More Cusco Stonework & Chocolate Calienta

Top pic is of me at an Inca stone wall in Old Cusco which is now the foundation of the National University. You see very few round stones in Inca masonry - note how tightly the stones fit around the round stone!

Bottom pic is me having my favorite drink - hot chocolate which is a little bitter and to which most Latin Americans add sugar. Great aftertaste!

In a few minutes we start our 32+ hour sojourn from Cusco to Lima to Bogota (Columbia) to San Salvador to Belize City to Ambergris Caye (Belize) - ugh!

Kim with Coca Tea & Inca God

In Cusco, Kim and I have been drinking a lot of coca tea to counteract altitude sickness (top pic).
Kim has been really sick, so she also asked the Inca god to help (bottom pic).

Llama Fetus

Had to take another pic of mummified llama fetus in the market - used to ward off evil spirits from your house.

Sacsayhuaman Inca Fortress & Temple

My daughter pointed out to me that what I incorrectly referred to as the Inca "Temple of the Sun - Cusco" below - was in fact the "Sacsayhuaman Inca Fortress & Temple". I apologize for this terrible mistake!

More Cusco Pics

Top pic is of llamas grazing @ the Temple of the Sun. <-- I had to include pic of adult llamas!
Bottom pic is of terracota cats (Los Gatos) that are placed at apex of most terracota tile shingle roofs <-- they are supposed to bring good luck to inhabitants!. I hope that you can see los gatos in the pic!?

Temple of the Sun - Cusco, Peru

The Incas built their Temple of the Sun at the highest point in the Cusco area. Built between 1300 and 1400, it precedes Machu Picchu. At one point, as many as 10,000 laborers worked building this very large temple.

Top pic is a panoramic view of the major potion of the temple. There are 2 major parts with a very large plaza between them.

Bottom pic shows the incredibly huge, intricately carved/placed stonework for which the Temple of the Sun is known. Note that these stones are much larger than the stones used at Machu Picchu. Most of the stones are granite found where the temple is built - but some are sandstone that we transported 2-3KM to the temple site from a sandstone quarry!

Temple of the Sun Stonework

The size of the stones are incredible! The largest is estimated to weigh 123 tons - that's 246,000 pounds (almost 112,000 Kilograms)!

The above pic of Kim with stonework give you an idea of their size! And note how tight they are so no mortar!

More Stonework

Above is another pic of the Inca's incredible stonework!

Cusco Hotel

Many of you have asked for pics of our hotels. We stayed 3 nights @ the Terra Andina in old Cusco - located on one of the many narrow streets in Old Cusco - see top pic. Fortunately, we had a small balcony - which I used to smoke (see bottom pic w Kim)!

Cusco Pics

Top pic is of another narrow street in Old Cusco. Bottom pic is of San Pedro Church (circa 1575).

Cusco to Machu Picchu

Evidently the Cusco train station pretty much shut down a few years ago - primarily because so many trains were running from Cusco to Machu Picchu. As a result, they built another train station that services Machu Picchu - and - this station is a 1.5-hour bus trip from Cusco! Then it's another 1.5-hour train ride to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu village)! But - the scenery from the train ride was magnificent! This pic is of Kim just before boarding this small-gage train.

Cusco, Peru

We made it safely to Cusco! Great mid-size city (pop = 2 million) - but all sites are easy walking distance of our hotel! Top pic is of La Merced Church built circa 1610 - constructed by Spanish using stone from Inca ruins..

Bottom pic is of me, 2 baby Llamas, & Inca mother/child - very touristo - but just had to do it!
Tomorrow - Aguas Calientes & Machu Picchu!

San Pedro Market - Cusco, Peru

This is the central market in Cusco. There are many entrances to market such as that shown in top pic. Market is very similar in layout and sale goods as such markets in Southeast Asia ... like ... pig heads in bottom pic.

2000 Kinds of Potatoes & Kim with Baby Llamas

Peru was the first place in the world to cultivate potatoes ... and ... they say that Peru has over 2000 different kinds of potatoes - ranging in many different sizes, shapes & colors! Vendors like that shown in top pic tend to specialize in specific kinds of potatoes.

Bottom pic = just had to get this pic with Kim!

Cusco Cathedral

This is Kim in front of the main Cathedral in Cusco. It was built circa 1530.

Peru (Lima/Cusco/Aguas Calientes [Machu Picchu]) and Belize (Ambergris Caye)

It has been very difficult for me to adjust to the events of the past 5 weeks. Immediately after the sad events, my daughter, Kimberley, suggested to "forget things" I should "focus on my bucket list". Machu Picchu is the last location on my "bucket list" - so I decided to follow Kim's suggestion.
I also decided to ask my daughter to accompany me on this trip. Fortunately, Kim was "between jobs" and could come with me! We haven't traveled together for many, many years - I am really looking forward to the trip & bonding with her. So - in a few hours - we will begin our 16-day journey. 1st stop = Lima, Peru! Look for daily blog updates!