Gill from Peru #2

What an amazing trip we are having...Peru is an amazing place with an interesting history and culture. Here are some hightlights:
"our" reakfast spot in Plaza del Mayor...maybe the best americano I've had.
Learning more of the history of Peru with a visit to the archeology museum yesterday and the inquisition museum today. Peru has a very interesting and colorful history. The impact of the Catholic Church on the region is astounding.
Visiting local markets and me making friends with locals....a local police man asked me to marry him this morning while mike was away paying our breakfast bill...ha ha!
visiting an active archeological site in the middle of the city yesterday...it's a buriel site known as the mound. Only the pictures will do it justice.
visiting a local market ...with animal carcasses, fish, produce, wedding dresses, nuts, cheeses, sausages, bread...what didn't they have....
checking out china town in lima....yup...they have a china town. Oddly enough there were NO Chinese PEOPLE in chinatown...not even in the chinese restaurants...yes there were chinese restaurants.
Tony Roma's, Burger King, McDonalds, Hooters, KFC, STARBUCKS!!!!!....yup...those big chains are EVERYWHERE. Mike and I have boycotted them.
Feeling really proud to be canadian...and very lucky to have won the birth lottery to live where we do. I am so very fortunate. Seeing the shantytowns and young children begging tears my heart out....(unless it is clear that they are trying to scam the "gringo's")
We're off to Cuzco tomorrow morning (and I mean morning...our ride is picking us up at 3:45am for the airport). On saturday we start my workout for the trip...the massive stair climb up to Machu Pichu. We're looking forward to being out of the big city (culture and sights aside it's very polluted and in many cases commercialized) and experiencing some more rural and more traditional Peruvian life.
Hope all is well back at the shop!
Gill and Mike
PS...the people here LOVE SHOES...shoe stores EVERYWHERE...Nike, NB, Puma...crazy! They also sell rubber boots in the shoe stores...crazyt...black rubber boots on DISPLAY.