A woman in Ollantay Tambo, Peru. This is one of my favorite photos, so I placed it here (out of order).
Peruvian mountains near Machu Picchu. (Another of my favorite photos.)
Steep terraces at Machu Picchu. (Another of my favorite photos.)
Now the photos are in order (more or less). This is the farming area near Cuzco, as we are flying into that high city.
The city of Cuzco, Peru. Altitude 12,000 ft. Photo taken from nearby hills. Main square, the Plaza de Armas, is visible in the foreground.
The main square Place de Armas seen from Sacsayhuaman.
Original Inca stonework in Cuzco street.
Street leading down to Place de Armas. Note the texture in the pavement, very typical of Cuzco.
School in Cuzco. Our guide gave us conflicting information about what fraction of Peruvian children go to school.
Cathedral in Cuzco.
Buildings on the Plaza de Armas.
The Tea room at the Hotel Monasterio
But this is the recommended way to avoid altitude sickness -- drink coca tea (illegal in the US).
Coca tea. Illegal in the US.
If the tea doesn't work, they have oxygen available.
The chapel at the Hotel Monasterio
Courtyard of Hotel Monasterio
Our hotel room at the Monasterio hotel.
The Cathedral and the Place de Armas at night, from the restaurant.window
Rolling rocks -- better than wheels for large stones. Even more important due to the fact that the Incas never invented the wheel.
Rolling stones. Note the total absence of moss.
Bronze shield. None of the gold art work was even this well done. I had the impression that the Incas considered gold to be roofing material.
Cuzco street.
Alley in Cuzco
Street in Cuzco. It is a wonderful town to wander through, assuming that the coca tea helped adjust you to the altitude.
Courtyard in Cuzco, with small shops (where we bought some carved gourds).
Artist, saleswoman, and proprietor in the Cuzco shop.
Remains of the Sacsayhuaman fortress. This was the location of the last battle between Pizarro and the Incas.
Sacsayhuaman fortress. Our guidebook says it is pronounced as "sexy woman."
Rosemary in Sacsayhuaman ruins