Peru

Ok so NFPs is back.  I know we've sent various snippets to all of you in a very un-virgoan fashion.  I blame Brenda.  She blames me.  We have our usual early holiday shouting match, arms waving, loud swearing, walk offs and some spittle...

Firstly have to say we saw a lady at lunch today taking a photo of the bread basket.  

Day before yesterday we hiked 12kms (uphill and downhill for about +/- 500 metres) on an old Inca trail to Machu Picchu.  Yesterday we hiked/climbed Huayna Picchu the higher peak behind the old Inca city (another 500 metres and 2000 steps each way).  We met at 5am to join the bus queue.  Simply breathtaking in several ways.  Heaps of photos. 

Tomorrow we're off to Cuba, flying into Havana and then leaving the following day for Vinales.  Not sure how we'll go with phones, etc until we get there. 

Onto the food and wine highlights:
* Chicha in Arequipa - delicious deep fried Guinea pig and Argentinian sparkling plus Chilean Pinot Noir
* Cicciolina in Cuzco - nice Alpaca carpaccio
* MAP in Cuzco - very tasty local river shrimp
* Astrid & Gaston in Lima - excellent suckling goat and pig washed down with a lovely aged gran reserva from Roja

Lessons learnt so far:

Altitude does have a big affect and is not to be taken lightly

Both Chile and Peru have very nice beer - Austral, Arequipena & Cusquena

If you don't like potatoes Peru is not for you

Guinea pig is great and you can eat a whole one

Photos below are pampas between Arequipa and Colca canyon, a condor and 500 new acquaintances and MP with HP in the background (we took the bus to go down to the town).