Our layover was horrendously long, 14 hours in Panama City, then to Lima Peru, then to Cusco. We made the best of being in Panama City and went to see the old city built by the Spanish, it is their first settlement in Central America. Then it got wiped out by pirates, pretty awesome for us to walk around it.

We revisited our New York Bagel shop, where we eat and a watch a game. We turned down two taxis today, it should be easy. We wave you down, Taxi man you are sitting out in the middle of traffic,  you stop we tell you where we are going, we ask a price up front you tell us we get in shut the door and go there. Seems reasonable but yet some time we push shut the door and walk away. We made it back to the airport and slept until our plane was ready to go.

Exiting Panama City

Another overnight flight, they are rough on me sometimes. I sleep easy other times not so much. We were questioned about going into the high altitude right away, I hadn’t thought about it, one of the advantages of not planning you don’t always know there is risk involved. We arrived in a chill Cusco. I like the cold 61 degrees.

Market

Amazing pizza VW

After meeting up with our couch-surfing host Luis, we opted not to sleep and catch up on rest, that can be saved for tonight we went down to the central area while Luis went to his travel school. He is a younger neat guy who is studying English and Japanese, very welcoming. We watch the USA Germany game at a Irish pub named Paddy’s, full of mostly USA fans and one German. We lose but still made it in to the next round I can’t believe it. I thought we would be out, nice to know there are more USA game to be had, this is the knock out round. Mateo and I spent the rest of the day researching what and where for our next couple days in Peru.

Cusco

City Square

Machu Picchu is on the agenda. We woke up early to go pick up our motorcycle that we will be renting for two days, this way we are able to not be on a tour bus and see more of the Secret Valley. Our motorcycle is a 250. Bigger than most motor cycles in the area. After finding breakfast we head toward the gas station. The motorcycle will not idle then it shuts down completely it has ran out of gas. Mateo hops a taxi and goes to the gas station, he gives the guy ten sols. Taxis are cheap here, normally 4 sols. We refuel and hit the road, the cobble stone is hard to drive on, Cusco is the oldest city continuously inhabited city in South America. It feels good and freeing to be on a bike and not a tour bus. We have many sights to see!