The Loony Bus to Puno - Day 20

Phew glad to get off the loony bus!  11 hours with a chinese man that looks like a really old Mr Miyagi who talked to himself constantly and would count with his fingers and then point in the air whilst speaking in chinese - he did this for 11 hours!  Weirdo alert!  Although he was harmless compared to the english guy who was a complete and utter nut job - he would butt in with the most stupid questions while the guide was speaking and then while I was walking through the Inca palace ruins all I could hear was "your a cock, your a cock" I turned round to see who he was talking to - if it was me he was talking to I was going to knock is big fat english lights out, but he was talking to himself so at least he knows what he is!!!!  What a weirdo!  he kept talking to himself too - on the bus he was talking to the seat and telling it it needed to move down! phew and I thought I was a nutter!  So Reiki protection went up against him, an energy seeking vampire if I have ever seen one.

The bus trip was ok - 11 hours with stops at more inca ruins - come on - Peru is full of Inca ruins, do we have to stop at each one and once you have been to Macchu Piccu nothing is going to ever compare so please lets just move on!  That was my inside voice - I politely followed the tour guide around, accept for when we got to the museum with the mummies, sorry I find it weird that people want to look at dead people's remains, it makes me feel a bit sick and ungrounded when I have to look at stuff like that.  They had this poor mummified woman in a glass case for all to see - I can't believe that is what she would have wanted for her body.

We stopped at various places on the way - here is a very interesting use of used plastic bottles - they get the kids at the local school to make them - good use of rubbish I say!

I loved this Guard dog - perfect superior position for guarding - he is some kind of pit bull cross but they have butchered his ears - have no idea why humans feel the need to cut their dogs ears or tails for that matter - its stupid and very cruel.  anyway he seemed relaxed and happy enough although I wouldn't want to be the burglar trying to get into that garage!!!

We stopped at a view point to take pictures of this mountain - we were at 4400m at the view point and it was hailstoning!! it looks sunny doesn't it?  well it wasn't where I was standing!

The place we stopped to see the mummies remains were having a Christmas celebration in their main square, it was nice to see all the families were out and everyone seemed to be enjoying it.  Christmas Eve is a big celebration out here - everywhere everyone is eating Pannetone and drinking hot chocolate, which I have just done with the hotel staff here - even though Pannetone is Italian it was brought in as a tradition when the spaniards arrived, before that the Peruvians used to have biscuits on Christmas Eve - they will be glad the spaniards brought int he Pannetone then!

This is the Inca Palace we visited - very interesting place as the bottom half of the building is build using the Inca way of building using stones but the top half is mud bricks - they have never used mud on any of there other sites - this is the only one found so far.  interesting that it is still just about standing.  Also this is the first time ever an inca remain has been found with round pillars as supports - can you see the one at the centre of the picture?  It was an interesting place.

We arrived in Puno about 530pm - and my guide was there to meet me and get me settled in to the hotel which was great - i then had a wander up to the mains street and main square which was starting to get busy with loads of families and people turning up with fireworks - so I left - I HATE fireworks.  So I went off to find a bar and drink some Pisco Sour the national drink of Peru!

Off to the floating islands of Lake Titikaka tomorrow.  Hope you all have a fab Christmas day.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

suzxxx