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Published: November 23rd 2013
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I started writing this in Cusco airport waiting for Lima flight and chose title purely for alliteration. However it has proved to be horribly prophetic. Who has ever heard of an entire city of 9 m people totally banning the sale or consumption of alcohol for 48 hrs before & on the day of a major civic election? Well....you guessed it...Lima does..& it just so happens that the election is on Sunday..so no wine till Monday here! Luckily we head to Amazon tomorrow, but meantime really are drinking lemonade...yeughh! I assume they don't trust people to tick the favored box after imbibing uno coppa or dos. who knows, but I bet Pachacuchec didn't inflict that on his people.
Agua Calientes was a unique place with no road access and only buses up & down mountain to Machu Picchu. Trains chugged slowly down main street dinging their bells.. No platforms and kids dogs & adults just sauntered across tracks to cross road. Porters carried all goods for hotels restaurants & building construction along tracks on barrows. No health & safety nonsense here! Also had my dook in the hot medicinal/ rejuvenating springs, but sadly it didn't work. I'm still 60 and
Pachacuchek
In AquaCalientes plaza my knee's still a bit dodgy! Ah well, maybe the famous Bangkok massage might work instead.
Had a very interesting 4 hr train trip back to Cusco with 3 course meal on real crockery with real cutlery, followed by alpaca knitwear fashion show by catering staff up & down ailse to disco music. British rail could learn a thing or two from this '3rd world' country!
On a serious note, we do feel a bit guilty in our quieter reflective moments ( and there are some!) about being on this fantastic trip, when Louise & Craig are going through such pain and anxiety. It hardly seems right, and we do feel we should be back home to help them. However they insisted that we went and we know that we are only ever a day or two away if needed. We take comfort also from following Louise's extraordinary blog about her difficult journey, and remain in complete admiration and awe at the courage and fortitude with which she is dealing with it, also made easier for all who know her by her light hearted, humerous, yet honest and enlightened approach..what an amazing daughter in law we have! We
Pardon me boy...
..is that the Machupiccuchoochoo? are also, of course, very proud of Craig for providing the love, strength and support that she will certainly need. We can only hope that we can match that, and provide as much help and support as required on our return.. Our love to you both, and James, Ali, and Freya too. X
On a lighter note, we are off to the amazon tomorrow to fight off pyrannah, anaconda, rabid cappuchino monkeys and tarantulas. Shirley is very excited about that! Also hope to add to the list of 22 'lifers' seen on our 90 min birding trip 2 days ago. Toucan play at that game. Groan. Probably will have several days blogging silence until return to civilization ( how can an alcohol ban be civilized?). Don't all cheer at once.
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Craig
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The inhumanity!
Whilst our own personal journey at the moment is not as exciting and fun as yours...at least we have wine! We are doing well and don't feel guilty about travelling. We have great support here and you can make up when you get home!