Peru for winter break – December 2015 to January 2016! This was a special trip because Christina's parents joined us on this adventure. It was our first time hosting family in one of our overseas cities.
Planning a 3 week vacation is no easy feat, but it all worked out thanks to Agoda, Copa Airlines, and Kuoda Travel.
We flew into Lima, then flew to Cusco (11,500' elevation), took a train to Machu Picchu (7,800') then back to Cusco to depart on a bus ride down to Lake Titicaca (12,500'). Then a flight to Lima to return to Panama. Whew!
Cusco and the outlying areas have several examples of Inka architecture using perfectly set stones, some as large as 15' weighing a few tons.
This stone is very special because it has 9 adjoining stones perfectly set along its outer edge. This stone is 12' high.
Here's a photo that provides some scale.
We wanted some local cuisine and were taken to this place in Cusco. You can order the cut (guinea pig) which is served full-bodied on a plate, without the fur. If you don't mind teeny bones, then buen provecho! I'll spare you our photos.
We spent the night in a town 2 hours outside Cusco, called Urubamba then took the viewing train to Machu Picchu.
The train winds along the river and the windows on top of the train car allow you to see the towering Andes mountain tops above.
I just happened to have a pin in my Swiss Army knife and I could not fit it between the stones.
The sprawling 15th century Machu Picchu has such beautiful views, which can be seen through various windows built into the structures. Before you go there, you should walk up and down 15, 000 steps to prepare for the tour of this world heritage site.
I planned an extra day in Machu Picchu so we could walk up to the Sun Gate to get another view of Machu Picchu from an even higher vantage point. The entire area has an energy that can be felt when you sit and soak in the surrounding peaks, with the stunning drop down to the U-shaped Urubamba river below.
Llama roam the grounds freely ...
...and make the photos even more interesting.
Driving from Cusco to Puno (Lake Titicaca), we briefly stopped at the highest point to view the Andean glaciers.
The alpaca love this weather!
14,419 feet above sea level!!
Once at Lake Titicaca, we took a cruise on this, the highest lake in the world, to visit the floating homes of the Uros. The boats, homes, and the foundation are all made of reeds.
We managed to get about 20 people on this reed boat and it was very sturdy.
We cruised over to Taquila Island for views of the mountains of Bolivia and a nice lunch. Even though the water was calm, there were some rough waves on the other side of the island.
Back in Lima, we had a chance to explore the cathedral and historic parts of the city. Near our hotel, there was a park with hundreds of cats and some delicious street treats! The cliffside restaurants are also great for views of the Pacific Ocean.
On the next visit to Peru, we'll go to the Nazca lines, for sure.
