Machu Picchu--now I have the correct spelling and pronunciation. A picture book of one of the wonders of the American world doesn´t do justice to the beauty of such historical monuments. To imagine the intellegence and creativity of the Inca people is astonishing. What have we built in the last century that will last many centuries more, with little decay? The snow-capped mountains, sun peaking through a cloudy sky, and the valley with slats made for specific growths of vegetation. Machu Picchu is about 4 hours from Cusco, so it was a long day. But interesting. There is a rock full of energy; though not permitted to touch, one can feel the energy coursing through one´s body. The architecture, rock walls with mortar and clay, and customs practiced made Cecy and me feel that we had entered another world. She said, Although I´m Peruvian, I feel like a foreigner. One interesting point: the people were relatively short, not the giants we imagine. They used intellegence, rope, and animals to pull the rocks up to the 2,800 meters above sea level.

Thank the Lord, we are feeling better. We´ve adjusted to the climate, so we were able to do a little climbing today without problem. We keep trying new foods--the trout is one specialty here, as is alpaca (similar but smaller than the llama). We will visit some art museums tomorrow and then leave for the south of Peru, Puno, to the famous Lago Titicaca, which is even higher and colder. But I bought an alpaca scarf and hat today so it should keep me warm.