Had we but worlds enough, and time ...

I´m heading back to the hotel to pack for our 3-day backpacking extravaganza to Macchu Picchu. (I´m borrowing the poet´s spelling, ´cause it´s easier to remember.)

Today we had a wonderful hike to three sites -- the names are probably on Mom´s copy of my itinerary, I only remember the ¨base camp¨ where we had lunch afterwards was Pisac, and I did a little shopping (OK, I ran myself out of cash and borrowed 10 soles from Kristi) at their market.

But the most amazing thing, about the archeological sites along the hike, was living water pouring along channels and vaulting out of notched stone fountains. You can hear the sound before you see or smell the water -- a deep rushing chortle, a small waterfall reverberating inside solid stone. The water is stone-cool, and makes the grey stones sleek brown like seals. (OK, like my imagination of seals.)

The thing that impressed me most is our Cuzco guide says that, at least for one particular fountain, no one knows where the water comes from. That means it´s been pouring out, unmaintained, for over 300 years. It´s like walking into a Roman bathhouse ruin, and seeing the roofs long vanished and the walls gone for quarried stone, and water still pooling fresh and clear for any bather who happens by.

Some of the temples have been restored, mostly by cleaning the stones but in come cases by rebuilding and adding little straw roofs to protect restored mud-brick walls. There are red trumpet-like flowers, the national flower, and many kinds of bushes and grasses. It´s a strange combination of alpine chill dryness, desert scrub dryness, and tropical sun.

On the way up _lots_ of stairs, Kristi was moving with slow determination, and our guide Gustavo found a marvelous herb in the mint family, whose smell is said to be invigorating for high altitude. You can also make tea with it for the same purpose. It was certainly pleasant -- like strong mint plus anise hyssop. Probably good for car-sickness as well.

Well, I´m going to cut this off for now. Kristi has jus printed us a star map of the southern hemisphere, and we _really_ need to get a lot of sleep tonight.

Love to all, and pictures will be posted in August (when I return to the software that allows me to post them) just so you know.

Love,
-E