New personal records today in Peru: 14,000 ft elevation, guinea pig farms, llama encounter, Incan fortress

Photos from today's excursion through Peru's Sacred Valley:

• The Andes “alps” taken from our 14,000-ft elevation on the road between Cusco and the Sacred Valley
• Yup, those are guinea pigs, one of the popular sources of protein in the Peruvian diet going back to ancient times. Our guide said she was taking us to a guinea pig farm. I imagined pens and cages. Turned out to be the dirt floor of a Peruvian farmer’s home. Afterwards, we went to lunch and I had…vegetables.
• Llamas, beautiful lamas of many varieties. Some look like Jar Jar Binks, others like Tan-Tans. Okay, I’ve been watching too much Star Wars.
• An amazing Incan fortress built into the Andean hillside, photos first from below and then from atop the fortress.
• Peruvian mountain fields at the end of the day.
  

Tomorrow: back to the States.

See the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from pam's posterous