In the Footsteps of the Incas: From Mountains to Jungle to Ancient Ruins About This Page:

[chezp]

Great updates Douglas - that tour looks like it showed you some superb sights. And I'm glad that a wheelbarrow wasn't needed to get you home after dinner!

[DouglasE]

This is a little out of order but I forgot I had done this. I made a tiny little video one morning while at Inka's Bed & Breakfast. I'm basically summarizing our first day in Puno, Peru.

Check it out! YouTube - Highlights of Puno, Peru

[DouglasE]

Monday, October 12, 2009

For some reason I was only able to get four hours of sleep. I don’t know why I could not sleep; but I wake up and can never fall back to sleep. Ordinarily at home I would try reading or get up and surf around on the internet. I did not bring an itty bitty reading light with me or laptop so it’s just lie there and be still trying not to wake Craig up – for hours! Eventually, my travel alarm clock goes off and I make my way to the shower. Aaah! We have hot water. Let’s hear it for 24 hours of hot water!

The Ninos hotel was founded by a Netherlander, Jolanda van den Berg. Profits from the hotel are used to make the lives of local neglected children better. The children receive a hot meal, a warm shower, medical and dental assistance, homework assistance, and sports lessons. Additionally, Jolanda has adopted over 15 local children. Each room is named after one of the adoptees. We are staying in the Alan Gracias Ellen room. Inside is a framed picture of Alan. Outside the door to our room we found a basket filled with children’s toys. The hotel is housed in a building that is over 300 years old. To get to our room from reception you cross a central courtyard area from which all the rooms have access. There is also a balcony that surrounds the courtyard with more rooms. Our room had a nice big bed, approximately queen size. In Peru, this size bed is called “matrimonial”. On their web site they just list rooms as “one bed without private bathroom”, “two beds with private bathroom”. I had requested a “one bed with private bathroom” for $44/night. We were given absolutely no grief that we were two middle aged men in a room with one matrimonial sized bed. Next to our bed was a tiny little bed for a child. Our bed had nice woolen blankets and I was comfortable even though it could get quite chilly. The bathroom was clean with plenty of space. The ceiling had wooden beams running across providing character. The whole hotel had a definite Spanish colonial feel in its atmosphere.

Our bedroom at the Ninos Hotel, Cusco, Peru



The courtyard at the Ninos Hotel, Cusco, Peru. Our room is on the left hand side in the back corner.




For whatever reason, I had believed that breakfast was included with our room. It was not. There is a breakfast room at the hotel and when we went to go and have breakfast we discovered that we would be charged for this service. With that little surprise we decided to go back to our room and figure out our options. Back at our room I consulted my Lonely Planet guidebook and we realized that we wouldn’t really be saving much money by going outside the hotel since the breakfast at the hotel was fairly reasonably priced by any standard.

We both have the middle breakfast which included bread, butter, marmalade, coffee/tea, fruit salad, eggs, and orange juice all for s/. 10.00 ($3.46) per person. Of course I am on the mate de coca regime and continue to drink that. Cusco is still a high altitude. When we had made our visit to Llama Path the previous evening they inquired about our altitude acclimation and we both were surprised to realize that we no longer had any altitude sickness symptoms! Even though I am feeling normal once again I wasn’t taking any chances and wanted to continue to feel robust, hence the mate de coca. While sitting down in the sunny breakfast room decorated with pictures of children and flowers, I noticed that they offer a book exchange. This is also the place where you can drop off clothes to be laundered for a small fee. I especially enjoyed my grape marmalade with little tiny grapes in it. Overall, breakfast was satisfying but nothing to rave about.

Breakfast at Ninos Hotel, Cusco, Peru



Craig in the breakfast room of the Ninos Hotel




The Quechua people did not have a written language. So all of the words derived from Quechua are transcriptions from what the Spanish thought they were hearing. Consequently, the Andean city in which we are staying can be spelled Cusco, Cuzco or probably more accurately Qosq’o. For ease I will be trying to be consistent and use Cusco. This city was once the premier city of the entire Inca Empire which spanned from Ecuador, through Peru and into Bolivia, Columbia, Chile, and Argentina making it the largest pre-Columbian American empire. During Inca times Cusco was considered, “the navel of the world”. If you are traveling to see Machu Picchu, the “lost city of the Incas” then you invariably make a stop at Cusco.

The center of the old city is Plaza de Armas. I found all of the old part of town to be very charming and full of character. We only were spending this one day in Cusco but I would highly recommend spending longer. There is quite a bit to see and well worth the time. I loved how so many of the buildings have reddish-brown tiled roofs. It is very obvious that the major industry of old city Cusco is tourism. I have never seen so many tour operators housed in shops as I did in Cusco. It was not unusual to see street vendors speaking Spanish to passersby and then hear them switch to Quechua when speaking to each other. I also liked the fact that there are many plazas and garden squares throughout the old section of town. Everything I wanted to see in Cusco was within walking distance from my hotel.

After breakfast we had a number of errands that we needed to accomplish. Our first order of business was to purchase our Buleto Turistico for some of the sites on our City Tour. Llama Path had arranged for a tour of the major sites in and around the city. The cost of the tour was $24 which covered our transportation and our bi-lingual tour guide. The Buleto Turistico covered the admission to sites that are part of the SacredValley. The SacredValley is an area filled with ancient archeological sites around Rio Urubamba. Another expense is the admission to the Cathedral and Qorikancha temple.

Walking through the streets of Cusco. It's a Monday morning and we encountered many children on their way to school.



On our way to the Oficina Ejecutiva del Comite (OFEC) to buy our Buleto Turistico we noticed a grocery store. Craig suggested that we should buy some food items and have our own little picnic lunch to save money. We also could buy snacks for our Trek the next day. We made a mental note of the store and decided to come back later in the day. It was quite easy to make our purchase of the Buleto Turistico since we arrived shortly after the office had opened. This is where being a planner comes in handy. I purposely planned our day so that we could maximize our time.






Next, was my need to exchange US dollars for Peruvian Nuevo soles (PEN). Lonely Planet recommended a currency exchange place that was right across the street from OFEC. LAC dollar was not open. It wasn’t 9 o’clock yet so we went in search of insect repellent and a flash light for Craig. These were two essentials needed for our Adventure Trek that was to begin the following day. As you may remember, I decided to leave behind insect repellent and he hadn’t packed any. We popped into a pharmacy and found that they offered only this incredibly huge bottle of insect repellent with only 30% DEET. We wanted at least 90% DEET, if not 100%. Plus, we just could not justify spending as much money as they wanted for the huge bottle that we probably would only use a quarter of and would need to throw out before we board the plane to go home. We searched multiple places for both flashlight and insect repellent along the busy Ave. del Sol. We passed LAC dollar several times as we traipsed up and down Avenue del Sol. It was always closed. Craig finds a flashlight but we hold off on buying the insect repellent because we could not find any with good DEET content. I had wanted to use LAC dollar currency exchange because it was recommended by Lonely Planet and I didn’t want to be cheated. Craig has now finished his shopping and LAC dollar still had not opened for business. I decided to enter the most appealing currency exchange place along Avenue del Sol. This street had them one right after another in addition to banks. On top of that, independent guys wearing vests did currency exchange right on the street. The exchangers on the street are reportedly not the best option. Banks charge high fees and not the best rates. Remember, we are in Peru and many places do not accept credit or debit cards. If I were in Europe I would just use plastic, but while in Peru cash is essential. I converted about $60 into PEN.

The man with the union jack hat is a money changer. Note the vest he is wearing. That's how you know he does currency exchange. I guess the paper money he is rifling through probably would be a big clue also. Avenue del Sol extends behind him.




We headed up to the center of old city – Plaza de Armas – and arranged for a meeting point and time. While in Peru our mobile phones will not work so planning is essential. Craig was concerned that he would be running out of money. Departure tax is approximately $30. He was afraid he would not have money to leave Peru. I wasn’t as concerned. I knew there were ways we could control our spending. He had some shopping to do buying gifts for his dog sitters and family members. There were some sites in Cusco I wanted to see while I was here that required admission. Craig was concerned about having enough money for both the souvenirs and admission. So we parted ways.



NEXT: How well can I handle Cusco on my own knowing very little Spanish and not much money?

[Colexis Mom]

Another great update Douglas!

[PrincessSharon]

Great update, Douglas (and I enjoyed your little video). Glad you were able to get some money changed. I hope you can find some insect repellent. If not, I'm sure that will come back to bite you (yuk yuk yuk ). Can't wait to hear how you did on your own!

[pamcarey]

Great update! Good luck finding the insect repellent!! That sounds like an essential.

[chezp]

More beautiful photos - your hotel looks lovely.

[DouglasE]

Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus on the Plaza de Armas



I parted ways with Craig and did my own little tour of important Cusco sites. My first stop was Iglesia de la Compañìa de Jesús. Admission was s/.10 ($3.15). It is reputed to be the most beautiful church in Cusco. It was constructed by the Jesuits who were on the outs with the Spanish government at the time. The government wanted La Catedral to be the biggest church. And it is. It is the widest. The crafty Jesuits instead made their church the tallest. Its foundations are built upon the palace of Huayna Capac, the last Inca to rule the undivided empire.

When I entered the church a young man approached me and asked if I spoke Spanish or English. He then found another young man who then acted as my private tour guide. He told me all about the history of the church and we explored different areas. We visited the main altar, the crypt, the choir, all over the church highlighting the important aspects of each area. My guide was knowledgeable and friendly. I felt like a VIP since it was just the two of us. The gilded altar was just stunning. The paintings to either side of the entrance depict the marriages of Saint Ignatius's nephews. One of these especially exemplifies Peru's mestizo character, depicting the granddaughter of Manco Inca marrying the man who captured the last Incan leader, Tupac Amaru. After my guided tour of the church I thanked and tipped my guide a couple of nuevo soles and left for my next destination.



The Baroque front facade of the Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus





My friendly young guide. Behind him you can see Plaza de Armas and make out the central fountain.



After a climb up some stairs at the church there is a wonderful view of Cusco. The large building behind me is La Catedral.



The Museo de Arte Precolombino sits on the end of a pretty little plaza, Plazoleta de las Nazarenas. It was so picturesque I stopped to take snapshots. I was then approached by a young man wanting to sell his paintings. I said, “no, gracias” and he persisted in his attempts. I had to have said “no, gracias” at least five times. He still kept on being pushy. I eventually told him I hardly had any money and he said that his art was very inexpensive. At that point I smiled and said “no gracias” and walked away to head into the museum. If you ever get to Cusco definitely stop in for a visit. The museum is small and I was able to see everything in less than one hour. The collection was by Rafael Larco. All the displays have explanations in Spanish, French, and English. I found it interesting how ceramics done in 1000 B.C. could look so much like ones that I could find in an art gallery to be sold in 21st century United States. While ceramics were the main focus weavings, tools, musical instruments, and weapons could be found. Dating from 1250 BC and AD 1532 the artifacts show off the achievements of many Peruvian cultures.


Museo de Arte Precolumino stairway





Plazoleta de las Nazarenas






The Inka Museum was more historical in nature. Prevalent were dioramas depicting Peruvian cultures at various points in time. This is the best museum in town for those interested in the Incas.

Museo Inka





I still had some time left before I had to meet up with Craig. The previous day I had experienced a problem with the sun. My sunglasses were just not adequate to block the sun. I found myself shielding my face with my hand to create a sun visor. I figured I had better pick up a hat to help with the Adventure Trek that I would take tomorrow. I really didn’t think I would need a hat. I didn’t need one in Miami last summer. I have several hats at home and I just wanted a cheap hat to get me through the Trek. I basically wandered around the streets of Cusco in an aimless way. Cusco is filled to the brim with shops selling alpaca ponchos, hats, gloves, scarves, souvenirs of all kinds. I have never seen anything like it. Also there is a plethora of travel agencies, especially ones specializing in adventure holidays like the one on which I was about to embark. Eventually I found a little stall leading to a variety of vendors. The proprietor had just the sort of hat I was looking for. His English was excellent, but I could not see paying s/. 20. He asked what I was willing to pay and I lied and said I only had s/. 12 ($4.15) on me. The deal was struck. The hat is reversible with stitching of a logo of Cusco.

I continued to stroll around Cusco exploring my way. Soon it was time to meet up with Craig. Right as I walked up to the central fountain at Plaza de Armas Craig approached me. I was so happy to see him I gave him a big back slapping hug. I think I kind of caught him off guard by my reaction.


Our meeting place, the fountain at Plaza de Armas





The view from Plaza de Armas




Now it was time to purchase our food supplies. In my wanderings I discovered a food mini mart right off Plaza de Armas. We tried there first. Craig was not inspired by the food selection. We decided to check out that other food market we spotted earlier in the day off of Avenue del Sol. I found this market to be pricier. Craig picked up a few snack foods and we decided to go back to the original market off of Plaza de Armas. In addition to snack items like peanuts and dried bananas we picked up the ingredients for lunch and dinner that day. We got 6 grams of Mortadella, some Edam cheese, whole wheat bread, and mayo. Our few Spanish words were enough for the deli woman to figure out how to get us what we wanted. We just had enough time to head back to the hotel and make our sandwiches and eat our lunch. I had a very yummy peach nectar while Craig quenched his thirst on bottled water. We both were so hungry that it probably ended up being tastier than it actually was. It was a quick and easy lunch in the courtyard of our hotel.


My lunch





Once finished with lunch we were off to embark on our City Tour.

NEXT: The crazy weather of Cusco and our tour of the city and the Sacred Valley.

[Sandra Bostwick]

Love this update! The guinea pig stuff was gross, but the cute photo of you with the bottle of wine made up for it.

[chezp]

Another wonderful update Douglas. I am so loving reading this report.

[DouglasE]

Sandra Bostwick - I am glad you are getting a kick out of my trip report. I am enjoying reliving the trip, myself. I just wish I hadn't forgotten so much and it was only a couple of months ago! It took me a while to learn the lesson to take oodles of pictures because I learned that I will regret not having a picture of this or that. Now I've just learned the lesson to take the time out to jot down some notes. It really pays off. You'll be happy to hear we never did eat cuy on this trip. It was always the most expensive item on the menu, but we learned that generally it is also always big enough to share between two people. Unlike the experience that Sharon mentioned most of the time they have skinned the animal and do NOT cook it with its fur still on. Another thing is that most often you need to provide the restaurant your order for cuy a day in advance because of the way in which they prepare it.

chezp - Obviously, you must be enjoying the report because you are in Florida reading this. If it were me I'd wait until I was home. Do you sleep? Just wait ...some major drama is going to happen after I'm through with reporting this day.

[DouglasE]

I made a little video describing our First Class Bus Tour while at Ninos Hotel. Let's see if I can figure out how to embed the video. And the answer is a big "no!" Douglas can not figure that out. So here is a link to the YouTube Url. Click on it and watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3aqKKU0J6Y

This second video takes you from the breakfast room to our hotel room at the Ninos Hotel in Cusco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=getggUC_YkM

Enjoy!

[DouglasE]

Once finished with lunch we were off to embark on our City Tour. We arrived early to meet our guide at the Llama Path office. So we decided to sit in the Plaza Regocijo which was only a half a block away from the Llama Path office. On our first night in Cusco we stopped for a moment in this little plaza and enjoyed all the people interacting. It definitely is a spot for lovers as several were being affectionate in a sweet way.

The clouds darkened and the rain drizzled at first and then came down in earnest causing me to use my umbrella. We sat and chatted. I had become so used to people approaching me asking me to buy something that I faked an argument with Craig. I started to complain, bitch and moan in a very angry voice as someone walked over to join us on our bench. I just didn’t want to deal with another hawker of wares. Unfortunately, poor Craig didn’t know what I was doing and thought I was genuinely pissed off. It turned out that it wasn’t a seller of goods at all. After a while we got up and waited for our guide back at the Llama Path office. As we walk over I let Craig understand that I wasn’t upset or angry at all and explain my plan to avoid the hawkers. It is now 2:00 pm and the office is closed for a mid-day break. We just stand and wait under my umbrella. Time passes and Craig and I debate how long we will wait until we leave. I realize that this tour might be functioning under Peru time and we wait. Eventually, a friendly young man greets us and asks if I am Douglas. He takes us back down to the Plaza Regocijo to wait for more members of the tour. We walk a little bit further to a hotel and find that there are more tour members waiting here. Our bus finds us here and we all load up. Tour members come from a couple of different origins. It turns out that this is not a tour run by Llama Path but one that the company contracts out with some other company. I have no idea what company is actually offering this tour. As soon as we get to our first stop the young man and another young woman who had joined us splits the bus into two groups. We belong to the English speaking group. Our members all don’t necessarily come from English speaking countries it’s just that English forms the common denominator for us all. The young man who has been leading us along leaves us and puts us in the hands of a man named Edwin. Edwin? Who’s Edwin? Why are you leaving me? I was quite sad to see the young man leave us because I must admit he was rather cute. Secondly he was nice and friendly.

The bus drops us off at El Templo del Qorikancha. This is what once was the richest temple in the Inca Empire. All that is left is the great stone work. Qorikancha is Quechua for “Golden Courtyard”. Craig and I needed to purchase our admission as do most members of our tour. There was a bit of confusion and mess because this is a major tourism site. A great horde of people had converged on the admission booth. Because of the rain everyone scrambles to get under cover and smoosh their way to pay for their admission. Tour group after tour group are all here at Qorikancha this afternoon. After we have paid our admission, Edwin leads us into the temple complex. Edwin is Quechua and is very passionate about telling us how great the culture was prior to Spanish invasion and how the Spanish white washed all of its accomplishments. The temple originally had walls lined with solid gold sheets, 700 of them each weighing 2 kg. The walls were studded with emeralds and turquoise. Windows were constructed so the sun would enter and cast a near blinding reflection off the metals inside. Inside the temple the mummies of Inca leaders were attended on a regular basis on their thrones of gold. There were golden statues of animals, trees, flowers, and people, a golden replica of the sun – all plundered by the Spanish. There are chronicles from the Spanish that describe the incredible nature of this place. For example there were more than 20 sheep of gold with their lambs and the shepherds who guarded them, all of this metal. This was also an observatory where movement of celestial activities could be monitored and agricultural activities could then be directed. Edwin informs us that this temple was built in the mid-15th century during the reign of the 10th Inca, Túpac Yupanqui. Juan Pizzaro, brother of conquistador Francisco Pizzaro, had given this temple complex to the Dominican order in his will and they control the site to this day. The Dominicans built the Iglesia Santo Domingo adjacent to the ancient Inca temple. Edwin gave us so much information about the religion of the Quechua that I have since forgotten quite a bit. I was not thrilled with the incredible amount of people that were visiting the site today. We were continually needing to make way for others or wait for others to make way for us. I loved being led by Edwin and he provided excellent commentary, but I think it would have been better to see the temple at opening when I’m sure less people would be visiting. It’s about 3 in the afternoon and I’m sure the time when it is most congested.


El Templo del Qorikancha





A small indication of the golden walls laden with symbolism.






The courtyard of the temple






A view from inside the temple looking out onto the town of Cusco. I actually have a picture of me in the foreground and this as the backdrop; however, I have a stupid expression on my face and my eyes are closed so you didn't think I'd be sharing that picture with the universe, did you?






We follow Edwin with his little Peruvian flag out of the temple and head to our bus. We are driven to La Catedral. While La Compañìa was described as the “most beautiful”, La Catedral is definitely the “most dramatic”. I was just not prepared for how huge this place was. We only had a limited time to explore the church and I could tell that Edwin wanted to spend the entire day teaching us all about what we could see. This cathedral was built on what once was the palace of Inca Wiracocha, and made in part from stones hauled from Sacsayhuamán which we will visit later in this tour. The cathedral is a mix of Spanish renaissance architecture with Inca stonework. It took nearly a century to build. The main altar is made of solid silver.

The cathedral is filled with all sorts of artwork, but Edwin did point out the Marcos Zapata painting of the Last Supper. Here Christ and his Apostles dine on roast guinea pig, hot peppers, and Andean cheese while sipping out of Queros. One of the paintings depicts a pregnant Virgin Mary. You don’t see that every day! If you want to experience the Cusco school of painting this is the place to go. The Cusco school combines 17th century devotional styles with motifs and customs of the Quechua culture.

We also go to see the crucified Christ known as Our Lord of the Earthquakes. I had learned about him in Andahuaylillas and at the Iglesia de la Compañìa. This was the statue that was hauled out and paraded during the 1650 earthquake. The silver litter that carries it looks immense and incredibly heavy. I don’t know how they manage to bring it out every Easter. The statue is blackened due to all the smoke from the candles that used to burn beneath it.

The church is actually three churches in one. To the right is the Iglesia del Triunfo and to the left is Iglesia de Jesús María.

Sacsayhuamán is our next stop. This is our first stop outside of Cusco and in what is considered the Sacred Valley. It is both a fortress and a temple complex. The Quechua did not separate these functions like Europeans did. The name means “Satisfied Falcon”. What this site does best is to illustrate the incredible feat of stonework that the Incas were able to accomplish. We still do not understand today how they were able to do it. Skilled artisans specialized in being able to put together stones so that they matched up perfectly and joined without mortar. Peru has had a history of being pummeled by several major earthquakes over the centuries, the most recent in 2007. Yet, the stonework of the Incas has remained intact without the use of mortar while the Spanish constructions have been demolished. Sacsayhuamán is made of massive stones weighing up to 17,000 kg. It has a double wall in a zigzag shape. This shape was intentional. Lightning played an important role in the religious life of the Quechua culture. You will note that there are three levels of the fortress which represent the three levels of the universe: the upper level, the level of the living and the lower level of the spirits. It was the ninth Inca, Pachacutec, who envisioned Cusco in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuamán as the head, and these 22 zigzagged walls as the teeth. The puma is an important animal in the Quechua religion. Edwin also pointed out the puma in the structure. He was able to point out its head, the teeth, and its paws. Some of the puma I was able to see, others I’ll be honest I just wasn’t able to get. We also saw a portion of the complex that had curved stone to replicate rainbows. Rainbows were an important motif among the Quechua. The fortress had a labyrinth of rooms that was large enough for a garrison of 5,000 soldiers. Archeologists estimate that tens of thousands of workers labored on this massive structure for up to 70 years. For several centuries this site had been used as a rock quarry as a source for building Spanish constructions in Cusco. Today we only see 20% of the original structure. While at Sacsayhuamán the weather starts to clear and the sun tries to emerge. Yet it is getting later in the day and the sun is starting to set. Between the sun and the storm clouds we experience an eerie lighting that is perfect for this ancient Inca site.


Images from Sacsayhuaman






Notice the dents at the bottom of some of the stones. These are the stones that represent the puma's paws. Ooooh!







These are the stones representing the rainbows. Can you see the arches? No, not the golden arches of McDonalds. The stone arches, silly.

[DouglasE]

On the bus Edwin points out Pukapukara which is a fortress that looked down on the Cusco valley. The name literally means Red Fort. It is most likely that this was a way station, a stopping point, and guard post. It is composed of several lower residential chambers and storerooms. From our vantage point there really isn’t much to see.

Pukapukara is in the center of this picture taken from Tambomachay


Edwin instructs the group on Inca theology



We stop at Tambomachay. After getting off the bus, we hike down a gravel road to experience what Edwin describes as the ‘Fountain of Youth’. He laughs and says all of his other brothers are either grey or bald. He has luxurious black hair and attributes it to bathing here at Tambomachay. Craig and I do not pass up the opportunity to splash in the ceremonial stone bath that channels crystalline spring water. It was chilly but quite refreshing!



Images from Tambomachay






The light is fading and we quickly head to Q’enqo which means “Zigzag”. This ruin is a large limestone rock riddled with all sorts of niches, steps, and symbolic carvings. There are zigzagging channels that were likely used for ritual sacrifice. There are laborious etched carvings of puma, condor, and llama. We had to squeeze ourselves through crevices and to explore this interesting wonder. Edwin pointed out a throne that was carved out of a rock. As we move to get back on our bus we discover a wonderful vantage point that overlooks the Cusco valley.


Looking back towards Q'enqo





My stone throne at Q'enqo




Edwin explains the Andean Cross at Q'enqo





This is one of my all-time favorite pictures from this trip. Craig and I stand in front of the Cusco Valley. Craig is currently using this picture for his Facebook profile picture.




To satisfy the other tourists Edwin has the bus stop at a souvenir shop that specializes in alpaca goods. On our way he explains the various levels of quality of the different woolen articles. The most prized and most expensive is made from baby camelids. I opt to stay on the bus because I have no money and the only reason we are here is to buy merchandise. Although when the others return they found it educational because you got to experience the difference between the different types of goods and how to spot acrylic blends. They also provided a drink of hot chocolate. I was getting antsy. It is now 6pm and Craig and I were due back at the Llama Path office for our orientation meeting for our Adventure Trek. I had warned Llama Path both prior to our arrival via email and the previous evening in person that we would be on this tour and asked if that would present a problem. They repeatedly told us no.

Our bus travels back to Cusco and just as we drive onto the street where Llama Path is located, the driver and guide heard me mention me pointing this out to Craig. They kindly drop us off right in front of the office. We quickly scamper out to run for our meeting. We are only about 15 minutes late. Maybe we are on time if one considers Peru time?

NEXT: “Oh My God! There’s a chain and pad lock! We’re locked in! How are we going to make our Adventure Trek!?!”

[Colexis Mom]

Great update Douglas! Sounds like fun times in Cusco!