The Inca Trail Tour. We escaped the hustle and bustle of La Paz for more peaceful surroundings. We spent a day in Tiahuanaco, looking around an Aymaran (pre-Inca) archaeological site. Then, on to a town called Puño. Its a bit of a dive, but we had a nice sauna and swim in a nearby hotel. We left Puño for the island of Taqile. we spent half a day wandering around, then left for Isla Amantani, where we stayed overnight with a really nice family. We played football with the locals (both scored!), then ate together, and then got dressed up for a trip to the local nightspot. I guess you have seen the photos. The family were really kind and we learnt a lot about their way of life. No rat race on the island. From there we came to Cuzco. It is a beautiful city. The buildings all have Inca walls and theres lots to see. But there are thousands of tourists and you can get hassled by people in the street trying to sell you stuff. We arrived on Paddys day, and had a Jamesons and Guinness in the Irish bar to mark the occasion. From Cuzco we went to Pisac, through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Beautiful. Then we started our 4 day hike to Machu Picchu. The pictures really dont do it justice. The scenery is just breathtaking and immense in size. The path is VERY hard on the thighs, knees and calves, but it was worth the effort. Now we are back in Cuzco. We leave tomorrow for Lima, then on to NYC on Monday for the small matter of the wedding... Bye for now, keep in touch, M&S xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx