EN ROUTE | IMAGE GALLERIES FROM THE PLACES WE GO, THE THINGS WE DO, SEE, AND LEARN FROM.
LIMA, PERU | Sept 23 - 26, 2014
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AGUAS CALIENTES/MACHUPICCHU, PERU | Oct 3 - 4, 2014
 It's 4:30 am and we are boarding to Machupicchu... |  ...Marco and Bella are not thrilled about the departure time. |  The only perky ones amongst us five. Nobody should be this excited at 4:30 am. But it's MACHUPICCHU, people! |
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 Marco and I made this delicious Peruvian dish - Causa Acevichada - during our private cooking lesson at the amazing Tree House restaurant! |  The many faces of pisco. |  Our tree house room in Aguas Calientes. |
 Buenos dias. |  Our tree house room in Aguas Calientes. |  On the way to Machupicchu. |
 Child being carried on her mother's back. |  View of the valley from Machupicchu. |  Path to the old Inca bridge. |
 Path to the old Inca bridge. |  The old Inca bridge. |  The old Inca bridge. |
 Path to the old Inca bridge. |  Path to the old Inca bridge. |  Glorious Machupicchu! |
 Machupicchu. |  Bella takes in Machupicchu. |  Marco takes in Machupicchu. |
 Machupicchu. |  Machupicchu. |  Machupicchu. |
 Machupicchu. |  Llama! |  Llamas. |
 Machupicchu. |  Machupicchu. |  Little hare taking a nap in Machupicchu. |
 Machupicchu. |  Machupicchu. |  Machupicchu. |
 Machupicchu. |  Machupicchu. |  Bus ride uphill to Machupicchu. |
 Our amazing lodge in Aguas Calientes, Rupa Wasi. |  Our amazing lodge in Aguas Calientes, Rupa Wasi. |  The 5 star restaurant Tree House across from Rupa Wasi lodge. |
 Perurail to Machupicchu. |  It was 5 am and we were boarding the train to Machupicchu from Ollantaytambo. |  Top of the world! |
 We made it. Worth every difficult breath and every inch climbed. |
 Atop the ruins in Pisac! |  Terraces in the ruins of Pisac |  At the center of the town of Pisac. |
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 Our fantastic guide in Peru, Isaias. |  Pisco! |  At the center of the town of Pisac. |
 Terraces in the ruins of Pisac. |  Sprouting from the rocks. |  Pisac. |
 Pisac. |  Pisac. |  Playing the explorer. |
 Treacherous path. |  Gretchen and Marco in Pisac. |  Through the rock tunnel. |
 Pisac. |  View of the ancient terraces in Pisac. |  View of the ancient terraces in Pisac. |
 Pisac. |  Pisac. |  Pisac. |
 Empanada baker in Pisac. |  View from the road to Pisac. |  Naughty Macaw. |
 Condor. |  Llama! |  Towards Pisac. |
 Towards Pisac. |  Peruvian caravan. |  Leaving Ollantaytambo towards Pisac. |
 On the road from Chinchero. |  On the road from Chinchero. |  Weaver's expert hands. |
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 Little helper. |  Little helper. |  The amazing weavers of Chinchero. |
 The amazing weavers of Chinchero. |  Market in Chinchero. |  Market in Chinchero. |
 Market in Chinchero. |  Market in Chinchero. |  Market in Chinchero. |
 Maracuya - Passion fruit. |  Market in Chinchero. |  Market in Chinchero. |
 Market in Chinchero. |  Women in typical Peruvian attire. |  Women in typical Peruvian attire. |
 Women in typical Peruvian attire. |  Woman in typical Peruvian attire. |  The pre-Inca ruins and rock formations in Chinchero. |
 The pre-Inca ruins and rock formations in Chinchero. |  This old woman was drying potatoes in one of the large ancient terraces at the ruins. |  The pre-Inca ruins and rock formations in Chinchero. |
 Sheep! |  Fire. |  A valley on the way to Chinchero. |
 A valley on the way to Chinchero. |
OLLANTAYTAMBO, PERU | Sept 26 - Oct 3, 2014
 Street vendor near main square. |  Near the main square in Ollantaytambo. |  Election time in Peru! |
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 Traffic jam due to a political rally near the ruins. |  Market just outside the entrance to the ruins. |  Market just outside the entrance to the ruins. |
 Fruit seller just outside the entrance to the ruins. |  Market just outside the entrance to the ruins. |  Best maracuya and mango smoothie. |
 Near the small bridge to the ruins. |  Market just outside the entrance to the ruins. |  Gretchen at the Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |
 Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |
 Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |
 Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |
 Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  View of Apu Lodge (yellow house) from the Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |
 Ollantaytambo Inca ruins. |  Hammocks at Apu Lodge! |  This small stream comes from the mountains and runs through town where people sometimes wash their clothes in. |
 The small alleys of Ollantaytambo. |  There are lots of stray dogs in Ollantaytambo. |  Strolling towards the main square. |
 Stuck in traffic at the entrance to the town. |  Vendor outside the central market. |  Mercado Central. |
 Mercado Central. |  Mercado Central. |  Mercado Central. |
 Restaurant at the main square. |  Restaurant on the way to the train station. |  The quaint Hearts Cafe'. |
 Apparently you can go anywhere from Ollantaytambo. |  Store at the main square. |  Political rally. |
 Meow. |  These statues offer protection to the houses that have them on their rooftops. |  Store just outside the ruins. |
 Sneaking out of the health clinic. |  Typical facade in Ollantaytambo. |  Bella and Heather doing math at the Muya Cafe' next to the train tracks. |
 Perurail train to Macchupichu. |  Muya Cafe'. |  A Perurail wagon awaiting the next train. |
 These colorful vehicles are modified motorcycles - called motor taxis. |
CUSCO, PERU | Oct 4 - 7, 2014
 The stunning landscape of Sacsayhuaman. |  Cusco at night. |  The moon as seen from the Cusco Planetarium. |
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 Peruvian women gathered around Sacsayhuaman. |  Sacsayhuaman. |  Cusco as seen from Sacsayhuaman. |
 The slider rocks in Sacsayhuaman. Not to be missed! |  The slider rocks in Sacsayhuaman. |  The magnificent ruins of Sacsayhuaman. Notice the upside-down steps. |
 The magnificent ruins of Sacsayhuaman. |  View from the road to the ruins of Cusco. |  Plaza in Cusco. |
 No, it's not a gay pride flag. Curiously, it is the symbol of Cusco. |  Tallarin Saltado, one of the best dishes I had in Peru. |  The AMAZING and invigorating Caldo Blanco! |
 Incredible mountains on the road to Ollantaytambo. |  This altar had two bottles of bleach sitting on it. Go figure. |  One of the most elaborate baroque altars in Peru, in the Catedral de Santo Domingo. |
 The last Supper as interpreted by a Peruvian artist. Notice the roasted guinea pig on the center. |  Snowed peaks on the road to Ollantaytambo. |  Donkey! |
 Our laundry drying atop the building terrace. |  School children outside a restaurant in Cusco. |  Street cart in Cusco. |
 These ladies and their cute lambs will demand cash if you take their picture. |  Road to Ollantaytambo from Cusco. |  Detail of the Arco de San Francisco. |
 Street vendor in Cusco. |  Apu was one of the political parties running for representation. |  Election day with street vendors. |
 Stray dogs abound in Cusco. |  Look at all those chickens! |  Alleyway near Plaza de Armas. |
 Arco de San Francisco. |  Public phone, a rarity. |  Creepy snake flower bed near Plaza de Armas. |
 Boys playing soccer near Plaza de Armas. |  Entering Cusco. |  Cusco has its own Christ statue, curiously donated by the Palestinians. |
 View from the Starbucks at Plaza de Armas. |  Old colonial alley in Cusco. |  Plaza de Armas. |
 Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, from Plaza de Armas. |  Old balcony at the Starbucks. |  The Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, founded by Jesuits in the 1500's, had to fight with the Pope himself to stay here. |
 View from Plaza de Armas in Cusco. |
Click on each image to enlarge view.
Click on each image to enlarge view.
PISAC, PERU | Sept 28, 2014
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 Leaving Seattle on September 22! |  Lima at night. |  First snafu of the trip: had to sleep at a hotel. Read the blog to find out more! |
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 Punto Azul in Lima: some of the best food in the city! |  Tile floor at Punto Azul. |  My favorite Peruvian dish: pulpo a oliva (Octopus in black olive sauce.) |
 Colorful decor at Punto Azul. |  Punto Azul. |  Alameda in Lima. |
 Old fashioned barber shop. |  Rodrigo gets the old fashioned treatment. |  Choco Museo. |
 We had a chocolate making class at the Choco Museo. |  Miraflores is the best neighborhood in Lima. |  Las Brujas de Conchiche: unforgettable gastro experience. |
 Mural depicting the actual brujas at the restaurant. |  Lucuma mousse! |  Another Peruvian favorite: Aji de Gallina. |
 Causa Rellena de Cangrejo - Crab "Causa". Causa is a Peruvian dish made of mashed potatoes. |  Pisco Sour, the national drink. Unreal! |  Lucuma, the fruit. Somewhere between an avocado and a bread fruit. |
 Drinkable yogurt! |
CHINCHERO, PERU | Sept 29, 2014
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Click on each image to enlarge view.