So the first night at altitude was fun (this is a family blog don't worry). We went to be at about 8 (10 argentian time, and we were tired ok!!!). At about ten to one we both woke up thinking it was nearly time to get up, much was our annoyance when my stupid watch told us the truth of the matter... anyway, struggled on to sleep. I had a woeful headache, and Regina legs were cramping like crazy. At the risk of getting into too much detail, I was dreaming about walking around Cuzco and everytime I turned a corner I ended up back in the room..... analyze if you must

Breakfast in Piccola Locanda is good. Breads and jam and ham and cheese, smooties and coffee and tea.... right job for two cranky hungry grumpy feckers we met from eh somewhere else, not us.... We bought a ticket for getting into 6 museums and 6 ancient sites. The museums were fairly pants, but I guess they might be good at sea level. Tired to pick up some of the history of the old Inca fellas, but from the few bits I did read it seems that nobody really knows anything about them (I could be wrong here). My reckoning is that after the Spanish came over and wrecked the place, they got rid of all the stories about the Incas so all that was left was things people could remember and they had only been told most of it as stories when they were children.... long story short, there is some fella named urangutang, and he is head of the clan. Below him to either side is the sun and moon, which they worship, below them is a few other squiggles on a big lump of gold, and the next level has Man, Woman and Alpaca... see what I mean by it being a bit sketchy!!!!! Inside the tower of Pachakutek there were some texts about the various legendary leaders of the Incas and the things they had done. They didnt have any copies of them though, so I guess you will have to go to find out about them. Some of them conquered lots of places, one even conquered part of current Bolivia. They all had funny names too, like Macku Inku and Wacku Pucku and quare things like that.

While we were up in the tower there was some sort of school tour up with us. Only small ones now, maybe seven of eight. We had noticed a lot of people starring at us so far, I thought is strange as surely they have seen tourists before. Anyway, at the top of the tower, some of the children came over to us and started asking us questions in Spanish, we didnt understand, but they managed to gesture that they wanted to know how we said various colours (they pointed at something yellow, red, blue etc). Then they asked where we were from and gasped with sheer amazement that we were from Ireland (I wonder do they even know it exists). Finally they asked our names, and then asked to pose for photos with us.... not with our camera, but with theirs, about ten lots of photos with various groups and off they went with "bye bye" and hand shakes for me and kisses on the cheek for Regina. Every time we bumped into them on the way down it was more bye byes... I would like to blame the gingerness of my dear travelling partner, but they seemed just as interested in me

Getting tired now, so the above most like sounds like awful rubbish, I am sorry... We stopped for lunch and then headed for the hike up to the hostel. On the way we saw three old women carrying lambs.... I thought, oh that will make a great picture, and low and behold they stopped in front of me smiling, nice one!! Took the photo and wouldnt ya know it, the little hands came out.... uh oh, ive no change. They wanted One Sole (thats the currency here, not a sacrificial offering). I had no change, so decided to do what was best to do in the situation, and run away..... Feeling guilty however, I stopped for a bar of chocolate, got some change and went back for them.... they had been following us. They seemed happy for Regina to hold the lamb and take another photo.. two for the price of one... bargain of the century

After a siesta, we headed for the ruins of Saqsayhueman or Saqsaywuman or something like that. It is just outside the town and all that is remaining of if is about 20% of the original structure..... feckin spanish again, took the stones to build their houses. It is still quite big, so it is a little mad to think how big it must have been. I think it was the place the Incas last held out when the Spanish invaded... Im not wikipedia im just ranting.... It was a tough enough climb up, even for me at this stage we were stopping and starting a lot. We got to the top and there is a large flat area in the middle, where houses may have been. Again we are getting a few funny looks, and we again get a photo request. Firstly a woman comes up and I understand the word daughter and photo and assume she wants us to take a photo of her and her daughter, no problem there... No she wants to take a photo of us.... I go to hand her my camera.... wrong again..... the daughter walks over towards us.... she wants to take a photo of us with her daughter on my camera... wrong again. She wants a photo of us with her daughter, on her camera (Regina even puts her arm around her, bless her heart). At this, I am puzzled, slightly annoyed, confused and of course puzzled. Are we that weird looking? Do we look like someone famous (Regina went with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.... thanks honey.... Anyway, I guess there is no harm in it, even if they are laughing at the picture now at home

That was more or less it for the day. I would love to be able to tell a proper story about the Incas and the Spanish and then the Peruvians and how it all happened for them, but alas I have been essentially drunk all day (dont worry, not actually) and I cant really understand the lost in translation English texts beside every other picture or statue. At least I got UNESCO photo number three (unfortunately im not in it, because it was too awkward... but eveyone will know anyway)

Not sure what tomorrow has in store... I think Regina will buy a wooly hat... her head is cold.... its cold here, about 12 degrees I think, and when the sun isnt out its quite brisk..... Until next time, probably tomorrow as we need all the time we can doing nothing over the next few days.... cheerio, thanks for reading...