31st October 2015, Saturday

Happy Halloween from Peru!!!!  All the kids, even the adults were getting dressed to go trick or treating or to go to a party.  We woke up late.  I got a fried egg for 2 soles and my tea.  Though I was still not 100%.   The lady from Holland said she could take me to her jungle expert.  We went there and he said I don't have to worry- no poisonous bugs bit me just an allergic reaction.  I thanked them and we parted ways.

I changed $20.  We left our luggage in a locked closet at our hostel.  We decided to take it easy and Sandy suggested that we try to find the martial art schools.  I had to cancel going to the BJJ school 3 year anniversary because I was just not feeling well.  We  tried to find the TKD school and it was like it didn't want to be found.  Everyone referred us to Ave Culturalle.  Everyone said that this Ave was too far to walk, but we had time.  It wasn't that bad.  There were two Karate schools. One was closed the other open.  I met the instructor and asked if I could just see his school.  He didn't mind.  I don't know what it is but when I'm on the mats, I find myself to be the most centered.  I am at peace.  The instructor and I had the mutual respect of a bow. 

Afterwards, We found a small place to eat.  I did have a small appetite.  We waited at the hostel until it was time to go.  We were in the air!  No problems to get the ticket nor go through security.

When we arrived in Lima, we were trying to figure out how to use the pay phones to call Juan. He didn't get my texts.   Well obviously it was not working because the ones we tried were not broken.  We asked a lady who helped us with the third.  We called Juan who said he would arrive in 15 minutes.

We got to Stacy's home.  Drank some water and tea.  We decided to go to her favorite restaurant, her 

treat.   Stacy knows everyone.  Everyone loves her and treats her right.  It is so great to see the respect and kindness and that if it is given it is received.  They were so considerate about making sure my food was ok!  I finally got cooked vegetables.  He brought 3 Pisco Sours on the house.  I told him I don't drink.  He said he could bring lemonade.  I agreed.  He instead brought me purple corn juice, very sweet.  I forgot the name.  We just sat and relaxed and discussed different adventures traveling and at Macon.  

We returned around midnight, took showers and hit the bed.  Oh and Stacy thinks wounds are from a spider; I looked it up and she is right.

30th October 2015, Friday

Today, I woke up around 6.  I felt very unwell- same symptoms as last night but worse.  I made sure I had enough water for our tour today.  As I was getting ready, Sandy was talking to a lady from Holland who has been living in the jungle for the las 2 months.  She was in Cusco because of bug bites.  One bug left eggs in her body and it had to be removed.  She looked at mine and thought I had the same thing.  I used a needle, dont't worry it was mine and sanatized to take it out.  I think I got something out, but there were still two small dots.  Again, no time for breakfast.  I got my big bills changed to little ones such that i could get my corn snack.  It was SPICY!!!!!!   Yes :)  That was breakfast and lunch.  We had to wait an hour before we finally left.  I asked one of the guides (who was not our guide for the trip sadly, but was helping to organize everything) to look at my bites.  He said  I had nothing to worry about.  I just had an allergy attack and that the two black dots will disappear.  I just should not scratch it.

So off we went on our tour.  We are in the Chinchero area.  We stop at a local place where these ladies still use the ancestor traditions of creating dye, weaving, healing, etc....They gave us some tea, though, I could not finish it.  It was so amusing to see how our nature can produce so much.  We don't need to use chemicals or medications, nature hs everything for us.

After this I thought we were going to see the Chinchero ruins, nope.  We went to Moray.  I figured maybe we will see the ruins on the way back.

Moray is amazing.  Moray was used for scientific agricultural research.  The Inkas used this area to determine how to develop new crops.  Because, there is still salt in the land, the Inkas brought grass from other areas to help the agricultural process.  Sadly, we could not see how the irrigation works because of the homes and bathrooms at the top of the hill that use the water.  We had 30 minutes to tour this area.   My leg was hurting a lot.  I showed our guide.  He said that the red circle is not normal and I would have to show a specialist.  I sent an update to my emergency contacts.  We ask our guide how the Incas wiped out and why there is no trace.

He explained

1. When the Spaniards came to the country, small pox was also brought which killed many individuals.

2.  Wars

Why no trace?  Because the Spaniards burnt everything when they killed.

Afterwards, we see Moras from the bus en route o Salineras.  We had to pay for Salineras.  This is a natural salt farm.  However, since it is somewhat dry we couldn't see how the salt develops.   I tried some salt water, it was so yummy!!! Delicious, salty ehhhhh!!!!!  But, because my leg was so itchy I figured that I could put some natural salt water on the wound to either prevent the itch or kill some of the bacteria.

So, on this trip we had some people of the Americas descent, French, and then Chinese!  It was pretty cool.  A lot of these folks are on 2-4 month vacations.  I wish!

Back on the bus, and I'm thinking to Chinchero.  I was wrong they are taking us back.  Sandy talked with the tour group manager who explained that the Chinchero ruins are under construction and that it is not part of the tour.  I had no energy, I just wanted to rest.  I had not cell phone service so all my texts aand missed calls were received closer to town.  Sandy tried to fight it, but it never works ver the phone.  Sandy was upset.  I had no energy to have an emotion.  Our guide said he could leave us near the ruins and we could take a public bus back, but Sandy didn't want to do it.  She didn't feel comfortable.  I just wanted to go to the pharmacy.  

We got to the plaza and went to the pharmacy.  The doctor was asked to do a consult.  He said I had an allergy attack to the bite and needed to go to a clinic so that they can inject me to make the reaction disappear faster.  Or, I could take something like Benedryl.  Since I have Benedryl, I decided to  use that.  I bought an anti-itch cream.  I was instructed to use it twice a day.  

We then went to fight for a refund because we were incorrectly informed-actually we were not informed at all of the situation.  They only gave us back 10 soles.  Again I had no energy to argue the point further.  We went to the market for food and I barely had an appetite.  I left.  Sandy wanted to stay and shop.  I went back to our hostel and took Benedryl and just relaxed/rested.  

Around 20:00 we went to the allergy friendly place.  I initially asked for soy vanilla ice cream mixed with mango.  Then I said no mango.  They still brought it with mango.  I also had tea.  Then I went back and rested.

29th October 2015, Thursday

Today I was able to eat the best breakfast ever.  Bacon, rice, and fried egg.   I skipped the beans b/c I didnt't know how it was made.  Today I took pictures of the temple and fort from afar.  We then took a bus to Urubamba, transferred and went to Cusco.  All hotels in Cusco are $100+ a night.  Nope, nope, nope!  But we did find allergy friendly and vegan restaraunts.  We found a hostel facing the cathedral for 80 soles.    A lady, who helped us find our hostel, waited for us. She was trying to sell us Sacred Valley tickets.  She said that we would be able to go to Chinchero, Salineras, Moray, Maras, and Pisac.  She said it would include the entrance and the tour  and transportation for 30 soles.  I gave Sandy 30 Soles to buy the ticket.  She later came back ino the room saying that the 30 Soles was just for the tour guide and transportation.  So we had to pay another 70 Soles for the entry pass.  We were toldl to go to Pisac today and hike and buy our entrance ticket there.We took a bus to Pisac.  There we ate lunch and walked up to the entrance.  Sandy said she would wait for me at the bottom.  She didn't feel like she could hike it.    

I got my ticket-good for only 2 days.  I started my hike, but before I went up a dog came running by me, barking like crazy at something I couldn't see.  I continued to walk and he followed me.  Then he started to lead the way and look down waiting for me.  Other peple tried to get him to walk with them, when he was ahead.  He would just sit and wait until I came.  I named him Amigo.  I was alone most of the way up.  Amigo kept me company.  Everytime I talked with him, he just turned his head and perked up his ears.  I really miss Amigo.  When we were near the top, there were some French folks who spoke to me in Spanish and I spoke to them in French, they were taken aback.  They asked if the dog was mine.  I told them that this dog just started to follow me.  I asked if I could join them on their assent down.  They said sure.  Initially, they took some odd path, so I followed Amigo and then the French followed me.  We came to an overlook and tried to find a way down.  There were two ways.  I decided to take the easier route because the other one was verticle and only had mud.  Mind you the lady at the ticket booth said I had to start coming down at 17:00 and I started to come down around 17:15.  It was hard but one of the French girls assisted me.  That is another reason I asked to go down with them.  I wanted to make sure I could get help if needed and since we were all lost because of the crazy arrows, I wanted to make sure I wasn't alone.  It was getting dark and cold up on this hill.  Though, Amigo would have stayed with me.  One time Amigo jumped into my face to lick me to see if I was okay because I was having a bit of a hard time.  He would crawl between the legs too.  We finally reached the bottom.  I was exhausted and my legs were sore which was odd; they were in pain.

I looked for Sandy.  Nada.  I went back up the hill to the entrance/ticket booth and called out her name.  I sat down for a bit.  Amigo started barking and ame and sat with me.  I went to the entrance of the market and there was Sandy, waiting to give me a hug.  I only had a little bit of my trail mix going up, but I yet again finished 2 litres of water.  Dehydration and hunger.

We caught a bus to the main plaza.  I decided that I wanted to go to my Vegan Place.  They had cupcakes!  And, I had lemon ginger tea for my cough, though that needed some sugar.  That was all I wanted.  We went back to the hotel.... my arms have bug bites all over them, and my legs looked a little different they weren't mosquitos.  They hurt and I wasn't feeling well, no appetite and a lot of weakness in the legs....I got two bottles of water and used them as ice packs which helped.  Time for bed.

lunch

28th October 2015, Wednesday: the big day!!!

Today is the big day!!!  I went to bed at midnight and we woke up at 5:40.  We didn't get a chance to eat breakfast; I grabbed a hard boiled egg on the run because we had to get to Huaynapicchu at 7!!!!  We thought that there is a bus to Huaynapicchu (pronounced Winey Picchu), but actually it is only a 15 minute walk from the entrance of MP to the the foothills of HP.  We kept our luggage in the hostal storage.    The bus ride to MP is one of windy roads going up a hill.  We arrive- did you know that a bathroom costs 1 soles!!!  We rush to our mountain.  We met some people from New York who had a guide.  The guide was trying to hook us up with his taxi buddy for the Sacred Valley- nope to expensive.  There was an older gentleman who was nervous but we encouraged him.   Now there was an easy way around HP or the long-hard way.  Well we are here, might as well go all out.  We climbed and then Sandy told me to go ahead of her.  I made sure, and she said to go.  The hike up top is not one that I can express in words.  It was completely a mind over body exercise.  I saw people losing breath, one girl got altitude sickness and her guide gave her some drink which helped her feel better.  The view was amazing.  To see MP in an arial manner was just spetacular.  The only downside was being attacked by bugs.  Coming down was the hardest part for me, but I made it!  We had a few Yuka.  I met some French ladies who asked to sit down and just spoke with them in French about where they lived, what they do, ec...

It was difficult to follow the signs of MP because all the arrows also said exit.  We finally climb the last hill and I was en route to the Inca Bridge.  I went towards the Main Gate instead.  So I just continued there- Sandy decided to wait at the top of the hill.   After exploring this top, I had to come around.  I could not find Sandy.  I waited 15 minutes and then just decided to go towards the Sun Gate.  As I hit the MP mountain I saw two girls on their return and asked them how  long it  would take.  30 minutes. Given that I had been hiking since 7 and it was aroun 13:00.  I forgot about my trail mix in my bag, and didn't want fruits and had nearly no water.... let's just say I was hungry, thirsty, and tired.  I was sweaty with the scorching heat continuing to come right down on me.  So, I turned around to go back to the top of the hill where Sandy and I had parted ways.  She wasn't there.  I was going to go to the Inka Bridge which was very hard, given the cricumstances, but there were two guys who had returned and cheered me on.  Then the older couple we met at the Amazon saw me and told me they saw Sandy who said she was going to the main entrance.  I finished the hike as quickly as possible such that I could have people to go with on my return... safety.  I went to the exit after seeing the bridge and we took the windy bus back, only to be met by rain.  I wanted the rain; it felt great.  I got some water, mango juice and ate the fruit.  Our wait for the bus was an hour so it was good that we left early.  We had some time to relax.  We caught our train at 17:00.  We saw this train across of us that had live music, a chef, nice seats... $300 not ours.  We had a nice train too, but sadly it had mosquitos, that loved me too much.  We finally arrived at Ollantaytambo.  We walked to the main plaza and found a cheap motel, that I think had bed bugs and wouldnt't give us our room keys.  I hardly slept because 

1.  super cold

2.  they were partying outside.  Right now most of Peru has some fsestivity going on.

3.  Sometime in the middle of the night it sounded like we were being bombed... but it was the firecrackers landing on top of us.  

I think I eventually fell asleep.  But I was not feeling too well.

25th October 2015-26th October 2015. Cusco (Sunday and Monday)

25th October

So upon landing at the airport, there was a lady that tried to get us to stay at her Hostel.  It was 140 soles for two nights for both of us (1 dollar is equal to 3 Soles).  So while Sandy arranged this, I got our Perurail tickets.  Sandy forgot to pick up her  bags and they were taken away, so she went to find them, and she disappeared.  So then I went to find her.  I asked the lady at the hotel place (in Spanish) where she was and she said bathroom, well she wasn't there.  But, I found her.  We were able to get a taxi through this lady to our hostel.  We decided to tour Cusco.  We had linner at 15:00.    I had Cream of Asparagus and Spaghetti Bolognesa without the cheese.  They made a special order for me.

 Now sadly, we were not able to take photos of most of the places in Cusco, so I felt I was in school again, taking down notes.   Now I wrote a lot, but I will just state here things that stood out to me.

We bought a city circuit tour for $10 which included the Basilica Cathedral, Archiepiscopal Museum, San Bla's Church, and San Cristobal's Church.  We will do San Cristobal tomorrow as it is far and there isn't enough time to see it.  Instead we saw La Compania de Jesus Church and Santo Domingo

the Basilica Cathedral has an organ that still works after 300 years!  There was a gold plated background of many depictions and statues representing important time frames in Christ's time or significant people in his life.  However, what intrigued me here was that Jesus Christ was depicted as black.  There was no explanation.  

At the Archiepiscopal Museum, there were many depictions of Saint Mary.  She was either holding a dove or had a dove above her.  The dove had yellow lines coming out (all lines were even).  They were yellow and so me I saw it as the rays fo the sun.  

San Bla's Church had a black Jesus Christ as well.  However, this was the first church where I saw large ornaments dipicting people on the lower circle, separated from the top circle by a dove.  The top circle had the arch angels.  

At La Compania de Jesus Church, we went to the second floor to take pictures from the balcony.  

There was a picture or sculpture (can't remember which one) of a black St. Mary.  Again no explanation..

Santo Domingo showed a room where there was a statue of Christ, laying in like a coffin dripped in dry blood after his death.  His genitals were covere by a blue  cloth embroidered in gold symbols and letters.  Saint Mary was looking over crying.  

I stopped at a market I saw and bought gifts and brought costs down to something I liked.  No yuka here.

For dinner we stopped at a juice place.  I got mine with no milk.  Mango, my favrite. 

Tonight we slept with the heater.  It was too cold!!

26th October

So plan is the following

1.  Qoricancha

2.  La Merced Church

3.  12 angle stone

4.  Inca Museum

5.  San Cristobal Church

6.  If we have time, Saqsaywaman

So breakfast for me was fruit juice and corn seeds.  The place we went for to get juice refused to just give me just grilled chicken.  So I survived on the Corn.  

Qoricancha.  Qri= gold and kancha= main temple

 or inticancha where inti means sun and cancha means enclsoure.    

There is a potrait of Saint Anthony who wears a robe that has the symbol "T" on it.  This comes from Egypt and means eternal life.  It eventually becme a cross which symbolizes protection.  

There is also a scupture of St. Mary pregant.  It is one of the oldest pieces in the church and is one of a kind as there are not many dpeictions of St. Mary pregnatn.  Spanish did not think it was elegant.  

We considered a group tour of the Sacred Valley but had to look at the logistics further.  So we walked on to La Merced Church and took a picture from the outside.  We were churched out.  Sandy found my snake.

We decided to go to San Cristobal Church since it was the furthest.  The church was like the rest.  Before we went in, Sandy relaxed and a guy came and told her about a horseback riding tour.  We first checked out the area and then went back to him for riding.  Since the destianton was in the middle of nowhere, I slowed down my pace in the event I had to run.  However, there were the horses, and my horse was Bruno.  We first rode to the Sun Temple.  There is a stone with a llama carving in it.  There is also a path that you an see which leads to different provinces and countires.  As we finished this area, we got cold rain with hail, and a horrible  wind.  It was so cold but we still went to our next destination Saqsawa.  so much for the Sun Temple giving us Sun.  

At our next destination I was allotted 15 minutes.  Sandy said she would wait because she was cold.  So I rain up the hill; it was hard to breath but i practice my techniques.  I go up and see a small ruins site.  Thinking it was bigger I ran around, asked a local and realized that it wasn't the bi one so i returned.   

Sandy did not want to go to the ruins or on the hill that has a huge white Christ.  I saw them so I took pictures from afar.  Our driver finally came 15 minutes late and took us down to the main plaza.  We had given him an extra10 soles each that he had planned on returning but did not.  

It was 15:00.  I was so famished and needed food.  A lady found us and talked to us about her restaraunt.  They were able to feed me.    I ordered oupa a la minuta (beef soup) and polla la plancha (chicken gril).  I also drank Coca tea to warm me up.

At the Inca Museum, I earned that the people did not carve the stones to make them fit, they used sun dried mud.

Also, there is a sculpture from 1550 that shows the shappe of Cusco back then and it was the shape of a puma.  

Markavalle was the 1st settlement in Cusco, 1000 B.C.  

Machu Picchu aws created for the Royal Hacienda for Inca Kupanar Pachuacuti (1438-1471)

 upon his request.  

The stories regarding the Ayar brothers and hw they found Cusco and how the Incas  believed the world started (Manco Copaq and Mama Ocllo).

Cusco means navel of the world.  

We then found the 12 sided stone where a young kid expecting money just started to explain the history.  He was no more than 8.  I tried to take a picture but there were too many people.  

In the evening we went to one of the major markets such that Sandy could buy gifts.  I bought fruit and small container pouch.    Agai no yuka, only at 12.  We went to a restaraunt, were going to do take out, but decided to stay there and eat.  I ordered a 1/4 chicken and it looked like I got 1/2.  My goodness.  I couldnt't finish.  There was a poor guy there so we left our food for him.  He was asleep.  

When we got to our hostel everything had been moved from our room and the door was open. They took it upon themselves to move our stuff without asking.    We got a triple bedroom and I checked if I had everything, Rule #1 always have your bas locked. My stuff was fine.  

Sandy made our taxi reservation reservations for tomorrow.  Time for bed.

27th October 2015, Tuesday Traveling

Today we woke up early.  I just had tea in the AM.  We got to our train stating and waited for about an hour.  Thankfully, they had heaters that we sat next to.  All day today was about resting and finishing my journals!  I haven't written anything since Lima.  The train was 3.5 hours.  We got to town and went to our hostel.  We relaxed then toured the market.  I found my flag pin!  I told the lady I would come back because I wanted food first, she didn't believe me, but I promised her.  Again no Ceviche nor Yuka.  Yuka would be served at 17:00.  We toured the market and bought things ( I did go back to the lady).  We bought bus tickets to Machu Picchu.  Round trip $24, open time.  I did a little bit of shopping and spent no more than 15 soles.  On our way back, we saw a place that had ceviche and requested for yuka.  They agreed!    Oh yea, I forgot we also saw a religious ceremony.

I got tea!  There was a birthday party and they offered us cake, of course I had to decline but Sandy took it.  I had cinammon tea in my room.  Sandy went to the hot springs, as I chilled in my room!  They have direct tv so I am practicing my spanish with movies I know!  I continued my journal entries.  Sandy did convert money for us (40$).  At around 18:00 we went for dinner.  Dogs kept coming in to beg for food like my dog once did.  I did give a bit to them, but they were kicked out.  I couldn't find the dog later.  Our fod came out to 91 soles!!!! Oh my gosh.  But, one nice dinner I guess is okay.  Tomorrow we won't be spending anything because we will be too busy hiking and eating left overs.  Sandy found her headphones- investigation is closed.  Good night!

24th October 2015-25th October 2015, Saturday and Sunday. Amazon

Well I am sorry to be delayed in my blog updates.  However, I have been out till 20:00 and then sleep around 23:00 sometimes 0:30 and then wake up again at 4:30/5.

24th October

We woke up at 4:30.  Sandy woke up to the alarm I set and then woke me up.  We finished our last minute packing.  Stacy made us breakfast.  I got a fruit bowl with pistachios and tea.  Yum.  Juan was there on time at 5:30 to take us to the airport.  However, he took us to the beach to give us the preview before we return next weekend!  

The airport is so picky.  They have two areas to enter for domestic flights.   However, they are not marked, so we were waiting in one line only to be requested to go to the next one.  Then folks did not have their itineraries out so they were not allowed to enter.  Thankfully, we are prepared and were let in.    Once we were in, it took an hour to get our tickets.  We were rushed to security.  My bags were both small enough to carry on.  Wohooo!!!!  We went to our gate and waited for a little bit.  We thankfully departed on time.  There was a brief detour in Cusco.  Interesting, it only took an hour to Cusco.  When we were researching, it told us 2 hours.  We waited 15 minutes and in 30 minutes we were in the Amazon (again our research claimed it would be an hour- I roll my eyes at the accuracy of online searching-the joys of backpacking).  

When we landed our guide was there!  His name  is John.  There were two other groups he was picking up.  One from England and 1 from France.    John's dad loved John Wayne movies and hence named his son after him.    John asked if I knew Spanish and Sandy said a little, and he said he knows a little English and we laughed because I said I know a little Spanish (in Spanish). However, he is very good at speaking in English.  On the bus I heard a guide speak in French.  I thought I was really going crazy, but then John confirmed it.  We ended up calling the French the "oui oui!"  When we got to the office, they asked about food allergies- I was accomodated in every regard.  They used coconut milk instead of any other milk.  I was always asked if I was ok.  It was great.  Our hut was so lovely.  It had mosquito nets though I did not feel the necessity of one.  We only had elecricity for a few hours in the morning and then again in the evening.  Each guide was assigned a group and the group was requested to sit together during meals.

En route (the drive over) to the management office, we saw a bridge that cnnects the Amazon area to Brazil and Cusco.  After the management office, we took a boat ride down the Amazon to our huts.  We arrived at 12:00.  Lunch was at 13:00.  We wanted to buy our train tickets to Machu Picchu so we ran a little late.  We are going to leave the morning of the 27th and return the afternon of the 28th.  Our group was understanding of us being late.  

We got lemonade!  It was different because the lemon was just squeezed- completely fresh.

At 15:15 we met again to take a walk in the forest.  John is very funny and knowledgeable of the plants, animals, etc in the forest.    I found this very interesting.  There is a type of flower that closes in on a bug when it lands on their petals which then kills the bug.  Then he showed us a tree that  survives because fire ants live in it.  We also saw a tree that smells of garlic and has healing remedies to it.  John said that scientists are trying to replicate this in a green house; John said htat this is not possible because in the forest, many leaves fall on the tree or other plants grow around it, etc... this causes a symbiosis- a chemical reaction that creates the scents or natural medicines.  These remedies are what indigenous peple used for healing.  However this is not eaily replicable in the current scientific world.  These are a few of the many things that we learned.  These few things stood out for me.    We got about a 1-2 hour break after the jungle tour.  At 18:15 we all departed on the boats.  People were tilting the boats because they all came in at once.  Some even fell.  That evening we saw the white cave man and the dragn alligator.  Since they are noctornal we had to be extremely quiet.  After the boat ride, we came in for dinner.  I learned that our group (John, Joel, Martha all play music together and generally travel 1-2 months traveling.  John (the father) and I got along.  He used to play the cello.  There was so much to see and learn, but those things were stuck out.    After the boat ride, John showed  us tarancholas!!! So cool.   Dinner time- since I could not have the mango ice cream, I received just the fruit.

John planned out who we would be with tomorrow.  Good bye John.  He was an awesome guide.

25th October

This AM, we met up with Juan.  Juan took us to the clays.  It is amazing, because here you can find, parrots, parakeets, ad Makots.  They come to eat the clay because when they eat, they eat unriponed fruit.  To help manage the acidity, they eat clay.  Now in order for them to eat the clay, the clay must be god and it must be a safe place.  So one bird is pushed into the area and if it is not harmed, then the area is safe.  There are always a few keeping watch at the top of trees.  Juan also showed us a leaf that when mixed with water, it becomes a natural diye.  This one was red, he put some on my cheek and it stayed all evening.  We returned to a small break.  We had tea, coca tea!  at 7:30 was breakfast.  And, then we departed.  The  boat ride back reminded me of my boat adventures with Master Stout.  I fell asleep.    We toured the markert and went to the airport.  The airport was small, 2 lines 1 security line.  We were it that morning, so we just slid though!  I got passion fruit this morning :D D

23rd Oct 2015, Friday

Woke up at 3:45 and freshened up for flight.  I fell aseep on this flight only to wake up to breakfast.  Sandy gave me her fruit bowl, because yet again fruit was what I got!  The fruit bowls had mango!!!!!!!!! YUM :D  However one of the fruit dishes was warmed up!?!?!?!  Obviously, I did not eat that.  We landed on time and we looked for our taxi driver.  It took almost 30 min to find him.  We finally did!  He told us to keep our valuable with us and when we walk to always have the bags in front.  He was ambushed once in his truck once.  Anyways, he took us to Stacy's Place.  Such a lovely area.  Our taxi driver gave us his number as he will take us to and from the airport.  We settled in, got our maps and took a radio (private) taxi to the city.  Today it was all about figuring out instinct and maps.  We saw some museums but primaly saw the churches.

We went to the Cathedral and and the palace first.  We continued walking and saw the Convento Santo Domingo.  However, there was a mansion I wanted to see (we never found it) but we did find a place to eat lunch!  They didn't serve Yuka only french fries, which had an interesting taste.  We ended up paying more  because they didn't put the lunch menu up till after we had begun eating.  

I learned that the balconies are traditional and well to do women would sit there and watch everyone and still remain hidden and behind the bars.

We then went to the San Francisco Church and saw the Catacumbas.  Wow, 20,000 bodies buried there and I saw all the bones.  I also saw the library which was created in 1700.  They had one book that weighed 25 kgs!!!!!!  Huge.  No pictures were allowed.

We stopped by at a little market before we found San Agustin Church.  Then we went o he Merced Church, and we ended with the Nazarenas Church.  Here there were so many people and lines upon lines of people who were there to see the Museo Senor de los Milagros (miracle saint).  It was amazing the amount of people and decorations.

Now these maps have no direction to them.  What I would think was North was not.  There was a moment where I thought we had to go south and then east to reach our Musuem.  Nope, north and then east!!!! aaarrrgggg.  At least we saw everything and got there.  In the process we also found Plaza San Martin.  We ended with the Mused De Arte de San Marcos.  

We proceeded back to Stacy's home.  It was earlier than indicated.  We caught up over the days events, what we have all been up to, and had tea too.

We decided on seafood for dinner and they took care of me in terms of allergies.  Both Stacy and Sandy made sure I was safe!!!

Dessert was Chirimoya.  It was delicious.

So two themes this trip:  1.  Us trying to make reservations really does not work.  Just too many issues with the agencies or our credit cards give us a problem.

2.  Sandy showed me this guy at the airport and said he is cute.  No he was not, but now we are looking for cute guys.  ahahahah.

Tomorrow is the Amazon!!!!!!

lunch

cathedral

cake

lots of people

dinner

dessert!!! yum :)