Machu Pichu about nothing...

So we´re currently in Cusco after spending the last week in the Sacred Valley and visiting the one and only Machu Pichu along with countless other Inca ruins. Its been absoloutely stunning! So here are the pics...

Cusco main plaza

Riot police

Cathedral

Jeanette, Aunty Amanda and Nannan Pat..

Not bad dry stone walling that...

One for Annie...

San Blas Plaza

Tambomachay: Ceremonial stone bath channeling, Trev will appreciate this!

Just looking down over the top...
teeth are as big as some of those rocks

Pukapukara: Hunting lodge

Sacsaywaman: A fort on the hill above Cuzco, one of the biggest stones weighs 300 tons! Whoo mama!

Ar lad...scouting for Loras Tyrell, another camp knight of flowers...

Start of the sacred valley

Above Pisac town, probably just after being pickpocketed...tut...

Walk up was a killer...em nearly keeled over due to
a) being unfit and b) the altitude...
at one point she nearly chugged it

So after the gruelling walk to see the ruins and nearly chugging ems comment
"shall we just go back down?" Ian "are you frikking kidding me!"
Was a tough day...

Em perked up after having a kip at the top...

What a pr**k

Ollantaytambo: A fortress

Grimacing again...

Moray: Ampitheater like terracing. The Incas used this as an agricultural
laboratory to determine conditions for growing the best crops

The centre of the bowl is said to have ´great energy´...hmmmm...we did manage
to catch this reenactment of the video for fatboy slim´s classic ´praise you´

So after seeing some of the Inca ruins we were set for the big one! Before this we had to reach Agua Caliente (the town at the foot of Machu Pichu) and the only way you can get here is by train...they have you over a barrel...we nearly collapsed in a fit on the floor (being tight northerners) when we heard the price of the return journey, everyone else on the train were all smiles, we on the other hand had a look of "what the f**k are you smiling for? Havent you just paid 130 quid for a return trip thats just like Barnsley to Sheffield?"...jokers!

But it would all be worth it for Machu Pichu; one of the 7 wonders of the world, an awe inspiring ancient city on the plateau between two wonderous mountains, a sight which has been known to make the most manliest of manly men cry and women weak at the knees... we couldn´t wait... and this is what greeted us at the top at 6am...

So beforehand we thought we´d get up real early at 4am and walk the hour and half up to Machu Pichu to get there for the sunrise. We heard it was a tough climb but wanted to put the effort in so we could reep the rewards at the top... However when the alarm went off on Ians new 2 quid casio watch at that ungodly hour, we heard the incessant pitter patter of heavy rain... we weren´t impressed...exhibit A

She still looked beautiful though and our spirits weren´t dampened
although our clothes were...

Lonely planet shot there

But have no fear!!! We stayed a long time in the ruins and as the day wore on the sun reered its pretty little head and we saw Machu Pichu in all her glory...absoloutely beautiful!

We also went to see the old Inca draw bridge, on an old Inca cliff trail, you could previously walk on the brigde itself but now theres a barrier as some years ago someone crossed the bridge and tragically fell to their death...

Ar lad looking gormless as ever...

We´re off farming now for two to three weeks in the jungle (mostly coffee) so we´ll catch you on the flip side amigos...adios!