Sand everywhere! Paved roads were rare, but boring anyway. ✌

I really let the sloth hang out. ✌ If you like fish, you'll love it in Paracas. 🐟😍 Delicious, with sea view!🏖

The stone sculptures in Aguas Calientes represent components of religion and culture of the Inca Empire.

The many street dogs in Peru aren't very interested in humans. They just do their own thing. This one stayed only for a short time to scratch itself behind the ear. Then he made himself comfy under my seat, while I waited for the train to Hidroeléctrica. I couldn't find any sick or otherwise conspicuous animals, but couldn't see people caring for the animals as well. With the exception of Paracas in the Atacama Desert, where the locals gave them water. That's actually a good thing, because otherwise the dogs would only multiply more and also lose their ignorance towards people. A pack of uneducated and hungry dogs, which associate people with food, can be dangerous. In addition, rabies is still a big issue in Peru.

The stone sculptures in Aguas Calientes represent components of religion and culture in the Inca Empire.

I spent a day more in Aguas Calientes than planned. I actually wanted to go to Santa Teresa first, but I fell asleep during the trip and when I was in Hidroeléctrica, I just hiked right over the tracks to Aguas Calientes. There is a small thermal bath, which did my sore muscles very well. It wasn't very crowded, so I had my peace. In Santa Teresa there is also a thermal bath, which is larger, but I didn't like it so much.

It often drizzled in Aguas Calientes, so I bought this hat. Best hat ever! Totally completed me! 😃

Aguas Calientes a.k.a. Machupicchu Pueblo is located 6 kilometers from Machu Picchu, closely surrounded by rainforest-covered mountains. There's no road connection, you can only get there by train or on foot. For most visitors, it's the starting point for the tour to the ancient city. The village is very well presented with many artistic details. Here I even had the chance to watch the development. 🤗🎨🐾
I've many more photos, but always nice and slow with the young sloths... ☝😏
🤓 On this day in history, July 24th:
In 1911, Machu Picchu was rediscovered by archaeologist Hiram Bingham. ☝

West of the village of Maras are these unusual Inca ruins. Their depth, design and orientation creates a temperature difference of as much as 15°C (27°F) between the top and the bottom. The purpose is uncertain, but it may have been used for agricultural experiments. It has been discovered that the soil of the terraces comes from different places. The Inca have produced countless varieties of potatoes, quinoa and corn. Until 50 years ago, potatoes and barley were grown here.

The loveliest place I found in Peru is Santa Teresa. It's a few kilometers away from Machu Picchu. There I relaxed so much! Here on a rock at the Urubamba River, near the hot wells.