¿Cusqueña o Arequipeña?

Last Monday we arrived in Puno after taking a quick stop in Cuzco in order to book 3 slots on the 4 day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, that we will start this week on Wednesday (11/9). I know; this seems to be very confusing. To make a long story short, our orginial plan to spend a week in Ecuador is not going to happen in 2006, due to the cost of international airline transportation between the realtively close cities of Lima, Peru, and Quito, Ecuador. And there is so much to see and do in the Cuzco-Lake Titicaca-Arequipa area of southeastern Peru. To the right is a first in a series of captivating maps that shows this area of Peru that we will call home for another week. Ecuador and all the research I did on visiting it will not soon be forgotten. Rules that have been developed by the group and to remain valid for the rest of this expedition:

1. No diuretics are to be taken before 6 hour bus rides between puno and arequipa.
2. No outdoor fashion advice should be tossed out each day after noon.
3. No use of the word or music of Moby shall be mentioned during hikes to ancient burial grounds.