Traditional dancing everywhere

First day in Puno Luis, Beto and went to the alferado. Juan Carlos, with the virgin natividad in hand and a banner across his chest, led a procession. We followed in line with the people and performers around a courtyard of orchestras that stuck up a tune as we passed. The day was filled with dancing, speeches, and drinking, and ended with te piteado. Early the next morning we went to tio Leo's  Restaurant, Brasas del Titicaca, and sampled the days menu for breakfast.  A mountain of lomo saltado, coupled with tea and fresh milk. Then for lunch he gave us seco, a tender beef soaked and surrounded with a rich green sauce, served beside a pyramid of rice.  One night we strayed from tio Leo's restaurant to try, Machu pizza, and plotted how we could order extras to feed us the bus ride to La Paz.
Each day we've run around up to the condor and inca lookouts, down to the pier, and between the goal posts of the small turf soccer field. This is the first time I've played since January's injury, it felt so good to be back. Good in the painful type of way, making a run 4000 meters above sea level, then trying to get back on d proved to be a tiring feat. I seemed to have difficulty with the size of the goal, as 6 shots that looked sooo close merely rang off the posts. I am so excited to start playing again.
Picture  is  from the day I got my blogger api to work, and the schools paraded down the street.

Llama lookout

Cusco is beautiful. The lush center square is surrounded by churches and framed by rolling hills with colorful homes. Luis met us the moment Sandra and I arrived from the bus. Over the next few days we adventured through the markets, found a great price for the inca jungle trail(to Machu Picchu), and made music in the main plaza. Sandra played the violin and at times I sang along, a comical feat given that I've lost my voice. The day before our hike the agency called us to postpone the treck. We decided to cancel, and instead spend time in Hurubanba visiting Luis's great grandmother mama Julia . Her smile seemed to float her over to Luis and, after a long hug, she invited us to the table. With grand gestures she told us stories and fed us with bananas and inca popcorn. The next morning mama Julia walked us to the gate and we bowed our heads in prayer as she asked god to watch over us and bless our journey. The train to aguas calientes follows the river wedged between the mountains. That looked ethereal draped in mist. We took the short hike up to the hot springs, a treat on our foggy day. At 3am the next morning we set out to Machu Picchu, and climbed up the mountain as the sun rose.

Desert day

As happenstance would have it Sandra arrived at the bus station in Lima just before my bus left and we found front row seats on the top deck. She told me about the Amazon, and I talked about pottery and eating cuy. We arrived to Huacachina in time to climb a sand mountain for the sunset. At dinner we ate with a great group of Canadians, who had reserved sand boarding for the same time we had the next day. In the morning we all boarded the dune buggies and flew around mountains of sand. Four times we stopped to Velcro boards to our feet and board down the mountain. I'm quite terrible, but it's really fun. We spent the rest of the time in Ica, walking around, checking out the museum and getting our tickets to Cusco.