Machu Piccu and a Guinea Pig

People these days have bucket lists of things they want to see. I get that, at some level, but it turns touring into some perverse form of checklist where the listholder is just trying to get points to impress friends.. On top, I can't remember such a list talking about people and culture, as well as understanding history/environment/ etc.

I have a sort of reverse bucket list, but it's a bit richer than just a checklist. My bucket is things I have already seen and/ or experienced that I want to show the children with a handful of things added on that I have missed in the past. So this is a kind of replay of "my" greatest hits.

So high on my list was Machu Piccu because it combines many things: a sensational landscape, a sumptuous jungle, and a truly amazing archaeological site, with mind-boggling handcraft The sugar on the top are the rain forest animals and birds.

My list comes with the downside that I am nervous about whether Flo and the kids will see these as I do. Mostly, I needn't have been nervous, and today was no exception. They loved it. Whilst kids are not so good at expressing themselves, Flo was overflowing with positive remarks. Lennox says it's one of his favourite places, but that is because he spotted a rare snake. Oh well, let's see what he says in a few years' time.

The whole afternoon was made all the more enjoyable by an excellent guide called Elliot. He never tried answering the kids' questions and telling tales related to the site and/or the Inca people.

After all that, we indulged in traditional local food, namely guinea pig. A whole one roasted. It's a really rather good cross between chicken and pork. Apologies to Jenny & Don, my related guinea pig lovers.Read more