Peru

Hola! Barb and I have completed the 4 day Inca trail trek. The weather was mixed but over all we were lucky. When we arrived at Machu Picchu (8AM) it was cloaked in foggy but the sun (and the crowds) came out in full force around 10 AM. My muscles and blisters are almost healed and only my knees are bothering me now. I also am finding the hills of La Paz a bit more tiring to climb as I think my muscles are a little maxed out. Hiking the Inca trail was the highlight and being in the Andes. Our group was only five including Barb and I, a Swedish couple (ya ha) Lovisa and Joran, and a Irish man Paul Troy. They were all great company. The trek was well worth the money (and pain). The food on the trek was amazing and likewise in Cusco. I had a chicken and mushroom dish with potatoes, carrots and broccoli that was amazing at Jack’s.

Cusco has an art school. There are tons of paintings for sale in galleries and from street peddlers. I really liked the painting in the hostal room where Barb and I were staying. Hostal Amaru provided an address which ended up being the artist’s, Danlio's, house. We woke him up and bought some paintings for Barb, me and my dad. The day finished off with an exciting hail storm that pummelled the town and unfortunately all the gardens.