Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) 24th June 2010

There have been festivals and fireworks on everyday in Cusco this month. The Plaza de Amas is always crowed with festivities.

The main festival for the year is INTI RAYMI held in honour of the Sun. It is an old Inkan festival and is still held in very high regard amongst Peruvians.
The whole of Cusco closes and attends the procession along with hundreds of tourists.

The choose an Inkan King (usually an elder of true Inkan decent)son of the sun father of the multitudes, to lead the procession. There is alot of pomp and ceremony and a cast of thousands. The procession starts at Intikancha (the Temple of the Sun) and proceeds to Haukaypata in the plaza de amas where there is more pomp and ceremony and thanks giving to the sun. After that they move onto Saqsaywaman (pronounced sexywoman) a huge old Inkan site, where there were literally millions of people waiting for the main event. They make offerings to the sun amid much dancing and ceremonial beating of drums and blowing of conche shells.

We arose at 6am to arrive at the site, by walking up lots of very steep stairways through the town up to the mountain which overlooks Cusco to where the main and final ceremony would take place at 2pm. A very long wait. There were already lots of people there and we staked out our area on the hill overlooking the site in readiness. But in true Peruvian style the minute things started to happen all that went to the dogs and it was a free for all. We could have bought tickets for US100 but we chose to sit with the plebs. It was much more interesting. The area we were in was more tourists, but the area which the locals claim as their own was an experience to walk through. They were cooking food for the picnic and some of the stuff they had there I had never seen before but it looked very interesting and if I wasn´t so obsessed with germs I would love to have tried some of it. They had roasted coy (guinea pig), lots of different fried things, all sorts of nuts and seeds and the local home made alcohol (chicha) made from maize (not something I will be trying anytime soon).

At 2pm the procession arrived and the main ceremony began for the offerings to the Sun God. The Inka arrived, preceded by the women who sweep the ground before him, accompanied by all his entourage and hundreds of dancers and musicians.

The offerings started with Coca leaves and asking the Sun God for advice.
The Inka invites the Lords from the four regions of the Empire to report on their regions and they ask the Sun for better days.
After this they have the Chicha rite and the ritual of the sacred fire then they sacrifice the llama (we´re still not sure if they really killed him - it was all very cloak and dagger). After this the Sun God´s advice is revealed, and that is: to govern with prudence, justice and honour.

They then purify themselves with the rite of the Sankhu made from the whitest corn of the harvest. They thank the Sun God for his kindness with more dancing and musical ceremony. The dancing is a sight to behold and the archaeological site where it is held is magnificent.

The crush to exit the site and get back down the steps to Cusco was mind blowing. To look back from a distance, as we descended the hill behind the site, was like watching an ant hill on the move.

Home visit to Lucia Monday 21st June 2010

This morning I had art class with grades 5 and 6. As it is festival month in Cusco, we did posters of all the different festivals happening this month. The kids seem to enjoy it.
June is Cusco´s month for festivals, including the favous Inti Raymi sun festival. There is a festival on every day and the plaza de ames in Cusco is always crowed.

In the afternoon I was on community work.
We took a bed (with mattress, sheets, pillow and blanket) to a family in need.
They live in the Pumamarca village. The house is a reasonable size compared to some, although it is made of mud brick and has dirt floors and no doors or windows.

The mother has a brain tumor, caused by eating tainted pork. She was operated on but she needs another operation and the village is trying to help raise money for the operation. She is the only Peruvian lady I have seen that does not have long black plaits (her hair was cut for the operation). The tumor is benign but it keeps growing and is affecting her short term memory. When we arrived Iris (the social worker) asked her where her husband was and his name and she couldn´t remember. It was very sad. Her husband works his own fields, which feeds his family, but he does not have another job where he can raise any money.

They have four children who go to the Pumamarca school. At the moment the four children (2 boys and 2 girl aged 10 to 2 years) sleep in the one single bed with a hard woven straw base. The bedroom is a small mudbrick room with a dirt floor, which also serves as a storage room for potatoes that are piled up in a corner on the dirt floor. The bed we brought to them was for the boys and they were so excited about it and thrilled with the colourful sheets we brought. We had to erect the bed and make it up for them and they kept getting in the way trying to help.

I know the children from school and it is always interesting to see where they live when they are not at school. At school they all seem like normal happy kids. You would never imagine their circumstances. I think the little 10 year old girl has already taken on a lot of responsibilities along with the older boy.
They remember me from school and their excitement about amiga Jenny coming to their house was very touching.

I always get very emotional when I go on these visits. I have been doing it twice a week during our stay and it is always tragic. You cannot imagine the plight of these people unless you see it for yourself. The past governments have a lot to answer for. Hopefully in time things will improve, although with the present government I do not hold out much hope.

The Roads

These photos were taken on the walk back from the Pumamarca village.




All the roads in Cusco are rough and pot holed, except of course for the Plaza de Amas which is beautifully stone paved from the Inkan and Spanish colonial times. The road in front of the volunteer house is made, but most roads in the area are not. They are all rough dirt roads.

The main road to Cusco is a divided highway, but it is very rough, rocky, dusty and potholed all the way. There are no lines marked, and all traffic lanes are very haphazard. It is not abnormal for three lanes to become four or five and there is always someone trying to butt into any space they can see. Horns are used frequently as indicators and notice that you are going to be cut off or that you are getting too close or just in case you didn´t see them. Fortunately they do not usually drive all that fast, but they will drive down the smallest alleys without hesitation, blowing the horn regularly to indicate they are coming through and for pedestrians and animals to get out of the way. The suspension in most cars and buses is wrecked with good reason. It is rare to see a good car and they are soon wrecked because of the rough roads.

The road up to the community is a very rough dirt track that winds it´s way up into the mountains. We have to keep the windows closed to avoid choking with the dust created. We always arrive with a very dry throat. It is not uncommon to be held up by farmers or their wives and children with livestock along the way including cows, bulls, sheep, llamas, donkeys, pigs and chooks.

Dogs are allowed to roam free all over the villages and the city alike. They are domesticated but they roam in packs and there is always a dog to be seen sleeping somewhere, even on the main roads. One time I counted 7 dogs in a pack wandering backwards and forwards across the main road which is 3 lanes wide either side. The cars just go around them.

The Volunteer House

The volunteer house is situated in one of the nicer sections of Cusco, approximately half an hour by taxi from the plaza de armas (main square). The buses cost 60 centimes per person, this equates to approximately 20 cents. Taxis can cost anywhere from S/.5 to S/.10 (AUS 1.75 to AUS 3.50) depending on the time of day. It is more expensive late at night.

There are three apartments in the house. Each has its own kitchen and bathroom which is shared. Most people share a room with one other person. Last month there were 15 volunteers and this month there are 11 of us.

WATER
Water in the house is one of the main concerns for us. The only hot water in the house is in the showers (if its working). Even when we have hot water for showers, it is not always that hot. Most of my showers here have been tepid.

The kitchen tap has a special filter attached, but it is not drinkable, it is for washing dishes only. The kettle has to be boiled to wash the dishes, then boiled again to rinse the dishes off, which are then left to air dry.

Every now and then the water goes off and there is no water, even to flush toilets, in which case we get buckets of water from outside and flush the toilets with a jug.
Speaking of toilets, one does not flush paper down the toilet. This would lead to clogging of the system. Used toilet paper is put into a bin beside the toilet and emptied regularly. That goes for all over Cusco.

Needless to say our clothes are all washed by hand, in cold water and that includes jeans.

ELECTRICITY
All the electrical plugs are dodgy. We have blown more than one power board since we have been here and you always approach with caution.
The computers in the house are also touch & go. If it´s not the electricity it´s the internet connection.

Santusa, the house cleaner, also doubles as an occasional cook. From time to time she will cook a banquet for the whole house in true Peruvian style. She also makes great cakes.

At least our beds are warm and comfortable and we have our privacy.
Each apartment has a TV, although it´s all in Spanish we have lots of videos.

We have beautiful views of the Andes from both the back and front of the house as Cusco is situated in a valley between two mountain ranges and the views are spectacular.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to get to the mountain community each morning. We all go up in a 15 seater van together.

Dancing Festival Wednesday 16th June 2010

This month is Festival month in Cucso. There are festivals and fireworks every weekend in Cusco and the plaza is always crowded.

Schools from all over Cusco were competing in the dance festival today. Some of the them were private schools and there were quite a few big catholic schools with lots of beautiful costumes. Our kids from Pumamarca were certainly the poor relations but they enjoyed themselves and did a great job. The rest of their school had the day off.

We met up with the dance group (mostly grade 5 and 6) before they started, then followed them as they progressed around the plaza performing their dancing in thanks for the river and all it brings. Their dance emphasized children and monkeys. The children were delighted to have a following (non of their parents could come), we threw confetti and chanted for them like a bunch of over indulgent parents.

After the festival we came home to take our Spanish lesson.
In the evening we all went to The Real McCoys for Trivia Night and dinner.

Tuesday 15th June 2010

Construction was the agenda for today.
We helped with painting in the new kitchen. It is almost finished now. As usual we were running out of the materials we needed to finish, but we did what we could.
Spanish lessons in the afternoon.

Ray, Jackie and I were rostered to buy the supplies and organise the making of lunch packages for the children participating in the schools dancing festival, to be held in the main plaza of Cusco tomorrow.

Lake Titticaca and homestay photos

Photo 1. Ray dancing with Anna
Photo 2. Grandpa Anna and Grandma our homestay hosts
Photo 3. The group all dressed up for the party

Lake Titticaca Trip Friday 11th June 2010

Long bus ride stopping at a few instersting places along the way to Puno.
Next day after a 3 hour boat ride we visited the floating island Uros(made of cut reeds). An amazing way of life for these people and we learned how they make their islands and houses from the reeds in the lake. With constant maintenance the islands last about 15 years.

We then went to our homestay in the village on Amantani island. Our family were really lovely. The Grandma did all the cooking squatted by a small fire (in a ceramic fire pot) with all her cooking needs arranged on the dirt floor around her. It was a one roomed, mud brick hut where we also ate. We ate at a small table they obviously brought in for us because the family ate around the fire. Not sure about the salmonela though, I guess we find out next week.
Our sleeping room was in a mud brick building next door (very basic) but at least we had beds, but no showers and a non flushing toilet (which they must have also brought in for the gingos) at the bottom of the vege patch.

Soon after we arrived we assembled for a long steep uphill walk to the top of the volcanic mountain which forms the island, to watch the sunset (a beautiful sight). At the top is a pre Inkan religious site which is still used regularly. We had to walk back down the rocky parth in the dark. Lucky we had our torch.

In the evening the family brought to our room some of their local clothing for us to wear to the party they were planning. At this stage we were exhausted and the temperature had dropped and we were really cold and ready for bed.
The Grandpa insisted on dressing us up in all the regalia and off we went. Feeling pretty stupid, I might add. When we arrived at the party everybody else was also dressed up so we were glad we had cooperated. Once the music and dancing started we warmed up and really enjoyed ourselves. Grandma and Grandpa still have a lot of life left in them yet. Their little grand daughter Anna (4 years old) was very cute and loved to dance at the party especially when she could make her skirts twirl out. She insisted on dancing with all of us even Ray.
The Grandfather was the real host and he served all our meals to us. He was a really lovely old man.

Next day, after saying goodbye to our hosts, we visited the beautiful nearby island of Taquile where we had lunch overlooking a magnificent ocean/lake view. This island has a much more Spanish influence, it is a long uphill climb to the village square.
We have done so much uphill walking/climbing that I am beginning to feel like a mountain goat.
Long overnight bus ride home. Fabulous double decker bus with seats that were like first class airflight seats. We slept all the way home and arrived at 4 am.

Quiet day tomorrow I hope.

Community Meeting Thursday 10th June 2010

Long volunteer meeting this morning. Nearly everyone going on trips this weekend.
We also did some much needed washing. Ray is becoming very domesticated.

This afternoon we were both on Community work along with quite a few other volunteers.
Today we were helping to organise a meeting for the whole Quille Huatta community in relation to communication skills which included anger management, sexual violence and alcoholism and to eventually offer families help if needed.

This program has been in the planning stage for the past six months and Lauren and Iris were quite apprehensive about how it would be received. We weren't sure how many people would turn up.

We planned the meeting to start with games (using a parachute and balls)which they love (entertainment for these people is very infrequent, after a hard day in the fields) afterwards we moved onto communication games (ie. whispers, which they all cheated, in good fun). Then we moved onto more serious matters. As Iris had their full attention by then she made the most of it and the meeting went on a bit long.
Afterwards we supplied biscuits and soft drinks (you would think they had never seen them before). They don't get this sort of thing very often. Ray, Jackie and I had been allotted to organise this earlier in the day.

Our expectations for attendance went far beyond anything we could have expected. Just about the whole community and their children turned out and participated with such enthusiasm that we were stunned. It was a huge success (other than that we did not account for so many children needing to be supervised and they ran wild all night as the meeting ran overtime).

I was on registration of attendance. It was interesting to see how those who cannot write or sign their own name coped. Helping each other, they used a biro to colour in the tip of their finger which they then pressed on the spot for the signature and left a finger print. Those that did this were very proud of themselves. I was consumed with awe to participate in this, helping them to colour in their fingertip.

Perus Challenge has plans for more such meetings, hoping to touch more seriously on some of the more pressing issues. Now that this has been such a success they are very hopeful for future meetings. There are many families that will be in serious need of help.

Eucalypts Wednesday 9th June 2010

Classes today. I had Art classes for grades 3 and 4 with Jackie and Lisa. We made jewelery with gum leaves and nuts from the many Eucalypt trees around the area. The children loved it and so did we. Then I went to join Ray and Stefan for computer class where we got the kids to draw the Peruvian flag with Paint.
In the afternoon we had Spanish classes again.

There are lots Eucalypt trees here. They make good use of them in their buildings.
The houses are made of mud bricks but they use the long straight Eucalypt saplings for the ceiling beams. They allow the tree to grow to the required height then they cut it off at the bottom without killing the tree and this allows a quick regrowth for the next sapling. They can keep doing this and get quite a few saplings from the one tree base.

Tuesday 8th June 2010

School cancelled due to a big strike in Cusco and all the roads have been blocked of with rocks etc. and we cant get through to the village community.
Decided to due duties around the house.
Ray whipper snipped the front lawn (such as it is) and I sorted through donated clothes and packed them away for future use.
We both had Spanish lessons in the afternoon with new volunteers Michael {or Miguel as he likes to be known} and Liz who is the same age as me. Last month we had our lessons with the three Canadian boys, which was a lot of fun.

More Lares Trek photos

Photo 1. We finished the trek
Photo 2. On the trek
Photo 3. People along the trek
Photo 4. Llama farm we passed on the trek
Photo 5. On the trek
Photo 6. Our horseman with his lost horse

Women´s Clinic Day

A nice quiet weekend waiting for the new arrivals. They have all volunteered before except Maz, so they know their way around. They even invited us downstairs to a roast dinner on their first night. All very sociable. The new volunteers are generally older than last month and fewer of them. So it will be quieter but the work has to be shared between fewer people.

Pumamarca this morning for orientation for the new volunteers.
Ray took to the playground with the whipper snipper.

This afternoon I was on community work.
We took about 50 or 60 women to a nearby gynecological clinic for pap smears and check ups. It was a huge amount of people to organize. Like pinning jelly to the wall. We got through at last and everyone was seen.

This free clinic is run by a doctor from a university in Georgia USA who specialises in ovarian cancer research. Over the years he has used the money left over from his research grants to build the clinic and now the university is also helping to support it from donations. Many student doctors volunteer their time to assist him.

He chose Peru to build his clinic because of the very high rate of ovarian cancer in the area. It has one of the highest incidence in the world. Some of the women from the community in fact have ovarian cancer but most went for the pap smear.

Machu¨Picchu extra photos

Photo 1. Lares Trek (an old track used by the Inkans more than 600 years ago)
Photo 2. Resident llama at Machu Picchu
Photo 3. Our tents on Day 2 of Lares Trek
Photo 4. Fellow volunteers at Machu Picchu
Photo 5. Us at Machu Picchu

Clinic Day 2nd June 2010

Up at 1 am to prepare for clinic day.
The volunteers have put in money to make packed lunches for all the people we are taking to the medical clinic (30 in all, including some family members, who will come along for support). Some of these people have never been out of Cusco before.
After a 4 hour bus trip we arrived at the clinic (run by a German charity for the poor) in the dark. The people were required to line up outside (for 1-2 hours) in the freezing cold (the nights here are very cold even though the days are quite hot). The clinic opens at 7 am and if you miss your appointment they go to the next person and you miss out.
We had all sorts of illness with us - two men with suspected TB, ovarian cancer, a pregnancy, a couple of people with brain tumors caused by eating tainted pork, lots of parasites and two children with malnutrition (the parents are alcoholics, so the older sister brought them along). When you listen to some of the cases it is very tragic.
The clinic is a wonderful place even though it is so far away. All the tests and scans etc. can be done in the one place on the same day. They charge very little, if anything, for the consultations and medications, and Peru´s Challenge tries to cover what residule costs there are. Without the clinic and Peru´s Challenge these people would have a very poor outcome.

We were there to make sure that everyone got to their appointments, heard their names when they were called (they are not used to the routine), to assist with collecting and paying for the medications needed and moral support.

When everyone had been seen, Peru´s Challenge treated them to a cooked meal nearby before we made the long return journey arriving home at 8 pm. It was very exhausting. Lucky tomorrow is a free day while we wait for the new volunteers to arrive.

Tuesday 1st June 2010

Up for Pumamarca early. Some wanted a sleep in and Jackie decided to take the day off, but not the troopers.
I was alloted to Bread overn building. That meant I first had to help Stefan and Ben shovel dirt into a pile then we seived it for stones to use inside the brickwork.
I then filled buckets with the stones and handed them up to Stefan on the scaffold. After that I spent the rest of the morning straightening reinforced steel, to be used in the concreting, by hammering it straight using a stone for an anvil.

Before we left there was a school assembly to say goodby to the one month volunteers who are leaving tomorrow. It was very emotional, they received flowers and cards made by the children and lots of speeches by the teachers. They expressed their gratitude and wonder that so many people come from so far away to give up their time to help them.

Tonight they are going out for dinner and to hit the nightlife, but we are too tired.
Tomorrow I have to get up at 1 am to take a group of people from the village to a clinic 4 hours away. Three volunteers are going to help and we have been told to take an overnight bag in case we have to stay the night.

There has been no water in the house since we got home after our trek yesterday. I am in great need of a shower before we leave tomorrow.
The water problem was not helped by the fact that Ray tripped over a whole left open in the floor and broke a pipe, which then threatened to flood the downstairs foyer. Quick help with buckets and mops while they worked out how to turn the water off saved the day.

Lares Trek to Machupicchu

Day 1.
Bused 4 hours to Lares, 3200m above sea level. We started our trek with a visit to a natural hot water spring baths where we were introduced to our trek guides, cooks and horsemen. The cooks treated us to a 3 course lunch on the lawns at the spring baths with beautiful mountain views. After lunch we started the first day of the trek - 3 hours uphill all the way, until we reached our first campsite (a small farm on the open planes with a more than basic toilet - long drop Asian style). We were all buggered. Jackie was so exhausted she cried. Scott on the other hand, on one of many dares during the weekend, climbed to the top of a mountain peak and only just got back as it was getting dark and the cloud was closing in. We were concerned that he would not be able to find his way down. Our tents were already up when we got there. The cooks and horsemen had packed our luggage and all the lunch things and had passed us along the trek (running behind the horses).
It was starting to get very cold while we were standing around waiting for tea so we all went to the eating tent. We were served pre-dinner eats of popcorn, biscuits and tea while we waited for dinner. The kids entertained themselves and us with drinking games without the alcohol (all new to us, took a while to catch on). After a 3 course dinner we all went to bed early. It was freezing because we had climbed up into the clouds and it was damp underfoot.

Day 2
This morning, after a very cold night, sleeping on thin mattresses over rocky ground, we were woken with a cup of coca tea at 5.45 am, then bowls of warm water for washing arrived at our tents. There was a beautiful sunrise over the mountains.
We had a fabulous breakfast of porridge (couscous) and pancakes.
We set off at 7 am uphill all the way until lunch time. I was doing well until we got to the last part (about 100 metres from the top) which was more climb than trek and altitude sickness really started to set in. It was ten steps at a time, catch your breath and keep going. By the time I reached the top I was exhausted, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I had a headache, shortness of breath (there is very little oxygen at this altitude) and I could feel my heat beat. Oxygen shots from a spray can revived me, thanks to Ben. As Ray so kindly put it "It was not my finest hour".
We were at 4500m, having climbed over 1000m in all.
At this point there is a special tradition where you select a rock along the way and when you reach the top you offer it to the Sun God by placing it on one of the small piles scattered around the area and pray for a safe trip. I needed every bit of help I could get.
We rested there a short while then started the decent. The views were spectacular and we passed by many peasant farms with lots of llamas and alpacas. The children from the farms along the way came out to watch us pass by. We were expected to give them lollies which we did but I was not comfortable encouraging them to beg or accept charity (their lives are difficult enough) besides they have no way of cleaning their teeth. They children are very cute and they all wear traditional dress. The young ones in our team just love them and love having their photos taken with them. It is beautiful but sad at the same time.

We stopped for another 3 course lunch at a beautiful spot by a mountain lake.
Another dare - while he was waiting for the stragglers to arrive Scott decided to try to swim across the lake (it was freezing cold.). Hypothermia set in about half way and he had to cut out. It was very dangerous. He is very fit and he carries his own pack, while everyone else puts theirs on the horses, and still manages to arrive at our destination first, setting a cracking pace for the rest of us.

After breakfast the cooks and horsemen had packed up the food and dishes, all of our tents and luggage and strapped it all to five horses and their own backs. They passed us, running along side the horses, before we reached the 4500m point.

After lunch and a rest in the sun, we started the downhill part of the journey trekking until 5pm. Down hill is just as hard as uphill, because it is very steep, but at least the further down we went the easier it became to breath. We are the oldies of the group and the kids keep up a very fast pace. We just walk at our own pace, but we don´t get as much rest as them because we take longer to get to the resting spots.

It was starting to get cold by the time we arrived at new campsite, tents already erected. We had predinner eats again while we waited for dinner (3 courses again - although I am still not eating very well, soup only). Everyone was exhausted. Ben threw up from exhaustion plus the fact that he had only just come back from the hospital with salmonella and oemebers the night before we started the trek. After a small game of black magic (by Meagen and Tanya) we all went to bed early.

The campsite is a slightly more prosperous farm, with a toilet, but it does not flush. Water is taken from a pump nearby and flushed with a bucket.

Day 3
Our tents are good dome tents (but because it gets so cold at night there is lots of condensation). We have thin mattresses but no pillows. We hired sleeping bags in Cusco (thanks to Kirk) they were supposed to be -15 deg. but we were still cold with our thermals and sox. The second night we wore an extra layer and out hats - it was warmer and I slept a bit better but my feet were still cold.

There was a special request to get up a bit latter next morning. That was OK by Carlos, our guide, but he tried to fit everything into a smaller time frame, with a lot of resistance. These kids are stayers at night, but the mornings are another thing. We had another beautiful breakfast of omelet, hot chocolate and toasted rolls.

This morning, after we were woken with a cup of tea and washing water, we were sitting in our tent, still stunned, and looking at the beautiful view, a chicken walked by and pooped in front of our tent (great for salmonella) then a dog walked by for a look, next came a small child from the farm who stayed staring until I gave him a lollie and took his photo, then an old lady walked by carrying a bundle - time to get up.

We set of walking downhill again (which is starting to hurt our toes) through some beautiful country side with stunning views until we reached Ollantaytambo. We had lunch (3 courses again, this time with purple corn juice, soup and mains of meat and potato and rice, desert of brandied bananas and tea). The cook does all this (cooking for about 15 people) on a two burner stove.

This morning the horsemen passed us in a car loaded with all the baggage. Apparently the horses had wandered off during the night (lucky we were close to a village and it wasn´t the first night out in the wilderness). He is hoping they have gone back to our first night spot, which is where they live. He will take all his equipment back on a single horse which wandered of last trip and he has just found tethered in the town. This is where the 3 day trek ends.

We wandered around Ollantaytambo for the afternoon while we waited for our bus/train to the village where we stay overnight before we arrive at Machupicchu the next morning. During the afternoon we followed a street parade to big space outside the village where they were holding a Peruvian style bull fight. The place became more and more crowded as the afternoon wore on. It was not a matador bullfight but two bulls attacking each other, which they do quite happily without much provocation. There was nothing to protect the crowd from the fighting bulls. The people stand on dirt hills around the arena and the fighting bulls sometimes ended up in the crowd scattering the people everywhere (children and all). The crowd loved it.
There were lots of interesting things to eat at the bull fight (although with all our recent illness were not prepared to try any of it). They had fried trout with corn and potatoes, which people ate with their fingers, home brew Peruvian corn beer in an open pot with lots of froth on top and some delicious looking doughnuts.

Later that evening we caught a small bus, because of the recent mud slides that part of the train line is out of action. The bus trip was very hairy, trying to get out of the town at night and the bus driver was driving very fast along narrow streets with no where to pass for oncoming cars. They beep their horns at dangerous corners and someone has to back up when they meet head on. It was very scarey and we were glad to get off. We were ushered onto the train in a huge crowd, everyone going to Machupicchu. The train ride was great, first class with airflight type service and a snack for tea, which we were not expecting. Arrived at our hotel in Aquascalientos totally exhausted and very sore feet, looking forward to a hot shower.

Day 4
Bobby´s Birthday today - Happy Birthday if you´re reading this Bob.

We all elected to get up at 4.30 am so that Scott, Kirk and Ben could climb Waynapicchu (they only allow 100 people a day). We left at 5.30 after a quick breakfast. Machupicchu is a bus ride around the mountain on the other side of valley. Fabulous mountain view all the way. We arrived at Machupicchu and some of the girls also went on the climb while the rest of us had a guided tour around the Machupicchu site. It is a spectacular place especially because of it´s position. After watching the sun come up over the mountains we walked up to the Sun Gate (a one hour uphill walk).
We came back down the mountain for a late lunch (I had to try the area special of fried trout) then we wandered around the huge craft markets until it was time to catch our train/bus home. It was a very long day, we got home around 2 am.