A few pictures from our trip down to Peru and our first few days in Cusco.
We were able to meet up with Dave & Anne again in Lima. 
Our first glimpse of the snow-capped Andes. 
Cusco 
Cusco Cathedral and the Jesuit basilica. What I first thought was a pride flag, is actually an ancient Inca flag and now the flag of the Cusco region. 
Wall murals & hillside art, 
Statue of the Inca leader Pachacutec in the Plaza de Armas. 
Colonial architecture. Love the balconies. 
Many buildings in Cusco’s older section are built on Inca foundations. 
Central door to the cathedral. 
Well… I had to… 
Cusco FD has very modern equipment. 
The most import part of firefighter safety in Cusco. 
Exploring a local market. 
No, I’m not fond of chocolate, but… Peru grows some of the finest cocoa beans, so we took a chocolate making workshop. 
The real chocolate lover gives me some tips. 
ATV tour in the Sacred Valley. 
Road hazards. 
The Inca ceremonial site of Moray. 
Moray is a deep sink hole, with a warmer microclimate at the bottom. Tropical crops were aclimatized here to higher altitudes and colder weather. Each year crops were planted on the next higher terrace. 
Evaporative salt ponds at Maras, fed by a saline stream. 
These salt ponds have been used for a thousand years before the Incas.
Thanks for your update. So sorry these past few days were not the best. But better days ahead, having not travelled in a few years I love being able to enjoy your experiences and love the photos. Enjoy this grand adventure
Thanks Pauline, we’re so glad you’re enjoying it. We were bound to have a few rough days, we just didn’t expect them all together right at the start.
excellent pictures. what an adventure already. glad you are feeling better. thanks again for sharing via blog and pictures.
Thanks Rox. We on the mend and off to Machu Picchu this morning – WAHOO! You can’t keep a good man down. Or me either.
Excellent photos! The saline ponds look amazing, and the chocolate making looks fun. Stay well!
Yes, though I’m not that fond of the taste of chocolate it was fun and I learned a lot. I will say the chocolate we were working with was miles beyond the crap put out by Hershey or Cadbury, but I’ll never be a chocoholic.
Thank you so much for all these wonderful posts, John. As a fellow motorcycle enthusiast, it brings back lots of great memories. I actually thought you had left on the trip this summer, and had been praying for all of you regularly. I am so delighted to be able to “come along” with all of you through your interesting and humorous posts.
I whooped with delight when I read in the comments that you were heading to Machu Picchu this very morning. I hope that you are able to continue posting photos. I enjoyed every one. Please give my regards to Liz, Dave and Anne.
Thanks Colette, Machu Picchu made all the challenges worthwhile. We’ll be thinking of you as swe cruise by the vineyards of Chile and Argentina.