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Up at 5 AM Sunday we arrived at Machu Picchu just after dawn. We toured the ruins until late afternoon. This ancient city is indeed impressive. Monday we take the train back to Cuzco for more site seeing.

The lodge were we stayed last night is lower center of the picture. To the right of that I think you can make out the trail we trekked down to the lodge. The rivers we have been following all end up in the Amazon River and then the Atlantic Ocean.

One of the lodges we are staying at is in the picture. They are only a few years old and very comfortable. There are no roads to the lodges, everything comes here by horseback.

We were told to expect a special meal today. We were served guinea pigs cooked underground. My first time eating rodent. It tastes something like duck.

Wednesday we trekked for about eight hours. We started in good weather for the Salkantay Pass elevation 15,213 feet. It started to rain as we climbed and changed to wind blown hail as we approached the pass. The hail added to the fun of just trying to breath at that altitude.
We decended 2,000 feet to a comfortable lodge and a good meal. Tomorrow we decend into jungle conditions.

I arrived in Cuzco Peru on Sunday and met with other group members and our guides. Monday we arrived at Salkantay lodge elevation 12,690 feet. Today we climbed to Humantay Lake elevation 14,100 feet.
Our guides claimed nobody has ever swum in this cold glacial lake, but that a few had stuck there feet in. I totally submerged myself in the lake (it was cold) so perhaps I am the first. Wednesday we begin our trek to Machu Piccchu.
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