Lares

The Pierce family just returned from a weekend adventure in Lares, Peru. Lares is about 200 kilometers from Cusco. Lares has hotsprings, and that's why we went on Saturday morning. Our landlords Bruno and Ada were kind enough to take us out there with their kids in their 196x International Harvester Travelall. Seats nine comfortably. Comfortable, that is, until it breaks down at 13,000 ft. But that's a different story.

To get to Lares, one needs to drive through the so-called Sacred Valley town of Calca, where we spent time in the market. The too-narrow road to Lares winds through the Andes and is only open at night and early in the morning. So we needed to time our arrival and departure carefully. We departed this morning at 4 am and got back to Cusco at about 10. The road is a little scary, especially at night, when Robert imagines the worse.

Lares is a small place and it is a short walk to the hotsprings. Mira went over to the springs twice, Robert stayed with the kids and had an interesting meal at one of the few restaurants in town.

Here's some photos, and there are more here.

Cusco Factoids

According to this research paper, Cusco, Peru has the highest ultraviolet light exposure in the world. 

www.niwa.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/41252/Liley_2.pdf

In Cusco, you can find this 12 sided rock built into a wall by the Incas.

 

 In 2004, the World Churro Institute named churros de Cusco the most tasty in all the world.  Disneyland took second place, followed by Cuernevaca, Mexico.

 

Weather

We are getting a ton of hail this afternoon in Cusco.  But we are safe here in La Pascana hostel, where Rory and Caedryn run around with the staff's son Alex.  It looks like we are closing in on a weekly apartment in the city, and should make a decision tonight on one that we've seen.  This is good because the three-bed room we are living in now is driving us forth with the pungent aroma of dirty diapers and Robert's feet.  Umm Umm. Mira says that Robert does not take enough snapshot photography, so he's added some here:  http://picasaweb.google.com/rrpjr1/Cusco2010#

Free Time

The slight case of altitude sickness we all had (Cusco is at 11,023 ft) is wearing off. As usual, the Roberts had their morning constitutional at about 6 am, when things are quiet. Today we will be busy looking for longer term housing. We'd like an apartment for a few weeks. Here's some more photos of the travel gnome.

Cusco

The Pierces arrived in Cusco yesterday.  After a long day in flight, we got to the hotel, had a warm cup of Mate de Coca, and  went straight to bed.  Rory and Robert are up this morning, though, exploring the Plaza de Armas.