Cycling In the Cordillera Blanca and Negra!

Nothing like testing your skills on the mountain bike, after a 9 year lay-off, at 4000m. I never thought I would hear myself say this but "the climbing sucks". For the first time in my life I preferred the technical, downhill single track to the climb.

Magnificent Machupicchu

"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, it is measured by the moments that take your breath away."

Peering down upon the Lost City of the Incas yesterday as the sun shone and the clouds cleared was one of those magic moments in our lives.  It was an incredible finish to our four day trek of the Inca Trail to the city at the centre of their empire.

"You signed up for a trek and that's what we're gonna do" - Inca Trail

We elected to travel by foot to Machupicchu via the famous Inca Trail - a four day hike in and around the mountains, passing numerous ruins along the way to the big prize.  We are still unsure of the distance as we consulted at least eight maps with eight different distances.  At least the trail was well marked!

Hey amigo, massage, massage!

We finally gave in today after two weeks of being accosted by the endless stream of young girls offering massages throughout our ten days in Cuzco.  They litter the cobble-stoned streets offering massage any way you like it - Thai, Stone, Swedish - and Dee finally ran out of excuses to give them.  It was a relaxing hour on the table as they worked out the kinks of a four day bike ride followed by our hike to Machupicchu the previous four days.

Breakfast with a view - Huaraz, Peru

Mt. Huascaran (6768m) Peru's Highest Peak

Breakfast should always be so idyllic.  The view above from our fourth floor balcony at Olaza's B&B in Huaraz, Peru is peace, grandeur, and relaxation personified.  We've been on the run since arriving in Peru almost a month ago.  Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail to Machupicchu, and capped off with an epic four day trek among the snow capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca.  More on all that in the coming days, I promise!

Greasing the wheels of commerce

There’s no way around it, we getting screwed.  We’ve arrived at the bus terminal at 7:50am, just 10 minutes ahead of our proposed bus to Cuzco.  Our hotel manager has passed off to another short, very serious man who is explaining to Dee that there is no room on the bus until the evening; that is unless we want to take another – presumably inferior – bus. 

I hope you dance!

A band of 5 teens playing guitar, mini-banjo, and flutes provided the music and when they started so did the dancing.  Hepolito and Deonicia quickly bead a track over to us and we were dancing  Performing at times a quasi jig, at others a conga line of 40 people it was a tiring pace.  While Hepolito soon made his way to the sidelines, Deonicia  (and us) did not miss a song.  Her and I made an improbable dance partnership and our 2.5-foot differential brought many laughs from the lookers on.

The long and short of it at the Amantani Pena!