Because We Can

This morning we were hiking the Inca Trail up to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), so what follows for a while will be photos during the hike up and back. The elevation change is 950 feet from Machu Picchu up to the Sun Gate, with the Sun Gate being at just under 9,000 feet. It meant for a slow hike with numerous rests. I was surprised how easy it was to get winded if I kept a steady pace even for a short distance. Discretion being the better part of valor, I slowed down, stuck close to Linda and rested when she rested, at least sometimes. You know all those fantastic photos everyone is always posting of their trip to Machu Picchu? Well, this is just to show you that not all of the them turn out fantastic, it’s just that no one but me is willing to post something like this. That’s more like it! A few feet further and the view is completely different. It isn’t easy taking photos of Machu Picchu without including gobs of people. See what I mean about people everywhere. Act...

It takes a while to get used to it, but by today it was the routine. The toilet paper goes in the trash can, not in the toilet everywhere in Peru. The other thing is how thin it is. A significant wad is necessary to assure one that what is being cleaned up will be on the paper and not on the hand. Isn’t great how we provide you with the all the details about our travels, even the ones you’d prefer not to know. Heading out of town on a mini bus this morning we passed this section where a market that stretched for a number of blocks was taking place. That’s about as fresh as pork ever gets. Whole hogs, halves, quarters or cut up. they had it anyway you would want it. Interestingly enough I don’t recall us having pork to eat in Peru. The predominate meat was chicken even though we saw many hole in the wall places selling pork, and not just the parts of the pig we are used to eating in the states. A very common sight, little stands and carts along the roads selling food or dr...