I am certain that Machu Picchu will become the eighth wonder of the world, this lost Incan city, where women were valued on intellect and often held as high (if not higher) a court than men. What wise people! With lungs filled with awe I entered this world, and mine no longer seemed to exist. The air was crisp as a light rain fell. Clouds formed a delicate halo over the mountain peaks. I tried to imagine the lives lived so many years ago. I felt great peace amidst this Incan land, a city where now only the Alpacas found shelter. Cuzco itself is a glorious city, the oldest inhabited city of the continent, very much alive with locals and visitors alike. I was taken with its charm and beauty, though it is driven highly by tourism and aggressive street vendors. We toured many of the ruins of this Incan city and dined in a traditional Peruvian eatery where ceviche was our appetizer and Andean music and dancers our entree. What a pleasure it is to indulge in the local tastes and sounds!

During our two days in Lima we stayed in Miraflores, an elegant part of the city not far from the beach. Plaza de Armas, in the heart of central Lima, was a beautiful central square exhibiting a royal fountain. It was Cuzco however, that left the grandest impression. As I journey to Santiago, my thoughts remain with the Incas…