After the delicious buffet style breakfast offered by the hotel, we set out to explore the nearby Plaza Mayor of Cusco. At an elevation of 11,200 feet, most of the streets seem to involve climbing to some extent which I had deemed my enemy, but I absolutely loved the look and feel of the ones that seemed no more than narrow alleyways, mostly ending in small plazas surrounded by colonial architecture. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th century until 1532. In 1983, Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by The Constitution of Peru. Many believe that the city was planned in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal. Buildings constructed after the Spanish invasion often have a mixture ... read more

After breakfast, and full of anticipation, we boarded the boat that would take us to the Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca. An excursion that did not disappoint. Although the inhabitants of these islands still can be said to live in fairly primitive conditions, they have become savvy enough to have a very good organization of how to distribute the tourists around their community. The individual islands' construction and maintenance are the concern and responsibility of all who live on that island, so I can see how they have used the same principles to divide what must be a big source of income amongst the entire community. Upon officially entering the Uros District, our boat captain was instructed about which island we could visit. It turned out to be the "Beautiful Rainbow" Island, home to four families. ... read more

Our second day in the Colca Canyon region was dedicated to exploring the valley and some of the towns founded in colonial Spanish times. Our first mission was to arrive at the Cruz del Condor Mirador early enough to catch the condors gliding with the help of thermal winds, so we set out early in the morning as the viewing site was some distance from the lodge. On the way, we did take some time to stop at the nearby village of Yanque, to watch some of the children dancing in the square, a morning tradition. Along the way, we passed other settlements that dot the valley. I was constantly surprised by the small size of a lot of the houses we passed. They seemed more like Hobbit holes than real houses. Also amazing was the ... read more

A very early morning call saw us on our way to the airport for our flight to Arequipa. I really dislike these internal flights that seem to waste a lot of time dealing with airport procedures, occasional flights delays, etc., although I realize it's the only option when visiting distant locations within a country. We arrived in Arequipa late in the morning and were greeted on our exit from the airport with free beers being handed out by an Arequipa beer company in celebration of the festivities currently going in the city for the anniversary of the city founding on August 15, 1540. Then we had enough time to stop at the Mirador de Yanahuara to view the iconic backdrop to the city, the beautiful Misti volcano, before an idyllic lunch at Tio Dario, some yards ... read more

Although we had a brutal travel schedule in front of us, we could not resist a 5:30 AM wake up call to visit the falls one last time, to view the sun rising behind the Devil's Cataract. Quickly washing our faces, brushing our teeth, and putting on the clothes we had laid out the night before, at 6 AM we boarded the van that would take us back to the entrance of the park, quiet and deserted this time around, although the small market across the street was beginning to stir with the vendors beginning to set up their stalls. We were the only ones there for this viewing and, thankfully, although we once again donned the heavy raincoats, the wind was calm and the spray was not as strong and furious as the day before. ... read more