Tipon and yoga.

Friday morning there was some sort of ceremony in the main plaza.

We never did figure out what was going on, and it was fairly uneventful despite all the kids costumed up in their school outfits, so we hit the road.

Took a local bus for $1.50 soles (about $0.50 US) and tried to follow Lonely Planet's advice on finding the Tipon ruins. We got off at the right stop, but wandered through farmland backroads among hogs and cows asking the very nice and very helpful locals for directions, until we finally succumbed to a taxi and thank goodness - it was farther than I expected given LP's instructions. After numerous clarifying questions en Espanol I finally (hoped that I) understood that the nice young taxi driver would wait for us at the ruins and we went off to explore. (He did.)

but first, a cute Peruvian dog

What a beautiful site. This one had canals and fountains for irrigation like nothing we had seen so far.

built for someone's father as a sort of retirement home ...

... think I know another father who would have liked to retire here ...

... this Aquarius wouldn't mind either

There were only a handful of people visiting which, coupled with the fountains, created an almost zen atmosphere (except when the airplanes passed overhead).

old and new collide

The LP blurb is pretty brief and we were visiting guideless this time so I will need to research this one more for the details - but it really was beautiful.

Returned to Cusco with no problem (skipped Piquillacta's ruins nearby - the name literally translates to "place of the flea" which would have been amusing to say we visited, but it was the threat of a downpour that sent us back, not the flea part). Got a snack and I enjoyed a flat white (!?) at Jack's Cafe, and we both enjoyed some goodness at a nearby chocolate shop.

not Nescafe

Then to a great yoga class and back to the hotel for an early night. Think the week-plus of five-sensory overload has finally caught up with us both...

Read the rafting itinerary before bed. "The Granite Canyon of the Rio Apurimac is justifiably gaining a reputation as one of the world's top ten rafting rivers..." Chevere.