Day 26

Thursday the other student is back.  Today for conversation we walked to the chocolate factory.  Wow the smell was so sweet.  So a little history on chocolate.  The Incas learned to make a paste and use that for drink, or mix with peppers.  The Aztecs took it from the Inca.  Then the Spaniards brought it to Europe.  It was considered only for the nobles.  It was too previous or the poor to consume,  if they had any they would use it for trade.  The cocoa tree blooms all year around and grows in warm climates.  So I guess I can't have one at home.   They gave a free sample of chocolate tea.  Actually very good.  I mean what's  not to like about chocolate in any form?  

After school we went on a horse riding tour.  Finally got to the top of the mountain.  Getting on and off was not pretty.  The stirrups were too high and I have not been on a horse for I don't know how long.  At the top we got off and crawled over a huge rock down to the temple of the moon. 

A sacred place for the women.  Inside was a huge rock worn smooth so it resembled a table.  At the top of the table in the ceiling was a small hole to the sky.  When the moon is full this Temple is full of light!  

Getting on the horse again a little easier now that my legs were stretched.  Headed down past sheep, llamas, alpacas, couple of cows.  

Today while shopping pretty sure a street vendor ripped me off.  I bought two dolls for twenty soles.  After I walked away she came running up and said I had given her a counterfeit bill.   Nothing much I could do.  Couldn't prove I didn't.  So if not her then somewhere someone.  Because I confirmed with school it is fake.  Ok, 8 dollar lesson,  I went to bank and changed all my money to small bills.  

Let's get back to food.  Yesterday's dinner beats all I've ever seen.  Ted says he bribed them to start feeding me badly to ensure I will come home.  Well not guaranteed to come home cause I still have Lima, but I will not miss dinners in Cusco!  Now restaurants are fine. It is my house mother. Ok, so here is what she served.  Take a banana cover it in mustard, put a piece of white cheese and wrap it up in ham.  Then beat up an egg pour it over this dish and cook in microwave.  I do not know how that would taste because that was just too much for me.   I was able to halt the egg and washed off the mustard.  The son admitted he didn't care for it but it is his mother's favorite.  Fortunately, she wasn't there.  I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings. But her cooking is out there.  

Also I forgot to mention that at the Inca Museum there were skulls and mummy's. The kills were malformed long and tall.  But they did that to themselves if they were a part of the upper elite.  No wonder the conquistadors thought they were just wild savages.   

Lunch today was a hole in the wall place with ham and cheese with tomatoes and lettuce with pineapple juice.  Not bad but looking forward to getting back to Lima!

Tomorrow I have to take a test to prove I am ready for the next level.  Test are easy.  And next week a new friend from the school in Lima arrives here!   I made a new friend from Amsterdam.  So I have someone to look up there.  She is however from the Czech Republic. 

Yea!  They are getting the idea.  Tonight's dinner was a plain chicken breast with French fries!  There is hope for the rest of my stay!