Today we started by organising to get some our laundry sorted nearby the hostel. Explored La Paz at a leisurely pace. Went in to the city and changed some money from the money vendor next to Iglesia de San Francisco (church). This imposing church is a blend of mestizo and Spanish baroque styles, and is located on the plaza San Francisco. San Francisco church was built in 1549 and is considered to be one of the foremost examples of Spanish architecture. The front is decorated with fanciful carvings of birds, masks, pine cones in a mixture of Spanish and Indian traditions. City view were simply amazing, the city seems to shaped like a large bowl, the city center being the bottom indise of the bowl. Standing in the city center looking up and around, one is ... read more

Still very sick today - spent most the morning trying to organise bus tickets to La Paz (Bolivia). The journey is roughly 8 hrs by bus, very scenic route. Couldnt find any buses. Went back to hostel via the markets on one of the three wheeled trik trik. Our hostel owner said he knew a bus company and would organise two tickets for us for tomorrow morning. That sorted we concentrated on resting and recovering from our colds. Took short walk to buy supply for the bus jounrey tomorrow. In the evening took some photos for the lovely lady owner of finger puppets she wanted to sell on the internet and then the photo with them both, they had looked after us as if we were their kids. Lovely couple. By late evening we were feeling ... read more

What a day. Packed our bags and checked out of the hostel. Headed straight for the bus stop to buy tickets to Puno and head out. Unfortunately the strike was still on and tickets were not available in the morning. After hanging around and talking to some of the other tourist we discovered there was a bus leaving in the evening. We bought the tickets immediately as they would be in short supply. An agent before us had already bought three quarters of the seats to sell at a better price in town. Now the question was what we would do for the rest of the day. We surely could not hang around the bus stop for the whole day. We headed back to backpacker hostel, paid for half day accomodation and hang out, even had ... read more

Got up at 4:30 in the morning and walked over to the bus stop, still very sleepy but very excited at the same time. We are waiting for the bus to take us to Machu Picchu (the place I had read volumes about but never seen or imagined I would see). We leave at 5:30am. Arrive there we line up at the gates, cannot see anything yet of Macch Picchu, the scenery high up in the Andes peak is still so beautiful. Entry is US$40!!! What a rip off - but I dont really care as I hope quite that it will be worth it. There is a larger banner stating that Machu Picchu has won a place in the new 7 wonders of the world. We pay and enter, we walk a bit and then ... read more

Today we went to explore the weekend Pisac market. Pisac Sunday market we are told is something worth experiencing and only 30kms from Cusco. We catch a local bus and head of for Pisac, the scenery along the way is awe inspiring. Short walk from the bus stop is the market, one cannot miss it as it is such a hub of activity. We walk on the cobbled street towards the market and encounter trader sitting along the steps on the cobbled street, enjoying the clean crisp air and the glorious sunny day. On Sundays only, campesinos from surrounding villages set up a barter market, or mercado de treque, which is an ancient Peruvian custom and an interesting example of the informal economies upon which highlanders depend. Quechuan-speaking Indians sit behind huge piles of potatoes, carrots, ... read more