Off to Lima

To save on time and hassle,  I decided to fly from Cusco to Lima.  For just a few dollars more, I was able to avoid a 22 hour bus, and fly there in 1 hour and 20 minutes. The budget backpacker in me was totally fine with this, as first off, I love to fly and be in airports, and secondly, after many long South American bus rides, I've grown tired of bus travel. Of course,  I still have several buses to take in the next few weeks to continue my journey north to Ecuador.

International airports are always fun. You get crazy looks when you ask if you should take off your shoes (got to keep them on).  Bringing a bottle of water through was no problem (in a land where you buy all water, I prefer to keep some for the journey).  And making peanut butterand jelly sandwiches on the airport floor just seems normal. I'd found a squeeze pack of both pb and jelly,  making for a light snack.

Cusco has been awesome. I got to know a lotof people here, and know my way around. I spent the rainy morning exploring free museums. The Museo de Cafe was awesome. Great to learn about the industry and history here in Peru, the 3rd largest producer of coffee after Brazil and Columbia. I've had many great cups here and the espresso at the museum was spot on. The chocolate museum was simular in pointing out that there are now more coffee and chocolate crops than coca plantations. Some great samples showed the different taste from chocolate in the high mountains, to the coast, to the jungle. Awesome stuff.

Here's a picture of me drinking a great cup of coffee. Lost a bit of weight along the 6 day hike through the Andes to Machu Pichu, but never fear, I am back to feasting like a king.