When we decided to get married in 2004. The only possible place to go for our Honeymoon was Peru. It had been a long held dream for both of us.
We spent a glorious 3 weeks there and the difficult part of this web page has been sorting a suitable number of photos out of the almost 900 that we took. There were so many wonderful pictures that I was completely spoiled for choice. I have compiled an assortment and have tried to sort them into logical catagories for viewing.
The national drink is highly recommended - Pisco sour which is made from the local Pisco, a clear brandy type spirit. With lime jiuce, crushed ice angastura bitters and whisked egg white. We dramk many - they are very moreish especially when they are 2 for the the price of 1 in the hotel !!
Any help with the naming of the wild flowers would be gratefully received
A brief explanation of the history of Machu Picchu.
When the Conquistadores invaded Peru the Incas were driven further and further into the mountains. They eventually built a stronghold high in the Andes at Machu Picchu, this is between 10,000 and 11,00 ft above sea level. At this height altitude sickness can be a problem and you are given coca tea to drink. This is made from the same plant as cocaine and is legel to use there. It is a very refreshing drink and tastes very similar to green tea.
The city was lost for many years until air flight became more common. Planes flying over the Andes in 1911 saw ruins on a mountain top and after investigation the city was unearthed. Access initially was only by helicopter but eventually a road was built making easier access possible.
Because of the environmental damage caused by the number of tourists visiting Machu Picchu, the number of visitors has been severely restricted and it is now a lot harder to have the sort of access that we got.
We were originally booked into a 3* hotel in Machu Picchu for our 2 day stay in the village. Because of double booking we were told we had been moved to an hotel that was a 'teeny bit less classy'. We actually stayed at 'Gringo Bills' and the name says it all!! There is a photograph of the delightful view from our bedroom window in the Machu Picchu slideshow. Unfortunately I cannot show a picture of the pudding that was the highlight of the trip. We had a meal in the village at a place less than 4ft from the railway tracks. The meal was fine and then I chose dessert - 'Chocolate Dream Dessert' The waiter ran off down the tracks and eventually returned smiling. A few moments later my pudding arrived - it was a chocolate spread sandwich, which he proudly presented at the table. I didn't complain because we were too busy laughing to be cross.
Click on any link below for more photographs.
All photographs taken by Phil and Sue Begg. Please ask if you wish to use any of them
If you wish to learn more about Peru, here are links to other sites
The Company We Used - Llama Travel