We pass over the river on the descent to Puerto Maldonado.

The Amazon

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June 20th 2006
The next stop is Cusco which is the capital of the old Inca empire. We love our first impressions of it as we drive through the Plaza des Armas (main square). We are somewhat in a rush as England are playing Sweden and we are trying to catch the final fifteen minutes. It’s a bit of a pain, therefore, that our minibus is too large to travel up the narrow road to our hotel, so we have to huff, puf ... read more

South America » Peru » Madre de Dios » Puerto Maldonado » Amazon Rainforest

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Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1... ... read more