This trip was part of a /Grand South American Tour/ and the locations I was most looking forward too. I wasn/t disappointed!

The Architecture, both Inca and Spanish is amazing, and Machu Picchu, the icing on the cake.

Ensure you give yourselves a couple of hours at least to acclimatise to the altitude on arrival in Cuzco, and definitely drink the coca tea when offered, as it does help.

The main square, the Plaza de Armas is situated on what was the centre of the Inca Empire.

Try the restaurants in the Plaza de Armas, as they have traditional music and dancing and you can sample some of the local delicacies, I had alpaca, just like beef and very tasty. Also in the square you will find the Cathedral, which at nighttime is a vision to behold, illuminating the Plaza. Major renovations were underway when we were here, but it is well worth a visit and it is here you can see the painting of Christ at the Last Supper, feasting on guinea pig and cheese.

There are plenty of tours available taking in the major sights.You could find this guy takes your picture outside the Santo Domingo Church (once the sight of the Inca Temple of the Sun), By the time you have finished your tour at Sacsayhuaman he/ll be waiting for you with a postcard personalised with your picture on it, if for nothing else, he deserves the couple of dollars he is asking for such an ingenious idea.

Part of the tour takes you up to see Christ watching over the city; this too is illuminated at night and looks incredible. Looking down on the rooftops of Cuzco is phenomenal, with Plaza de Armas at the centre. On closer inspection of the houses on your journey back down to the city you will find symbols on the rooftops, rather like a weather vane, this is an Inca tradition.

The trip to Pisac and Ollanataytambo is breathtaking, and terraces at the latter great practice for Machu Picchu.

There are lots of signs of the Inca beliefs similar to the carving of Wiraccochan in the Sacred Valley. Legend has it that Wiraccochan went to Lake Titicaca where he ordered the Sun, Moon and Stars to leave the lake and rise to heaven. When the Moon shone brigher, the Sun threw ashes in the Moon/s face, making it the colour that it is. There is a Moon and Sun Island on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca, but don/t be fooled, it may be called Sun Island but it is extremely cold..... I needed 3 extra blankets on my bed and I slept fully clothed..... But that is another story! (If your comments indicate you like this page, you never know, I might tell you about it!).

As for Machu Picchu, words can/t describe the splendour. I got a lump in my throat and tears welled up in my eyes at my first sight of it. The Host of a travel program I watched recently was lost for words to describe such a wondrous sight, I could relate to that!

Give yourselves plenty of time here, if possible stay so that you can experience the sunset and sunrise. You can climb Huayna Pocchu that over looks the /Lost City/ but it is a steep climb, and not advised after 2pm.

Look out for the young boys that race the coach down the mountain to the train station. They run down the original Inca steps carved in to the rock and cry out as they welcome the bus at each bend in the road.(it also keeps your mind off the hair raising bends!).They certainly deserve the pennies and sweets the tourists give them as the climb aboard the bus before everyone disembarks.

Well with any luck I have wetted your appetite. I hope you like the photo/s and if you haven/t been, that you put Cuzco and Machu Picchu on your /places to go , really soon/ list!