The group in front of the stones

Sexy Woman

Day 6 Cusco

Started the day at the "Sexy Woman", or Sacsayhuaman, a hill overlooking the city.  There were Inca walls there are typical construction with massive rocks precisely fitted to each other. The exact use for this is still a mystery, but today it was being used for a parade and show by young kids in native garb doing dancing.  The view of the city was spectacular, but climbing a hill at 12,000 feet is a bit more difficult (!!) than at 9,000. I am getting aa bit more acclimated, so I wasn't huffing quite so much.
We came down into the city main square to the cathedrals.  First was more parading by army types and kids.  Once we got into the cathedral, we were greeted by lots of silver and gold.  The pictures and figurines were Catholic, but not quite.  When the Catillians got here, as I have mentiond before, they merged traditional Catholicism with the native rituals.  The paintings of Mary looked more like mountains, and Jesus was covered with a skirt. But the best was their depiction of the Last Supper with the main course being Cuy, or Guinnea Pig.  There was also a huge silver chalise that is paraded out each year, with a silver clad car to drive it.
We split up for the Odysseys' home hospitality, which has been a pat of every trip.  We went to have lunch in th home of a local person.  Our host just happened to work for the local tour company, but she was most gracious, introfucing us to her retired judge husband, 2 of her grandchildren and Avram, her 2 year old great grandson.
Lunch was salad, roasted cuy(yes, I ate it this time - tasted like chicken), quinoa soup, chicken, rice, potatoes, and the purple custard ,  Mazamorra Morada, made from purple corn.  Delish.
Afternoon was "on our own" and we walked to the big local market.  Bought some chocolates.
Dinner at Limo, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant.  We had cerviche, sashimi and fried rice with shrimp.
I will try to post pictures here, but Gmail or Blogger or my Samsung tablet is resisting.  Chek Facebook.  Sigh.
Tomorrow is a drive to Puno on Lake Titicaca.  There may or may not be much to rreport.

Machu Picchu

Day 5 Machu Picchu, Day 2

Despite the cuy disaster of last night, I slept soundly.  It was raining most of the night, but just cloudy when we awoke.  We again took the bus up the mountain (you should see those turns!) and got to the site relatively early.  We first took the 400,000 steps up (well, it seemed like that many) to the top of the "agricultural" side, where the peons stayed and worked.  The views from herre were spectacular, especially as the sun came out.  The temperatures rose, and we started peeling clothing.  More stories of the Incas and their civilization and how they enslaved others to do the work.  Building this place and carrying all the stones must have taken a LOT of planning and back breaking work.
We saw the irrigation system, where people lived and pooped, and where they "hooked up".  There was a large stone in the area where the girls and guys would congregate that was cut in an unusual shape.  It was thought to be cut to mirror the shap of the nearby mountain, but a researcher discovered it really was in the shape of a distant glacier (the source of water and life).
We saw the "Temple of the Condor" which was 2 outcroppings of rocks that were shaped like condor wings, and even carved to show feathers.  There were archeologic findings of ceremonies there with sacrifices of llamas.  No, the Incas had no human sacrifice.  There were caves where skeletons had been found, probably of venerated leaders.
By noontime, we were all pooped, and headed down the mountain. We had lunch at the restaurant of our hotel, which was nestled between some train tracks!
We gathered our belongings and went too the train station to return to Ollantaytambo, where we caught our bus for the trip to Cusco, now at 11,500 feet.  I feel a little dizzy, but not much.  Dinner was on our own, so we walked around the corner from our hotel (part of the Marriot chain) to get pizza.  Very good, and not filling.
Tomorrow, more of Cusco.

Ann's fish

Cuyo

Not my favorite

Almost Clear

Stephen Rockower, MD
President, MedChi 2016-17
Sent by my Moto Android phone

Getting better

First View in fog

Machu Picchu Express

Day 4 Friday the 13th at Machu Picchu

Up early to catch the train to the town of Machu Picchu.  We were going across the Andes and travelling from the dry west to the tropical east.  You could see the vegetation changing, with more trees and more green all around.  We got to the town then had to walk to the bus station and wait in the line to join the crowds.  Up up and up the winding roads to the entrance.  Of course, just as we got there, the heavans let loose with a rain storm.  But push on we must, whether we couls see anything or not.  Just don't slip on the wet rocks!
Machu Picchu is divided into 2 sections, a "royal" side and an "agricultural" side.  We explored the royal side today; we'll do the other side in the morning.
The Incas worshipped the sun, and at the very top, there was a very accurate astonomical room that had a window pointing directly at the sun as it rises on the summer solstice.  They had architectural devices to ensure this was accurate, and shadows alligned perfectly.  The top had the typical perfect stone masonry of the Incas, along with the trapezoidal windows typical of the Incas.
As we continued to explore, the rain slowed and the fog lifted somewhat.  The valley, the mountains, and the fog were magical.
Dinner at our hotel with a choice of Cuyo,  I had to do it.  It came out almost like a flat sausage-like consistancy with aglaze on 1 side.  I took a few bites but didn't really like it.  Ann had baked halibut which she enjoyed better.

Cuyos pic

Day 3 More Sacred Valley

Interesting day.  We left the hotel and went into the valley to the town of Ollantaytambo, nestled deep in the valley.  In town we visited a family raising cuyo, or guinnea pigs.  They were cute, but destined to be someone's meal.  In the hut werre traditional objects, including the skulls of ancestors.
The main sight was the Fortress.  The Incas built the Fortress with 2 purposes: One, a temple to the Sun (The Giver of all Life), and two, defense from the Spanish (technically, the Castillians).  380 steps up to the top.  We were all huffing and puffing(especially at 9000 feet), but made it for some spectacular views.  Fascinating engineering getting the 40 ton blocks of granite up the hill!  As in Lima, the seams between the stones were perfect.  Eventually the Spanish won anyway, and killed most of the Incas, but this persists.  Tomorrow to Machu Picchu, so we get more.
Lunch was unreal.  First, it was at a beautiful restaurant (pix to follow).  We had course after course after course.  Salad, corn , beef heart skewers (nobody ate it but me, and I only ate one - "You don't have to like it but you do have to taste it"), fish, sweet potatoes, chicken, pork, and then dessert.  Topped off by a dancing horse show.  Stuffed to the gills.
After lunch we ascended again to a village at the yop of the mountain (12,000 feet) to see native crafts.  I felt it as we got out of the bus, the same drunk feeling from the day before.  Needless to say, I didn't hear much of the presentation, but it involved spinning and weaving and dyeing of the alpaca wool.  Of course, then the bazaar to buy things.  The biggest hit was 3 year old  Arianna, dressed in traditional dress, and playing with everybody.

Our guide Sergio and Cuyo

Ann Shopping in Pisaq

Sacred Valley

Entering Cusco

Day 2 Getting High

So we were up at 5 to catch a 9am plane to Cusco.  Other than the drive to the airport, this went reasonably well.
We landed at Cusco which is at 11,000 feet.  I felt drunk or high or both.  My head was spinning.  No chest pain.  No shortness of breath.  As we got off the plane, there was a ramp to go up.  I made it, but slowly, and didn't have to stop to catch my breath.  I took some coca pills and drand some coca tea, which didn't seem too do much.
The first stop in town was another church of Santo Domingo (the Dominicans were pretty influential here).  There had been an Inca temple to the Sun God here, and they just appropriated the site.  The old architecture was somewhat kept, and the stone work was amazing in its precision.  Of course, the old traditions never really die, they are just incorporated into the belief system.  There were portraits of Jesus with sun bolts radiating from his head rather than a halo, and a statue of a pregnant Mary(fertility was strong here).  Fertility and the male member were also very strong, and Jesus on the cross with just a loin cloth was too much for the priests, so the put him in a skirt!
On to lunch on the mountaintop at 12000 feet. My head was still spinning.  Climbing stairs to the second floor was a chore.  Chicken and vegetables.  Adequate.
We went over the top of the mountain (and Contintental Divide) at 14,000 feet and DOWN the east side to the Sacred Valley and the town of Pisaq at 9,000 feet on the Vilkanota River.  This eventually flows into the Amazon and winds up in the Atlantic.   We landed in the town at Market Day, and all the booths were set up to sell wares to the tourists.  Actually not many people there.  Ann bought some trinkets and had here picture taken with the llamas (costing 1 Sol or about 30 cents).
By the time we got to our hotel, I was feeling somewhat better, but not 100%.  The hotel is a converted monastery and very picturesque.  Maybe in the light, I'll actually get pictures.
Dinner at the hotel.  I chose the "Trout" in Peruvian sauce, which actually turned out to be Salmon in chicken broth.  Oh well.  I didn't try the llama meat, but probably should have.  Earlier, we passes a Cuyo place and we saw the roasted Guinnea pigs.  Yum.
Tomorrow, more of the Sacred Valley, then on to Machu Picchu.

Town Center

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Casa Aliags

First Day 9/19

So, it was a long day yesterday.  As mentioned, it was good we had a 4 hour scheduled layover in Atlanta, as our flight out of DC was 2 hours late.  A 6 hour flight from Atlanta to Lima(Thanks to Frequent Flier points, blessfully in First Class).
We met people from our trip in the Immigration line, snaking back and forth for about 30 minutes.  Outside Customes, we waited for everyone and chatted, getting stories and names.  Mark and Mark and maybe another Mark.  I'm not exactly sure. People from all over the country.  It's 6am as I write this, as we expect to have breakfast and out intial meeting before we go out on the town.

OK, end of an exhausting Day 1.  We met for our morning introductions, and headed out in the bus.  There are 20 of us, as one couple got sick and she needed emergency surgery, and the other had connection problems.  Word is they are coming tonight to bring it to 22.  2 Steves, 2 Marks, 2 Johns, 2 Beckys (Actually Becky and Rebecca), and Ann and Fran.  At least not as many names to remember!

First stop was the Casa Aliago, a working home that is also a museum.  We walked in past the owner's car into a 16th century mansion, still in the same family.  Beautiful art work, unreal decorations, and a tree in the middle courtyard.  I'm not sure I can imbed pictures into this Blog, but I will put them into another post.

Then to the City Center with the Cathedral, the President's house, and city offices.  All the city buildings are painted a mustard yellow, but they kept small squares of previous paint colors visible, for about 5 or 6 iterations.
We went to the Santo Domingo Church, a shrine to San Martin and Santa Rosa.  They had relics of the saints.  Lots of church stuff.
Then to a late lunch at Museo Larco, where they have thousands, literally thousands, of ceramics from Inca and Pre Inca times.  In the museum itself, they also had beautiful silver and gold pieces.  Off to the side was 2 or 3 rooms of erotic pieces.

Back to the hotel to rest, as we were all exhausted.  We went out to get a little bit of food on our own at Don Belisario, an authentic Peruvian chicken place.  Delish

5 am wake up call tomorrow, as we fly to Cusco.

The Gate

Some may wonder why I am doing some of this.  I recently changed from my iPad to a Samsung Tablet, and I am learning how to use this new device.

Trying to get started

So this is a slow start.  Waiting at Dulles for our plane to Atlanta.  Waiting, waiting.  Somewhere, the plane never arrived, so they had to find a new plane and crew.  We got here 2 1/2 hours early, and the plane is 1 1/2 hours late.  Luckily(?), we had a 4 hour layover in Atlanta so now it should ony be 2 1/2. Blecch.