Route of the Sun,

Sorry for the early start, but you wouldn’t want to miss the bus from Puno to Cusco. There are 6 stops on the way to see specific sites.

First stop: Pukara

Pukara has a small museum that traces the origins of the Peruvian people. It is believed that when the continents were connected, people moved south to escape the cold. sculptures found are similar to Mongolian artefacts.

Cave paintings suggest the people of this time hunted Gunaca and vicuña. These had proof on a camel like animal. Eventually they domesticated some of the a cross bred them to form alpaca and llamas as separate species.

Eventually edible plants were identified and crops meant that villages and separate communities formed. This became the Qaluyo culture. This became more developed and s first sculptures of humans appeared. Pretty amazing for 1000BC don’t you think.

As time went on, hierarchy’s developed often shown by the drinking cups or jewellery.

Textiles and different other items have been found in mortuary tombs.

To reach stop 2, we travelled through the plains. This was once a deep lake. The hills show what I thought were terraces but no, this was from erosion as the lake gradually went through cycles of freezing and melting.

Stop 2 La Raya. Do you remember, we stopped here on the train.

They believe the glaciers and snow will disappear in the next few years.

Stop 3:Sicuani and lunch! Did you walk down to see the waterfall? There was a cool sculpture of a hand.

Stop 4:Raqchi. To me, this was a real highlight. Did you like it? It was an army camp originally for the Wari people.

It was a walled city originally. The Inca’s turned the barracks into homes. The blue circles were workshops and then they built a temple.

The round houses were topped with wood and thatch Each house was joined to the next with a small wall for earthquakes

The houses were plastered with a mixture of rocks, reeds, llama droppings water and clay. I think they would have been cosy as the walls are thick but dark and definitely smokey in winter.

The temple was massive.

The central section was flanked on either side by columns. It is thought that a wooden roof may have covered and extended down the sides.

The temple and community would have been a message point for Cusco and the rest of the area.

The last stop before Cusco was a baroque church in a tiny community.Iglesia de San Pedro. The church has beautiful murals on its outside walls.

You can’t take pictures inside the church but they have a huge poster from the choir section looking down to the altar. Yes that is real 24ct gold. The altar and some sections near the altar are made of cedar. This was then coated with the gold. Impressive but ornate. Each statue was dressed in beaded and embroidered clothes. Beautiful yes but I must admit , I prefer a simple styled church.

Here we are coming into Cusco. Look at the colours in that mountain rock

We had a funny experience when we got off the bus , didn’t we? Transfers were included and a gentleman said he was to take us to the El Dorado hotel. Now he didn’t know where he was going. He rang his wife who yelled instructions. Luis didn’t understand so he rings back . More yelling. I showed him the address. He told his wife who insisted he pick her up. She yelled at us and Luis. Finally we reach the hotel. He asks for money. Wife yells. No we have paid we say and show him the paperwork. He realised he had picked up the wrong passengers . There are two El Dorado hotels. Wife yells. We head inside and leave them to sort it out. The joys of travel.

Get organised. Early start tomorrow to catch planes to Chile. Remember 15 kg in check in luggage. New adventures await.