This was a laid back day.
Our group was now twelve and five of them went back up to Machu Picchu a
second time. Breakfast at the hotel
starts at 5:00, so I was there to have breakfast with the three who left at
5:50. They planned to hike Huayna Picchu
and had to be at the trailhead between 7:00 and 8:00. The weather was better today and two others
enjoyed the sunnier weather to walk around and take more photos.
There were lots of beautiful flowers as we walked around.
The only way to get to the town of Aguas Caliente is by walking or by taking the train. I took this picture for our train loving friend Grant Watson from Canada and my train loving brother-in-law Phil.
Many more beautiful and to us, exotic, plants were seen.
And then we found the only French café in town – La Boulangerie Paris. Patty had a cappachino and a large chocolate and almond cookie, I had a latte and a chocolate pastry. While we were enjoying these, the chef-owner Pierre came out with some macaroons fresh from the oven and gave us one gratis. It melted in our mouths and tasted great.
More flowers were found while we walked around.
We then went back to the hotel and met up with some of the group that had promised to try guinea pig for lunch. Five of us went to the restaurant, and two others joined us. We ordered the cuya because it takes thirty minutes to cook, and then ordered our individual lunch. The guinea pig came first – the entire animal was on the plate, but it had been cut into pieces – but the pieces were left in place so that you could see the entire guinea pig on the plate. Apparently it is a traditional food of the Andes, and while it tasted fine, I would not order it again.
And then it was back on the train to get back to Cuzco.
We then caught the 4:45 train which took us to Perchar, where they stop running the train during the rainy season (we are at the end of the rainy season). When it is the dry season from May to the end of October, the train goes all the way from Aguas Calient to Cusco. Instead we got off the train and spent an hour and forty five minutes on a bus to Cusco. Around 9:00, we got back to the Suenos Inka hotel where we left our bags. Everyone was tired and ready for bed – no one went out for dinner because we had to get up at 5:50 for our 6:50 bus pickup Wednesday morning.
After checking out of the hotel by the deadline of 9:00
a.m., Patty and I went for a walk. We
went by the Peru Info office, then started up the hill towards the Aguas
Caliente spa – the Aguas Caliente river is naturally heated by thermal springs
and this is the water for the spa. On
the way up the hill, we passed many shops and stopped at one. Patty found a couple of sweaters and we did
our part to contribute to the local economy.
We continued up the hill to the spa, then wondered around the town. We watched a pickup game of fütbol (soccer)
for a few minutes.
There were lots of beautiful flowers as we walked around.
The only way to get to the town of Aguas Caliente is by walking or by taking the train. I took this picture for our train loving friend Grant Watson from Canada and my train loving brother-in-law Phil.
Many more beautiful and to us, exotic, plants were seen.
And then we found the only French café in town – La Boulangerie Paris. Patty had a cappachino and a large chocolate and almond cookie, I had a latte and a chocolate pastry. While we were enjoying these, the chef-owner Pierre came out with some macaroons fresh from the oven and gave us one gratis. It melted in our mouths and tasted great.
More flowers were found while we walked around.
We then went back to the hotel and met up with some of the group that had promised to try guinea pig for lunch. Five of us went to the restaurant, and two others joined us. We ordered the cuya because it takes thirty minutes to cook, and then ordered our individual lunch. The guinea pig came first – the entire animal was on the plate, but it had been cut into pieces – but the pieces were left in place so that you could see the entire guinea pig on the plate. Apparently it is a traditional food of the Andes, and while it tasted fine, I would not order it again.
And then it was back on the train to get back to Cuzco.
We then caught the 4:45 train which took us to Perchar, where they stop running the train during the rainy season (we are at the end of the rainy season). When it is the dry season from May to the end of October, the train goes all the way from Aguas Calient to Cusco. Instead we got off the train and spent an hour and forty five minutes on a bus to Cusco. Around 9:00, we got back to the Suenos Inka hotel where we left our bags. Everyone was tired and ready for bed – no one went out for dinner because we had to get up at 5:50 for our 6:50 bus pickup Wednesday morning.
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