It’s fun to blog with wordpress.com because after each post you get little encouragements, like “This was your 19th post – superb, keep up the good work.”  Which makes you want to write more.

Since this is our 20th post, and also since we have been traveling a lot and thus, not had time blog lately, I am going to tell you about 20 things we’ve done, seen, or eaten (outside of our day jobs) since we’ve gotten to Peru (now six weeks ago).  Hopefully we will also individually post about each place, thing, food, but for now…you get a little taste of our lives here:

1. We’ve prepared and eaten Ceviche!  Delicious!

2.  We got to travel to Pikillaqta ruins with our Peruvian family.  They’re pre-Inkan ruins.

3.  We’ve tried the Pisco Sours – yum!

4.  We visited the colorful market of Chinchero, which is only about 45 minutes from Cuzco.

5.  We ate Cuy!  (Which translates to guinea pig…which is the national delicasy…yes, they serve the full body on the plate.  More to come about this).

6.  We watched cuy being prepared to eat…from being alive to being ready to cook (it was somewhat traumatic)…the closer-up photos will eventually be posted.

7.  We went to a wedding!…just the ceremony.

8.  We hiked through the Sacred Valley visiting many ruins which you will eventually see.

9.  We got way closer than we should have to a bull…just so we could have a picture of our grad school’s mascot.

10.  We’ve seen probably 3,000 punch buggies and actually have stopped punching each other every time we see them. They’re everywhere.

11.  We have seen our share of shows and parades throughout the city. Very fun!

12.  We’ve met up with other travelers (Daniel and Lutin from Canada) . . .

13.  and hiked the Pisac ruins with them.

14.  We rode horses from ruin to ruin around Cuzco.

15.  We’ve grown to love Carlos Fabion, the little boy that lives with us.

16.  We lost our sweet Yessi, but she was given a great home, so it’s okay, even though we miss her lots.

17. We saw some really weird/cool halo around the sun. What does it mean?

18.  We visited Salineras – salt pools that have existed since pre-inkan time.

19. We slid down natural slides, formed by glaciers millions of years ago.

20. We had fun trying to figure out what certain ruins in Ollantaytambo used to be used for.

So…we’re pretty much having the time of our lives.