And Puppies Make Three: Peru Part III: Cusco again and the Sky Lodge

Warrior III over the valley, on top of our pod at the Sky Lodge

After narrowly surviving Montana, we took the bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch, souvenir shopping, and a massage before catching a different train back to Cusco. Ok, I got a massage while J went shopping. We took a train from Machu Picchu to Poroy, this time on Peru Rail. Slightly more expensive, but with a fair amount of 'entertainment'. Most of the pictures were taken by J. He's got the fancier camera.

Baila conmigo!

In any event, Peru Rail provides a nice little meal, a fashion show, and an appearance by a costumed creature. The gentleman in the costume ran up and down the aisles, occasionally sticking his mask in passengers' faces and violently rolling his Rs at anyone who failed to pay attention. There was no explanation of its cultural significance, so I can only assume the costumed creature brings good luck. Especially since he singled me out for a public dance-off.

After four hours of dancing, fashion shows, and chatting with our very entertaining passengers, we finally arrived in Cusco, where we took a pair of much-needed showers. Then we checked out Pisco de Museo, a Pisco joint in town that happens to be owned by one of J's foodie buddies. J got drunk. I was entertained by some dreamy musicians.

Ready with the riot gear.

Can you hear the people sing, singing the song
of angry men?

The next day, we witnessed dueling protests in the Plaza de Armas and enjoyed a tasty breakfast and lunch at Cicciolina.

That's the stuff.

My breakfast.

And back for lunch.

After lunch our Sky Lodge guide came to pick us up at our hotel. After a thirty minute drive where I was cruelly deprived of air conditioning, we arrived at the base of our climb. Accompanying us for the climb and the night would be two guides and a lovely couple from NC (Kourtney and Jose).

Your room will be on the second floor. See the three pods at
the top? Ours was the highest one in the middle.

The via ferrata climb up to the pods took about an hour and change. The sun was brutal, and I'm pretty sure I would have succumbed to dehydration without multiple water breaks. Apparently everyone else was secretly a camel, because I was the only one with the hydration issue.