As the Peruvians also get a free visit to Machu Picchu today and we have to get the train at 2:30 pm we decided not to risk going back up the mountain this morning but to explore the little village of Aguas Calientes (hot water in Spanish) instead.

Breakfast was included with our room so we sat in the restaurant enjoying the views of the river and the mountains out one window and the train trundling past out the other.

After checking out of the hotel we wandered down the the path to the main part of town. It was funny to stroll along the pathways which adjoined the railway tracks as they were overflowing with outdoor dining options, all with beautifully set tables, some even with white linen cloths. Imagine sitting eating your meal with less than a metre between yourself and the actual train.

We continued on to the main square and found a shady bench to sit and observe the passing parade. Every now and then we'd see one of the locals struggling uphill with a trolley load of goods. One fellow had about 140 kilos of water bottles, another multiple packages of floor tiles and a third with rows and rows of eggs.

The other interesting site were the buildings. Multiple four storey buildings with one being built that we swore was crooked. We were pretty sure the building codes are less strict!

As I sat I remembered some of the information our guide had given us. While everyone speaks Spanish, the native language is Quechua which is now a mandatory subject at school. He also let us know that about 80% of the people are Catholic and 20% still live the traditional life with no bathroom or toilet (but electricity to watch TV).

We continued our walk up the steep streets past multitudes of cafes and souvenir shops. I found a nice pack of cards for about $3.30 and each card had a varying shot of Machu Picchu. Bargain souvenir. One thing we noticed was how clean the town was, someone was always sweeping up any rubbish.

We stopped at a cafe for a drink, a snack and some wifi before picking up our luggage and boarding the train for the 3.5 hour 92 km trip to Poroy, Cusco.

During our ride we were treated to some local dancing and a fashion show of beautiful alpaca pieces before arriving in Poroy. We then had a 25 minute taxi ride to our hotel in Cusco. We travelled through poor areas on dusty roads where we couldn't tell if some of the buildings were being torn down or being built. As we got closer to Plaza de Armas the streets were paved, steep and barely wide enough for one car.

We checked into our hotel which had a lovely view across the plaza which was beautifully lit with people milling around on a Saturday night. Of course, Anthony couldn't get into his pjs quick enough. He hopped into bed, turned on the TV and watched the news in Spanish!! Looks like I won't be strolling around the square this evening. He's probably tired from all that Incan god like work of the past few days.