountaintop? Why was it deserted? 
How did they carve and move these huge stones into place without modern metal tools or horses? What was life like here? What types of rituals took place in these temples? We spend the day roaming the ruins and taking photos.
We have a late lunch in Aguas Calientes and visit the market, before starting the three and one-half hour train ride back to Cusco . The shower at the hotel, after four days, is marvelous. Now each step up a moderate slope causes a sort of good pain all over. We have some pizza down the street from the Inkarri Hostal and go to bed early.
September 6, 2009
We fly from Cusco to Lima , where we have about eight hours before our flight back home. We check our bags at Left Luggage, and take a taxi to the Museo de la Nacion to learn more about the Incas and other prehistoric civilizations. Then we explore the Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor) and the Plaza de San Martin. Then back to the airport.
September 7, 2009
We are so excited to see Sofia and Audrey. We land about 11:30 a.m. and hurry to grandma and grandpa’s to see the girls. When we arrive, Audrey is awake and is glad to see us. Sofia is napping. We hug, kiss and cuddle with Audrey for about an hour before Sofia awakes. Sofia is also happy to see us. We play, talk, eat snacks. Sofia tells us, with the help of the grandparents, about her stay. Sofia and Audrey played with Coco and Molly, played in the water sprinkler, went to church, and went to John Graham’s birthday party.
We drive home and quickly settle back into our routine. We eat dinner, play with puzzles, music toys, and legos, before taking baths. Then play a little more, brush our teeth, sing Good Night Kisses, give goodnight kisses, read several books, talk about our day and tomorrow, sing songs and go to sleep. It is good to be home with the girls.
September 12, 2009 (for the LA group)
We fly from Cusco to Lima , where we have about eight hours before our flight back home. We check our bags at Left Luggage, and take a taxi to the Museo de la Nacion to learn more about the Incas and other prehistoric civilizations. Then we explore the Plaza de Armas (Plaza Mayor) and the Plaza de San Martin. Then back to the airport.
September 7, 2009
We are so excited to see Sofia and Audrey. We land about 11:30 a.m. and hurry to grandma and grandpa’s to see the girls. When we arrive, Audrey is awake and is glad to see us. Sofia is napping. We hug, kiss and cuddle with Audrey for about an hour before Sofia awakes. Sofia is also happy to see us. We play, talk, eat snacks. Sofia tells us, with the help of the grandparents, about her stay. Sofia and Audrey played with Coco and Molly, played in the water sprinkler, went to church, and went to John Graham’s birthday party.
We drive home and quickly settle back into our routine. We eat dinner, play with puzzles, music toys, and legos, before taking baths. Then play a little more, brush our teeth, sing Good Night Kisses, give goodnight kisses, read several books, talk about our day and tomorrow, sing songs and go to sleep. It is good to be home with the girls.
September 12, 2009 (for the LA group)
Denyse and I attend a wedding for her Southwest Airlines colleague. At the reception, Denyse is telling another colleague about our trip. The conversation goes something like this:
Lisa: How was your trip?
Denyse: Fantastic. We were really fortunate in that we had a wonderful group. In fact two of them had lived in Texas. One in Austin and the other graduated from Allen and went to UNT.
Lisa: Allen? Derek (Lisa’s husband) graduated from Allen. Do you know what year?
Denyse: 1994 (it came up on the trail)
Lisa: That is when Derek graduated. Derek, come here
Lisa: Denyse just finished a trip to Peru and was with a guy who graduated from Allen and now lives in LA.
Derek: What is his name?
Denyse: Jaime, I don’t remember his last name.
Derek interrupts: Jaime Leake. He does murals right?
Denyse: Yes that is him
Chris: What are you talking about
Denyse: Derek knows Jaime. From our trip.
Chris: Wow, small world
Lisa: How was your trip?
Denyse: Fantastic. We were really fortunate in that we had a wonderful group. In fact two of them had lived in Texas. One in Austin and the other graduated from Allen and went to UNT.
Lisa: Allen? Derek (Lisa’s husband) graduated from Allen. Do you know what year?
Denyse: 1994 (it came up on the trail)
Lisa: That is when Derek graduated. Derek, come here
Lisa: Denyse just finished a trip to Peru and was with a guy who graduated from Allen and now lives in LA.
Derek: What is his name?
Denyse: Jaime, I don’t remember his last name.
Derek interrupts: Jaime Leake. He does murals right?
Denyse: Yes that is him
Chris: What are you talking about
Denyse: Derek knows Jaime. From our trip.
Chris: Wow, small world
Denyse:I guess Jaime really is popular
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