After a day spent exploring Cusco Peru, we hopped on the InkaExpress tour bus that would
take us along the Route of the Sun to the city of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
We knew this route would take us through some amazing places in Peru, but how would the
boys handle a 9-hour bus tour?
We couldn’t wait to find out!
Our first stop on the trip was Andahuaylillas.
At first glance, this small town seems like a fairly typical Peruvian town.
But what makes it so special is the baroque church in the main square.
This church has been called the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas” due to the incredible
artwork that line the walls.
Photography isn’t allowed inside the church, so I’ll share some clips from the CD that
is provided to those who visit.
The boys weren’t feeling much like another church by this point and spent much of their
time wandering the gardens and the nearby plaza while Christina and I took turns checking
out the inside.
Our next stop was something that got the boys adrenaline flowing again.
Checa Cupe, which literally means left and right is home to an authentic recreation of
an Incan suspension bridge.
We all took turns making our way across the river.
We arrived next at the Raqchi Inca Ruins.
Named for the Go Wiracocha, the Inca temple in Raqchi is 100 meters in length and 26 meters
in width and tower an amazing 14 meters high.
The beautiful grounds made for a perfect spot for the boys to practice their photography
skills.
After a brief lunch in Siquani we hopped back in the bus on our way to La Raya, the highest
point on the Route of the Sun at 4,335 meters.
We weren’t sure if it was surrounding snow-capped mountains or the altitude that took our breath
away.
Our final stop before arriving in Puno was Pukara where the beautiful local church was
closed, but we could still appreciate the amazing and intricate designs in its architecture.
The town also has a small museum that is full of Inca and pre-Inca sculptures and stonework,
some dating back to the origin of Andean culture.
The road trip from Cusco to Puno was beautiful.
The views alone were worth the trip, and the boys handled the long bus ride easily.
But we were all looking forward to great meal and a good sleep before hitting the water
in Lake Titicaca.