Sept 24 - 28: Lima and Cuzco

Lima was pretty much as expected -- a large overwhelming capital city. Since we had only a day there, we stuck to the outskirts. Ate some delicious ceviche and won $12 playing slots at the local casino (damn, if we'd only started with $300 on the line instead of $3.....)

From there it was up to Cuzco where we've been hanging out / acclimatizing for the past 4 days. Sitting at 11,000 feet, Cuzco is the jumping off point for anyone trekking and/or heading to Manchu Pichu. Despite being 100% fueled by tourists, the town still has a fair amount of charm. The neighorhood we're staying in (San Blas) is decidely more enjoyable and chill than the rest of the city if you're planning a visit.

With so many tourists, everyone's looking for a slice of the action which has resulted in steep competition amongst the many restaurants in town. It's sad to see so many empty tables and the quick deals they'll give you -- $3 for a three course meal with cocktail. We made a point to try the local specialties -- alpaca/llama (really good) and guinea pig (not that good, and it didn't help that Nader was taunting Allison with the claws and teeth as she tried to bolster the courage to try a bite).

Yesterday we hiked around some of the ruins in town, including Sacsayhuaman (pronounced sexy woman).... Along the way we saw lots of llamas, donkeys and an unidentifable animal which appears to be a mix of the two that we've dubbed a "donkama".

This morning we headed to the town of Pisac (about an hour away from Cuzco) for their weekly market. Despite having become a popular tourist activity, the market still did have a significant local draw. Watching a marriage procession leave the church nearby was a highlight of the trip.

Tomorrow we head off on our trek through the Lares Valley and then onto Manchu Picchu.... Hopefully our time chilling in Cuzco has us ready for the 15,000 ft pass we're heading for!