Sonesta Posadas Del Inca Cusco

We headed out towards Machu Pichu, trying to get to the small village of Santa Theresa or Maria where we could either catch a train for a whole lot less than from Cusco or be able to walk to Machu Pichu in an hour, according to the locals we met. But the Buell first wouldnt start - the battery had been completely drained. This started at about 10 am and we finally got it running correctly at 2 pm so we ...

... enjoying a beer or two). The downside of the gringo capital is that everything is so expensive (especially since we have just come from Bolivia!) and we have seemed to have burned through the money during our days here - although its been absolutely worth it!

Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983, apparently around 1 million visitors visit the city each year and for good ...

... starts for me in 2 days time. Of course, I guess thatīs just the price you have to pay for such a nice city with so many attractions and being the locus for the piece de la resistance of any Peruvian visit - Macchu Pichu.
So I arrived here yesterday evening after a 10 hour bus haul from Andahuaylas. The first half to Abanacay was unsealed but the 2nd half was paved. 335km total. I left at 6am, arrived at 4pm. The road is ...

... br>
Transfer from hotel to train station, train from cusco to km 104, 01 way bus from Machupicchu to aguas calientes town, train back to cusco

... it was great.

Racchi: San Pedro

The remains of the temple for Wiracocha. A big complex, five square kilometes surronded by a wall. Wiracocha was the father to all the other Inca gods. I believe the story goes he arrived via a nearby volcano and created the sun. More impressive masonary here. The Incs did not us mortar to glue the stones together. Rather they matched then much like a very small childs jigsaw puzzle. One stone would likely be in contact with 5 or more ...

... are ready to move up to the next level. If we feel you are not ready, your teacher will spend more time with you on the areas which present particular problems. After this you should be able to move up a level without a problem.
At the end of the course you will take a final exam to confirm the final level you have reached.
http://www.learnspanishperu .org/

... we take in a choral recital in a church - performed by some Canadian choir who are really excellent - but it is a choral recital so we leave after 5 minutes. Thank God - now how about a drink and some food. We head to a local place in San Blas for Lomo Saltado - the national dish - and a few wines. We're outta there by about 10.30. But I've got the buzz. Incidentally the chef got praised and he promised to show me how to make the stuff the following evening ...

... on the Intihuatana pyramid. Machu Picchu's design gives great importance to the solstice as evidenced by the number and importance of features with a solstice focus.

Additional Observations 2005

Terrace of the Ceremonial Rock

Three walled terraces following the contour of the rounded ridgeline descending from Cerro Machu Picchu shape this large, open, leveled area. The shape is roughly triangular, defined by the convergence of the two main roads from the ...

... colonial churches, monasteries, cobbled streets and Inca ruins mixed with hotels, bars and restaurants. As I limped around (was still feeling the after effects from the Colca hike), I could see almost every street having remains of Inca walls, arches and doorways. The Spanish conquistadors (soldiers) had bullied their way into the Inca capital centuries ago, building colonial churches and monasteries using Inca stonework for their foundations ...