Our first local experience was changing money on the street using a gray-market dealer who is sanctioned by the city. He gives the best rates and gets to keep the commissions.

We explored Lima’s streets and architecture (Spanish heritage) from its main square Jiron de la Union to the Lima Cathedral. The old city square (city founded by Pissaro during 5 year Guano War with Chile, Bolivia, Peru. Peru lost 300 miles to Chile; Bolivia became land locked.

We flew to Cuzco (center of the Inca world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site). There was a delay at airport; temporary evacuation with bomb sniffing dogs. No issue other than waiting an extra hour.

Leaving Ollantaytambo we took a first class train to Aguas Caliente. The train follow the Urubamba river with beautiful mountains and gorges. The road ends about 25 miles before Machu Picchu, so only way there is by train or walking, which many people do.

Fernando Zambrano, our OAT guide and Galapagos naturalist, met us at the Quito airport. Quito has two million people and is very clean and modern. It's long (30 mi) and narrow (3 miles). 

When we got to Baltra, there was no OAT bus due to some miscommunication. Bus finally did arrive to drive us to other end of island to catch barge to Santa Cruz. On way, we stopped to see a large sinkhole; started to rain. When we took the barge we could see the remains of the Cachalote which recently sank; this was the boat Steven was on when he was in the Galapagos in the 1980’s.