A treasure a day. That was our South American experience when we dipped into the trove of Peru and Brazil.

 

Day one we discovered a gem of a restaurant, the Rosa Nautica situated on a short pier on the sea-shore in the Miraflores district of Lima. The food was lovely and the venue spectacular as the wild sea raged around us.

 

Day two we arrived in Cusco and spent the afternoon becoming acquainted with the Incas as we strolled round the Sacsayhuamán site, an Inca temple that was built to worship the sun, the moon and other natural elements such as lightening as well as the puma or mountain lion. We found some real treasure in the cathedral that was decorated with amazing jewel encrusted statues.

 

Day three we spent the day learning more about the Incas as we climbed to the top of the temple at Ollantaytambo and then, in the afternoon we enjoyed some retail therapy at the huge market in Pisac. That evening we sampled the local delicacy, guinea pig, at a La Chicha, a restaurant overlooking the busy main square of Cusco, Plaza de Armas. 

 

Day four and the jewel in the crown, Machu Picchu. The journey there was another gem as we chugged through beautiful scenery on the vistadome train enjoying breakfast properly served on cloth-covered tables. Machu Picchu did not disappoint, it was magnificent.

 

Day five and a bus journey from Cusco to Lake Titicaca that revealed precious moments on the way. A stop in Andahuaylillas, a visit to Raqchi Temple and a delightful lunch at Las Tunas, home cooked using local produce.

 

Day six and we went by boat from our hotel across the lake to the Uros islands. We visited one of the forty five islands where we met the locals and learnt how to make an island from the totora reeds that grew in the lake.  The local taxi, a boat made from reeds then transported us to a second island and another chance to purchase local handicrafts before boarding our motor boat once again and crossing to Puno for lunch.

 

Day seven and a late start meant we had time to relax by the lake in the sunshine and to explore the Lake Titicaca and explore the British built ship, the Yavart, that was moored at the end of the jetty of the Hotel Sonesta Posada, Puno. The Yavart had been shipped in pieces from England to Peru and then hauled over the Andes by mules, a journey that took six years.  

 

Day eight and the hustle and bustle of Rio de Janeiro but we found some peace and stunning view from the Sugar Loaf mountain. The top of the first cable car was clear but the summit was shrouded in mist so we could have been anywhere! That evening was a true nugget, dinner in a local bar, Pedro’s Bar. We had been told that in Brazil each meal ordered would be more than enough for two people and it was true, our table was piled high with dishes that were barely tasted.

 

Day nine we ascended by funicular to the top of Corcovado Mountain to see the world famous statue, Cristo Redento. The swirling mists and piped music added to this experience as the face of Christ appeared and disappeared above us. That evening we watched a Plataforma Show, a bizarre experience as the cast jiggled around the platform above us and a finale of carnival costumes gave us a glimpse of the carnival for which Rio was famous.

 

Day ten and a free afternoon in Iguassu revealed two more precious experiences. A helicopter ride over the Iguassu Falls where the volume of water that thundered down into the valley below was well above average. After the excitement of being airborne there was time to meander round the Bird Park and enter the enclosures where cheeky toucans pecked at our bags.

 

Day eleven we spent exploring the Iguassu Falls from both the Brazilian and Argentinean sides and were enthralled by the rainbows that danced in the air around the crashing tons of water and the exhilaration of getting close enough the enjoy a soaking from the spray.

 

Day twelve and one more treasure before our journey home as we made our way to the dam, Itaipu Binacional, a joint project between Brazil and Peru and a chance to learn more about the town of Foz do Iguaçu home to seventy different nationalities but rarely visited by the tourists based in the hotels on the its perimeter.