Graduation parties and school over, 18 year-old in the house and off we are to Peru for 10 days. Me – always prepared (the Hermione of the group with her toolbox), was freaking everyone out with precautions to avoid altitude sickness. Patches, hydration, medication, coca tea – we had it all. We land in Lima late night and overnight in Wyndham by the airport so we can catch the flight to Cuzco in the am. Boys go wonder around the hotel and come back ecstatic that they had a celebrity sighting in the bar – yes, in the bar as one is old enough to drink and don’t ask about the other one – or the rules in Peru. Apparently, they met and chatted up David Cross and Bob Odenkirk – actors I would pass by any given day. Two of them were doing podcast in Peru and yes, were going in the same directions we were. Score for the parents as the teenagers took a selfie with someone famous in the first 2 hours of being in the country.

We land in Cuzco next day and are blown away by the hotel Palacio de Inka. This place is truly a palace, with gorgeous view – and we end up with an upgrade of a suite for us, and a separate one for the kids – and on different floors – which would be a problem during a typical vacation but at this point – B and I don’t care where they are staying, as long as it is the same city. Go figure, kids are hungry so we go in the courtyard to find a restaurant – and instead find a tiny alpaca with dressed Peruvian crafters, well positioned for the hungry tourists. After oogh, aagh and tons of pictures, we go to the restaurant – where go figure, alpaca is on the menu. Ask me, a bit tasteless to make me think – am I eating that tiny baby’s mom or is that itsy bitsy cutie on the menu tomorrow – but the teenagers didn’t care and ordered – what? Alpaca and guinea pig! Hallelujah for their efforts – because that was the first and last time they ate it. It wasn’t bad but not uber desirable either. Score one on eating local.

Everyone said to do nothing the first day so we took it easy as we had a tour planned next day. All loaded with coca tea, coca candy and some local altitude medicine – surprised we weren’t floating at this point – we started with a spa treatment all just for us. First night was hell for me as I got a migraine – a rare occasion at this point – and was either desperately trying to fall asleep or head in the toilet bowl. While I don’t think it was altitude related, I didn’t escape the family jokes of “mom, you keep feeding everyone these medicines for altitude, yet you are the only one who gets sick” – point taken.

Next day we met Emilia, our guide through Cusco and up to Machu Picchu. She knew everything about Incas and was determined to pass it all along – which was admirable, yet unrealistic. Summarizing about 7 different rock formations, temples and towers, here is what you need to know about the Inca culture:

• They shape their rocks / bricks as trapezoid so it fits and holds nice – I guess, oh and so it holds against earthquakes better.
• First day of summer or June 21st is a very big deal – everything exciting happens on that day and is prepared for that – and where the light hits through the buildings has serious meaning – basically nothing happens on other days
• They were super smart, built bridges, architectural wonders, knew tons about health and agriculture – impressive truly.
• Military wise, they were great until they weren’t – when the Spanish showed up to annihilate them in the 17th and 18th centries, they beat an army of 3,000+ Incas with 160 men, ouch – not a historical moment you want to be known for.
• They used knots to communicate, no writing or alphabet which is why we don’t really know much about them – nothing to read

We were to leave Cuzco the next day and move to the countryside on our way to Machu Picchu – on we go!