Machu Picchu has to be done. Yes, in order to get there to take ‘that photo’ you have to join the throng of tourists and be prepared to endure a good dose of the local sport of ‘tourist fleecing’ from railway, bus and tour operators, hotel managers and local vendors. But such is the wonder of the view once you top that rise and set eyes on the city for the first time, it’s suddenly all worth while. Mind you, this correspondent slept in and almost missed the dawn which wouldn’t have done at all. But fear not dear reader for I arrived just in time to see the sun rise and get my mug in front of the camera to capture an image with a backdrop that only 152.6 million* people before me have been able to witness.
While in Cuzco I’ve taken full toll of the Irish and English pubs for lashings of sheppard’s pie and Old Speckled Hen ale and scoured the back streets for the finest cappuccino coffee that the city could offer prior to heading back out into ‘Pollo & Papas’ land outside the major tourist centre.
The bike has had some tender loving care while here in Cuzco and is now resplendent in a brand new set of lovely Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tyres (thanks to Zach at Co-Motion Cycles in Oregon), so is well ready for the next leg of the trip on to Bolivia. And so in the next few days I will bid a, …well, pretty relieved adieu to Peru.
Nice ‘That Photo’ with the city behind Buffer. I see you’re copying 490South’s great tyre selection too. Chicken and chips almost done!
Lovin’ the new ‘do’, Buffster.