Radio Silence

After a Pisco sour and a G&T we met up with Steve for dinner at Incazuela then another Pisco at The Fallen Angel - probably not the best prep for Machu Picchu, any way it's done now.....

In four hours time we'll be starting our trek so I'll be incommunicado for at least the next four days.

Looking forward to updating you after the trek.

Raine x

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

I have a favour to ask, well three favours actually....

1. I have completely exhausted the use of the word 'delicious' and with so many more restaurants to visit and Pisco Sours to drink can I ask you to use the 'comment' function on the blog to extend my vocabulary and let me have some alternatives.

2. Abs and I have a pack of playing cards but only know one game between us and we're not quite sure that we're playing that one correctly - if you know any good card games can you use the 'comment' function on the blog or email me with the rules - we're going trekking on Friday and I suspect the nights will be long....

3. Finally, and this is a long shot I know, but if you know how to change a pair of slightly too big jeans, a t-shirt and a pair of converse into a sexy dress and a pair of heels I'd really appreciate it - I curse the size of my backpack!

Raine x 

Pisac

On Sunday we were up and out before 7:30am, Cusco is so pretty with its narrow streets and colonial architecture we were keen to take some photo's in good light - unfortunately even at 7:30am we were too late as the sun was already too high in the sky.
As our travelling stocks of Marmite and Earl Grey are running low we decided to breakfast at the Real McCoy, a gringo hangout which serves both of our favourite breakfast staples - it was dreadful, which I guess we could have predicted (it was a big step away from our normal selection method for restaurants - typically determined by their ranking on Trip Advisor).
A little after 8am we caught the local bus to Pisac which is in the Sacred Valley about an hour from Cusco. When we arrived we took a taxi up to the ruins, the agricultural terracing and Q'allaqasa (citadel) are really quite impressive. 

Citadel at Pisac

The ruins were busy, full of big tour groups travelling by bus with many people trying to 'bag' the sacred valley in one day, with time on our hands we took the long walk back down the hill - no one else walked down which is a shame for them, it was a lovely walk that finishes on the edge of Pisac market.

Taking a breather

Fruit & Veg market

We spent the rest of the day at the market before catching the bus back to Cusco at 4pm - it was a great day that ended with a very nice meal of Cauliflower soup and vegetable tempura and of course a Pisco Sour, after all we are now on the hunt for the best one in Peru - happy days.

Raine x

Great weather, great food, great city.....

Cusco is a beautiful city and on first impressions it's going to more than make up for the relative disappointments of Banos, Alausi and Cuenca.

We've been spoilt with the weather, for the past three days Cusco has been bathed in sunshine with temperature up in the mid to high 20's.

 La Catedral, Plaza de Armas

The main square has lots of outside seating areas, typically balconies of the bars, restaurants and cafes - great vantage points for people watching and of course our customary pre-dinner Pisco Sour - which is fast becoming our cocktail of choice. There's a fantastic selection of restaurants here, I think my favourite meal so far in Cusco was at Uchu; shrimp & Maracuya ceviche followed by Alpaca steak cooked on a stone (it was so soft, almost like butter) and served with chilli & peanut mashed potato - gorgeous!

During the day the square and the streets off of it are all bustling with tourists and traders, after 6pm I don't know why but it takes on a distinctly Christmassy feel.

Cusco at night

This city is going to keep us busy and I know that we're going to love it.

Raine x

Reflections of Ecuador

We arrived in Cusco on Friday - it's a wonderful city and as I write this update we are sat having lunch on the balcony of really good organic restaurant called Green's, it's just off the main square which in Inka times was known as Huacayapta (warriors square), and is now known as Plaza de Armas.

Before I start enthusing about Cusco a quick summary my memories of Ecuador.

Bus journeys were novel for a number of reasons, the hawkers selling CD's, crips, ice lollies, fruit and hot banana loaves (so good and only $1). On the overnight buses we think we worked out the usage policy of the on board toilet, women can request the key from the conductor and men can pee at the side of the road when the bus stops which it did frequently. 

There are no prams or pushchairs in Ecuador, none. Children are either strapped across the back with a sheet or carried in arms - often being breast-fed on the move.

Almost everything is closed on Sundays and it's illegal to buy/sell alcohol - we were told that in restaurants they can sell alcohol with food but this seems open to interpretation, in Quito we could in Cuenca we couldn't.

The sun sets on Ecuador

Highlights: The Travellers Inn Hostel; Learning Spanish; Maracuya Juice; Cotapaxi; Otavalo; Friendship bracelets and the ever present smell of Eucalyptus on bus journeys.

Lowlights: Banos; Spiders and Learning Spanish.

Brace yourself for Cusco - it's a great city and I already have lots to tell you about it.

Raine x