I am feeling better this morning.  After sleeping most of yesterday I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to sleep last night.  Wrong.  Out like a light again!!

After a bit of breakfast we all went for a walk.  The street that our hotel is on is being repaired a couple of blocks away, so we make a left turn and find ourselves at the bottom of another big stairway.  I am not strong enough for this today, so Leslie and I opt to walk toward the lake while Stu and Greg head up the stairs.  Ironmen!!!

 

From their walk they see this other monument that we think is of a Puma.  There might be a Snake one as well as the Condor, the Puma and the Snake are considered the Inca Trinity.

 

 

 

Another view of the city from above.

 

 

 

Leslie and I find ourselves at the lake and walk along walkway where we see a herd of sheep walking through the city.  Stu and Greg are on their way down at the other end of the lagoon and see them as well.

 

We are going on a tour of Sillustani this afternoon.  I am going, but will reserve the right to stay with the bus if the sights are too far for me.

Sillustani was  cemetery built in the 8th century by a civilization that occupied the area before the Incas.  The people known as Kolla people created huge burial towers for the Chiefs and Priests.

 

The site is quite a way so I am staying in the staging area and watch as the group heads off.

 

 

 

Down in my area there is this cute little guy.  He is an Alpaca.  Such a cute face!

 

 

 

Here are some new adobe bricks drying in the sun.  The structure behind is recently constructed from these bricks.

 

 

From up on the hill Stu has taken this shot of one of the burial towers.  Those are people standing to the left so you can see the scale of them.

 

 

 

Down below a herd of Llamas and Alpacas with marsh land behind.

 

 

 

 

Here is a closer view of one of the towers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is also a lake up there.  It looks pretty big.

 

 

 

 

 

Great shot of the Ross’s here!

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Stu back from the mount!

 

 

 

 

On our way back to Puno we stop in at a little homestead, I guess you would call it.  We noticed on the way here many little compounds along the road.  They are surrounded by walls and have many little buildings.  They are very well kept and the owners are obviously proud of them,  (which is not something we have seen a lot of).  They remind us of Hobbit Houses.

 

 

The people here have a great respect for the Bull.  They are placed on top of the entrance gate, sometimes on the tops of the roofs.

 

 

This is a different species of Alpaca.  It is called Alpaca Suri.  It has long wool that looks like dreadlocks.  Our tour guide Omar from the other day called them Bob Marley Alpacas!

 

 

One of the main crops in this area is Quinoa.  Here they are displaying different types of Quinoa and some other crops they depend on in this area.

 

 

After this stop we are on the road back to Puno.   We are planning a full day tour to the Islands of Uros and Tortora tomorrow.  As it happens I am sick again, so decide that I will stay back and catch up on the blog and rest.  This sucks!

Hopefully the drop of almost 500 meters when we get to Cuzco will help me feel better.  Stu and I are looking at alternatives for the Inca Trail at this point.  Day 2 is a tough day, but the way I feel now I don’t think I can manage Day 1.  There are a couple of different options we can explore when we arrive in Cuzco.

One day at a time!!