Back in Cusco in Milhouse hostel. Today was going to be a chill out day after the Amazon tour.

Well, I still wake up early, after 5am. I think I got up at 6am eventually, got a shower and set up myself on a sunny balcony from the breakfast room overlooking the Cusco city. Coca de mate (coca tea) as always as yesterday we made a journey from 450m to 3400m a.s.l. I am not really sure if it helps me or not as I haven´t seems to have a problem with the altitude at all. But I does help to wake up!

Once Julianne got herself ready we set off to explore the city again. First we started with a proper peruvian lunch. I decided to go with Andean chowder and a trout ceviche - dish marinated in lime juice only and not cooked. I was stuffed! Cuy (fried guinea pig), speciality of Cusco will need to wait for a different occassion.

Then we started to climb up the narrow streets up to a viewing point with a Christo Blanco figure at the top. Perfect spot for a panoramic view of Cusco.

Before we got there, nearly out of breath - this is what the altitude does to people, we poped into a heath shop that seemed to offer all the heathy seeds and grains you can only think of. They all seem to come from Peru or at least South America. This is quinao and chia seeds heaven! Peru has got 300 types of potatoes and 200 grain and maize types. Here we stocked up on snackes for our next tomorrows tour: Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

A few more meters and we got nearly to the top, hassled on the way by the locals offering to take us up the hill on the horses. Not today but thanks for the offer! Just at the foot of the hill lay Inca runins called Saqsaywaman (our guide simplified prenounciation to us by calling it "sexy-woman", he he he). Amazing walls build with huge polished stones, each different size but fitting each other perfectly with no mortar used. The site, at an altitude of 3701m was added as part of the city of Cusco to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.

We got to the top, took each others pictures in front of the view of Cusco and of the Christo Blanco statue and rushed back to town. We still had to do last bit of souvenir shopping before our evening briefing with Alpaca Expeditions for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

At the San Pedro market I mastered haggling technique. Sometimes it is better to estimate how much you want to pay for the object, give the money to the seller and if he accepts that´s the done deal! Generally they start too high, then you go too low - next middle ground is achieved. I got here souvenirs and presents, especially I was happy with baby alpaca wool gloves, hats, socks and a sweater. These however are pricey, if the cost is too low it probably is not a baby alpaca soft wool. You have to be careful as they will always tell you that it is alpaca, they even try to "scratch" the outside of the garment to make it soft but when you look on the inside, it is clear it is a fake.

Last point of the day was our briefing with Alpaca Expeditions for tomorrows 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Great news was that there was only going to be 5 of us in total + a guide + 8 porters + a cook and cook´s assistant. What a proportion! We got our duffle bags to pack into and were advised about the pick up time from the hostel.

Early start tomorrow - but this is nothing special any more :)) !