Snapshots from Lima

Hola one more time! Our layover in Lima was a quick one. We tried to maximize it by visiting some historic sites, markets, and funky neighbourhoods. We didn't take many photos since the day was hot and sticky. We started our adventures at Huaca Pucllana, runis in the heart of Miraflores.

This site predates Inca times, and used to serve as an important ceremonial and administrative centre.

We spent most of the afternoon strolling by the waterfront, eating ice cream, and wandering through Barranco. There was lots of street art there. This bear appeared several times.

We capped off our day at Central. It was a once in a lifetime dining experience. My credit card is hurting because of it, but it was worth it!

We hope the new decade is off a great start for you all! Sending good vibes and lots of love to our pals near and far!

Inca Highlights (and More)

Hola again! We did a day trip to Machu Picchu, a must if you're visiting Peru. Luckily the weather cooperated with us. It rained a lot the evening before. The views were stunning at every angle. This is Bernie and Dumbo from the Sun Gate.

We did a side trek to see the "secret entrance" to Machu Picchu. It is a very narrow Inca bridge, with a wood plank connecting the two sides of the path. Could you imagine crossing that bridge back in the day? Yikes!

We saw llamas, alcapas, and sheep on many of our hikes. These did not seem phased by all of the humans out and about.

On our fourth day, we did an 18 kilometre hike, which was super tiring but also very rewarding, since we saw everything - hills, lakes, valleys, canyons, waterfalls, Inca terraces, etc. Here, Bernie and Dumbo are enjoying a picnic lunch.

The hike ended at Huchuy Qosqo. It is not visited by many tourists. We didn't see any when we were there.

Explora knew B and I were celebrating a special occasion. Bernie and Dumbo helped us finish the chocolate covered strawberries.

On our final day, we hiked to Moray. We took a local path, which offered unique views of the famous archaeological site.

These ruins are still standing, despite being hundreds of years old.

Our stay at Explora was phenomenal! We would love to go back one day, perhaps with other friends so they can enjoy the experience as well.

Next stop, Lima!

Exploring the Sacred Valley

Hola! Bernie and Dumbo represented the friends on our most recent international adventure. We spent five glorious days at Explora in the Sacred Valley. Our room had a beautiful view of corn fields and mountains. 

It also had a very comfortable (and quite possibly the largest) bed. We had a great sleep every night we were there.

The meals at Explora were five stars. We loved ordering quinoa pancakes for breakfast.

On our first full day at Explora, we did two hikes. Here, the friends are taking a wee break mid-hike.

The first hike ended at Pumamarca, a hillside fortress that once guarded the entrance to the Sacred Valley.

In the afternoon, we visited the Salineras in Maras. Salt has been extracted from these 5,000 salt pools since Inca times.

On our second day, we did a hike to see five lagoons. This is Bernie and Dumbo at the highest point of our hike, at 14,295 feet above sea level.

More snaps to come!