Mon 10th Nov

Sun Nov 9th
A long and very hot day exploring The Sacred Valley. This is the route to Machu Pichu North of Cusco. We were driven by a Peruvian Lewis Hamilton around precipitous mountain roads. We saw a wonderful local trading market in the town of Pisaq with incredible fruit and veg.drove on along a narrow valley in the mountains very desert like with snow peaks peering over the top.
Nice lunch, shared with Alaskans, nobody mentioned Sarah Palin.
Ollantaytambo, a place to go with its name. A huge Inca monument exhausting to climb in the thin air, but worth it for tremendous views and Inca history.
Drove back over the "Altiplano" High plains with red earth and a backdrop of snow peaks again. Very fertile land at 3,500 metres, every inch cultivated and ploughed by oxen. Spectacularly beautiful. "Lewis" got us back safely just! Geoff flaked out for 12 hours.

Mon Nov.10th
Got up late and strolled around Cusco. Watched teenagers practising a traditional dance in a town square. Visited a fascinating museum dedicated to teaching art in the remote indian communities and helping to preserve Andean culture quite brilliant!
Hot sunny morning then torrential rain.
We went on a city tour in the afternoon. Saw the Cathedral, churches and several Inca temples on a typical welsh afternoon. The key sight was SAQSAYWAMAN. Geoff had his photo taken with her and Jen was a magnet for local young men who wanted their photograph taken with her. Jen asumes they thought she was the ancient spirit of the mountains.

Up at 4:30 am tomorrow for Machu Pichu.