Magic Eye

This morning, after a false start when we walked to the 'best place for breakfast' in Cusco only to find that it doesn't open until 11:30..... we grabbed what quite possibly actually is the best breakfast in Cusco at Jack's and then took a taxi to Saqsahuaman (for ease it's pronounced Sexy Woman).

Can you see the sexy woman, it's a bit
like a 'magic eye' picture.....!

We took a guide which was money well spent. Carmen was able to tell us exactly what it was that we were looking at, at both Pisca and Ollantaytambo we looked and then retrospectively asked the gods of Google what we'd seen.

Following the siege of Cusco in 1536, the Spaniards used Saqsahuaman as a source of stones for building 'Spanish Cusco' - only the stones that were too big to move remain at the site (one of the stones weighs approx. 140 tonnes - unsurprisingly that one's still there!).

Our afternoon was spent shopping for Alpaca jumpers for our trek, whilst the days are warm we've been warned to expect night time lows of -3 as we head to Machu Picchu. We managed to find just what we were looking for and paid 100 Peruvian soles (£24.00), for two hand made alpaca jumpers.......

Baby alpaca born a couple of hours before we got to Sacsayhuaman

Crazy 'puli' alpaca 

I feel bad that I ate one now.......

Raine x 

Inca Kola

At beer o'clock on Monday we took some time to pull together an outline plan for the next few weeks. We've booked to stay on what looks like a beautiful estancia two hours south of Mendoza, in Argentina, for Christmas and so we have a lot of ground to cover (2200 miles by bus) to ensure we're there by the 23rd December.

Planning was hungry work so we went for dinner at Inkazuela - Peruvian beef & Aji stew and a glass of malbec followed by an early night with a cup of coca tea (much to Marc's disappointment - I appreciate the feedback).

On Tuesday morning we took a 'Collectivo' - a shared minibus - to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to look at the Inca ruins. 

Ollantaytambo

I had my first and possibly last bottle of Inca Kola today, it's just like Irn Bru but luminous yellow. However, if it has the same hangover healing properties as Irn Bru I may keep a bottle in reserve for the morning after the night we find the worlds best Pisco Sour!

How is it possible for a drink to be this colour......?

Talking of Pisco Sours.... We ate at Limo Cocina Peruana & Pisco Bar last night, I had Pork loin and black quinoa ragout - preceded by a Maracuya Pisco Sour - oh my goodness - it was absolutely scrumptious (thanks Marc).

Do we even have maracuyas at home, I may not come home if we don't.

Raine x