Machupicchu

I remember I said I would tell you what we learned about the walls of the Inca's.  When visiting a site in Cusco they showed us stones used in making walls and in the stones there were egg shaped indentions in the top of the rock, in these indentions they said they placed tiney pebles with fine sand.  then placed another stone on top of that stone and when the quake would roll the ground the wall would be able to glide back and forth.  Reminds me of the elaborate things the engineres go through to make our buildings quake proof now.  If this isn't clear I am sorry, should have taken a picture but didn't as we just were going so fast and there was so many people I didn't think to do it. :(
glenna

Road trip January 3 2010

Ok here we go again :) I wanted you to see the young man looing in the window ahead of us, he is selling something.  When youstop at stop signs you will have people selling everything from something to eat to music CDs.

Dumenico was about to buy a stick with Jello on it but about that time the light changed and we moved on.

When we started out I didn't know where we were headed but it turned out we went to down town Lima and Marco took me to see the LDS Temple there.

The Temple is always closed on Sunday but there was a guard at the gate and he let us on the grounds to take pictures, we didn't go far in just enough to take a few pictures.  Yes that is me and Cynthia took the picture.

A front view from the street.

Had to get a close up of the front writing.

We went on our way East until we came to the town of Koricancha where we had lunch, on the plate above you will tiny feet and the next picture you will the head of Cuy  pronounced Cooy  which is Guinia Pig (don't know if it is spelled right).  This was Marco Sr.'s dinner and yes both Cynthia and I tasted it.  I must admit once you get around the idea of it being a pet in the USA just taste you will find it isn't bad and quite tasty.  No I wouldn't order it for myself. :)

Now you can see why I wouldn't order this dish for myself. :)

This is a view of where we ate, from the outside (road) you would not know this wonderful, quiet place was there.  Marco said it was a place more for locals.  He has been there a number of times.  Cynthia and I shared a plate of deep fried chicken pieces not pop corn chicken but not quite the same.  We had veggies with lemon juice; John had deep fried chicken but not in piecies like ours and Dumenico had a piece of chicken that looked more like a chicken fried steak but deep fried.  Then of course we had Inka Cola.  There is a green box to the left of the tree and you can see Dumenico and Cynthia standing next to the table.  This is a game that has a brass frog on the top with different holes on top and you try to get dollar like pieces into the right holes.  Dumenico says it is like America's shuffel board. :)  I remember Marco Sr. having one of there years ago, it just wasn't on the stand like this one.  You play for points.   We hated to leave as it was so quiet, cool and you could hear the river in the back ground.  We had taken our chairs over under some trees close to the river and it was really cool and relaxing.

Here is Dumenico and Marco Sr. playing the game.  On the picture it shows the 2nd of January but it is the 3rd.

We left Konicancha and headed back the way we came but at an intersection we again headed East on a different road.  We came to the town of Chosica, I took the above picture but it is to small can't read the town name so hope I spelled it right.  This is across from the town square that is green and a very nice place for a family on Sunday afternoon or any afternoon as far as that goes.

This is up the street from the picture telling the towns name.  There is a large Catholic church to the left of the picture and this beautiful Christus and several water features.  As you can see I am really wind blown as going down the road we have the windows open enjoying the cool air. 

Looking into the Plaza park.  What a relaxing day for them.

Cynthia and John at a water featcher in the Park, there is music and the water helped it be much cooler.

Another view of the fountain.

After walking around this park for about 40 minutes while we let Marco Sr. get a little nap we went to the other end and walked through the play area for the children, they had a number of rides like bumper cars on water and on solid ground, plus a couple slides and other things little kids like.

There was food, like really yummy cakes (which we didn't sample) as we had icecream sandwichs.  One thing about it a person won't go hungry as there are people everywhere ready to see you food of one kind or the other.

On the cornor up and across from the park is this LDS Chapel.

After leaving this very nice town we headed for home, what a ride, I can say I am getting used to it but can't say I enjoy the way they drive here.

When we got home we decided to try a different fruit Cynthia bought yesterday, I have a couple pictures of it so you can get an idea of it and perhaps you have even see it in one of our super markets.

Chorimoya  this is a close up of it and you can see the split, that is because Cynthia dropped it as we were getting ready to cut it. :)

A close up of the meat, it was really sweet and almost to ripe, it came apart in sections almost like a grapefruit but much sweeter.

The seeds from the fruit.

Enough for today, hope you have a great day.

Parque de la Reserva Lima Peru

About this park.  Marco said it was a bad place to be before the city reneovated
the park bringing it to this great place.  The videos you will see are short but on the one where you see the pictures, they are projected onto the water or the water is used as a screen somehow.  No matter they are wonderful.  My memory card ran out of memory or would have had a much greater picture treat as they projected so much from Peru's great places it was awe inspiring.

Parque de la Reserva Lima Peru

Cynthia and Myself at the Parque de la Reserva.

Cynthia and Marco

The center spout goes up very very high, I couldn't lean back far enough to show it at its highest.

This first water feature we came to managed to take the picture and capture the color change from blue to pink almost red.

Parque de la Reserva Lima Peru

Parque de la Reserva  that Marco took Cynthia and myself (Glenna) to last night (New Years Day Evening).  My memory card ran out of memory so didn't get the really neat part.  Movie depecting many things in Peru.  Maybe we will be able to go back one of these days before we leave and I can get the really good parts.

More Turkey Surprise :)

Cynthia found this surprise when we were boning out the meat to make soup.  We shouldn't have been surprised after finding the head still attached to the neck!  Anyway we continued on and as I was standing there thinking about it, I said "sure glad it was you that pulled that out!"  about the time the words were out of my mouth I pulled out another bone to take the meat off and what did I find but the other foot, I let go of it in a real hurry and jumped back! :)

We should have figured there would be 2, right!  anyway we had a good laugh and Cynthia said when you get a turkey here you get your moneys worth.

Cusco Peru

We went into this little cafe and had something to drink.  I had hot chocolate and it was served in a cup that kept it hot until I was finished drinking it, didn't have to down it fast.  It was owned by a German man and his Peruvian wife.

Another picture to let you see what we did, it was always going up or down and by the end of the trip my legs were really feeling the weakness in them. :) You can see Dumenico in the green sweater then Marco then Cynthia.  I think I was taking the picture to stall having to go up to soon. :)

Can't remember if I put this picture in or not, but if I did you can just over look it.  ;)

There were lots of native people around with their lambs and llamas in costume for you to take your picture with them then you paid them a little for the pleasure of doing so.  Cynthia said there was lots more tourists there then the last time she was there.  In this picture John had his picture taken and gave her some money and she wasn't happy because he gave her a coin that she felt wasn't enough and think it was old and they have a thing about money that might not be in good condition, guess the banks and other venders won't accept it.

I don't think I put this picture I took of Dumenico, Marco and the little black dog in, don't see the little white one so don't know where he went.  This that trail we were on to see the water fall that was in another direction. :)

Another picture to let you see the steepness of the streets.  Martha is at the top of the stairs, you can see John, Myself and Cynthia looking down the way we came.  It was a challenge for us but we did it!  No wonder the people there are thinner and run up and down the steps, they are used to it.  Notice we all have on sweaters or jackets, it is not really cold but much cooler then in Chorrillos.  It is very damp feeling as it is the wet season.  There is no heat in the rooms either for winter or summer conditions.  We felt lucky we had hot and cold water in our hostel.  The beds had wool blankets on them, we each had two and the bed spread was a comforter, we had to remove it because was just to heavy.  Think that is all for today.