January 26th We had good travels on the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu station in Aguas Calientes. Lots of scenery. Cows on some terraces. We sat across from some young girls who took at least 32 selfies during the 1.5 hour ride. They felt bad for us that we were not taking selfies, so they took a picture of us as well. We took the bus up to Machu Picchu. We are not sure how many switchbacks on the way up the road, but we were happy to get to the top as the drop down off the cliff would not have been an acceptable ending. We checked into the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. Our room had a very nice view overlooking the mountains. We had a very nice lunch...finished with an assortment of treats ... read more

Spent the day touring with Eduardo our guide for the day. Our first stop was to see the Alpacas and learn about the culture and agriculture. We learned about the crops that are essential to the area including the potatoes, the corn, and quinoa. Next we went to Pisac Ruins. The Inca were masters of the terraces for agriculture. Their purpose was to manage irrigation and erosion. Crops were grown at different levels of elevation based on the crop to maximize yield. It was a long hike to the top. Eduardo was very informative. Next we went to Ollantaytambo. There we saw the Temple del Sol. The rock used was brought over 6 miles down from cliffs opposite to the build. The rock was brought across the river to the build area. The stone work was ... read more

Took a walk around Cusco this afternoon. It was very sunny and a very nice temperature. Can definitely feel the sun's heat when up in altitude. Ate lunch at a local place serving typical Peruvian food. Pedro was happy with the large portion of the lamb chop. Walked the streets and did some people watching. Found a cute dog taking a nap in a rose garden. The textile market was filled with bright colors. Walked back up the hill to our hotel and could tell that we were up in altitude.... read more

The side trip to Fort Worth was just what we needed to keep us busy for the day. Our flight to Lima is not until 1020 tonight, so we had a full day to go out and explore Fort Worth. We ate lunch at the Cattlemen's Steak House. After lunch we wandered down the main road and found a Longhorn just waiting for us. It was Pedro's first time sitting on a cow. Maverick was very well behaved. Maverick (2100#) was a registered Longhorn according to his trainer. Next it was off to the pig/sheep subway. This is where the sheep and pigs were brought underneath the road where the cattle were being driven over the top back in the day of the cattle drives. Next it was a trip through the Stockyard Maze. We both ... read more