First clinic

We arrived at this small rural community.
We set up a clinic under a tin shelter next to the school. We borrowed tables and chairs from school and then sat with a translator and nurse and began to see the patients. They were all rather shy. I saw a couple of families, only seven people in all. Varied complaints. The last was a cute baby who had been passed around and cuddled by everyone and was found to have scabies.
Packed up ate afternoon and headed back to Bocas.

Bocas lunch

We had lunch on this restaurant (boat) on the water. We are on an island and all the little houses are perched over the water.

Bocas del Toro

Arrived in Bocas yesterday lunchtime and settled into our accommodation. It's an old warehouse next to airport. It's actually quite comfortable but dirty from all the young people who have stayed here. No-one seems to clear out their things when they leave. Win and I are. In different rooms, four in each.
Everyone seems nice.

More of the old city panama

Old city Panama

Wet and warm. Staying in old city which is mostly derelict but undergoing restoration. There are police on every corner to keep it safe, and this area is the safest in panama!
Beautiful old buildings from the colonial era

Old city Panama

Wet and warm. Staying in old city which is mostly derelict but undergoing restoration. There are police on every corner to keep it safe, and this area is the safest in panama!
Beautiful old buildings from the colonial era

Panama Canal lock closed

Panama Canal

We went to a wonderful museum about the canal in the old city, and later visited the canal. We watched this large ship pass through the lock system. It was enthralling.

Untitled Notebook

Untitled Notebook

Machu Pichu - WE MADE IT

Tipon

This is a water temple with many terraces, cleverly designed water channels and surrounding houses

Pikillacta

This is a pre Incan village whose name means 'full of fleas'. It dates back to 900AD and a culture called the Wray. The entire village of 900 houses was built by these stones. The city walls have this undulating design

Andahuaylillas Church

Thus splendid church is full of gold - just amazing for a small country town

Pisak markets

This woman is wearing the dress worn by very many of the locals. The Pisak markets were varied but more expensive than similar markets in Cusco

Pisak

Yet another amazing terraced Incan ruin

Weaving alpaca wool

More alpaca weaving

Alpaca wools naturally dyed

Llama park

Lots of fun feeding llamas and alpacas

Friendly llamas

Cusco from Christo blanco

Christo blanco

This statue is lit up at night much like the one over Rio but much smaller

Salineneras de Maras

Near to the town of maras and above the sacred valley is the Salineras de Maras. These are salt. Ones. Each plot is privately owned and they control the flow of water to create the pond then allow it to dry out to harvest the salt. They were vast and truly remarkable.

Maras

Near to Maras is this amazing Incan ruin. This is a huge amphitheater. On the terraces the Incans imported soils from around the empire and trialled different plants in different conditions. The temperature can vary by 15 degrees from top to bottom so microclimates are created. The scale of this was incredible.

This is the view from our bedroom window. The hills twinkle at night from all the houses dotted around.

Korikancha

Cusco was the centre of the Incan empire. This structure was the most significant Incan structure in Cusco. The stones were joined without mortar. This amazing structure was then torn down in parts and incorporated into a Spanish church and complex.

Korikancha

Cusco was the centre of the Incan empire. This structure was the most significant Incan structure in Cusco. The stones were joined without mortar. This amazing structure was then torn down in parts and incorporated into a Spanish church and complex.

Re: Drink after visiting salt mines.....

I hear you had alpaca for dinner! Yum! 


-------- Original message --------
From: Eve Clarkson <evestav@gmail.com>
Date:
To: Eve Blog <evestav.blog@blogger.com>,Adam Santa Maria <ASantaMaria@argonaut.com>
Subject: Drink after visiting salt mines.....

Drink after visiting salt mines.....

National dress

Most women are in this national dress. They wear the fabric over their back and carry anything from produce to babies.

Maras

Breakfast of quinoa croissant - actually delicious.
After that we headed off by car for an expedition to Maras. This is the town of Maras with its mud brick houses.

Markets Cusco

Soon after arrival we went to the markets for lunch. We had soup followed by rice and chicken for a dollar. Tasty as well as good value.

Plaza de Armas

Arrived in Cusco yesterday around lunchtime after an overnight flight from Madrid. Win met me in the main square of Plaza de Armas. Sun shining and it was very hot. The flight into Cusco was spectacular. We flew over mountains with lots of high villages, terraced fields and occasional lakes. Landed in a valley between the mountains in a somewhat spectacular manner.

Settled into our hotel Sol Inka and went for a walk. We encountered this parade in the main square.

Parade Plaza de Armas

Fisherman with magiatiko

We had this delicious fish last night

Diagoras arrives

Great excitement as the big ferry arrives. Seeing off some friends and greeting others. New supplies for the shops

Evening drink at Stratos bar

Dinner at Vangeli Mavros

Sunrise over Turkey this morning