Bus ride to Cusco

Today is the long bus trip to Cusco. The buses are quite nice - nicer than anything I have been on in the US, and come with a guide who gave us brief explanations of the various sites that we stopped at. I actually really enjoyed this day. It was nice to have some time to chill and watch the beautiful scenery of Peru unfold before us. We made several stops at a museum at Pukara, La Raya pass at 14,600 ft, and the neat Inca ruins of Raqchi. My excitement built as we neared Cusco and the scenery became even more stunning. I checked into our hotel in Cusco, El Balcon, and was delighted with the 3 green parrots that live in the flowered courtyard. I spent the afternoon with Adventure Life guide Ayul. I spent each day in Cusco with a different guide, and was so impressed with each one that I met. Ayul has 3 degrees, and a master's in archaeology. He has written a book on the area, which is being published, and has discovered a new species of Andean finch on the Inca Trail. I knew before I went that our guides were top of the line in Peru, this was reinforced with every single one that I met!