This was the sacrificial altar for both animals and humans. Usually they would pick young girls at age 3 or 4 and raise them specifically to sacrifice when they were 16 or 18. This was a great honor to them and their family.

Then we got to Q'enqo, an old temple.

Great view as we rode down the hills. This is my desktop background now.

Our guide walked beside us instead of riding.

Then we hopped back on to go down to Q'enqo. My horse's name was Apatico, which means apathetic. I could have kicked bruises in his sides and he would still just wait for the others to move and plod along behind.

There's a natural spring there, and the water system is still in use.

Then we went over to the ruins of Tambomachay. This was a sort of outpost along the Inca trail as it came out of the mountains into the city. It had a lot of extra rooms for travelers who would stay the night and take the trail all the way in the next day.

Your average country home around Cusco

Fat cow crossing

The next day I had free, before the Machu Picchu hike, so I went on a horseback tour. We started out near the Cristo Blanco and headed up into the hills.

These guys were great. Their voices blended well and they had a cool sound, so I bought their cd. 10 soles. About 3 bucks. I'm all for supporting good musicians.

There were street performers - music, tumblers, magicians - and all the kids dressed up, holding out bags for candy saying "Halloweeeeeen." Trick or treat doesn't tranlate well, so they just say "Halloween."

Now, Peruvians know how to celebrate. Halloween was a huge festival. The Plaza was full, as well as the 4 or 5 blocks all around it.

Here's a lady and her llama. The llama looks bored. Not a city llama I guess.

I didn't mean to make it look like Temple Square, but...