Aqua Caliente at the base of Machu Picchu

After we checked in to Into Toati Sun Place Hotel in Aqua Calient, John and three other hikers went off to hike another tall mountain to catch a different view of Machu Picchu, which we would explore the next day.  I stayed behind because the bottom of my feet hurt and I didn't want to hike anymore.  I wanted to explore the town and take pictures,

Across the street from our hotel was a market maze.  Rows and rows of items were being sold in the market.  I buy a journal from each vacation I go on and was looking for a journal in the market. After seeing a couple booths you realized they were all sell about the same thing but for different prices and of course that booth sold authentic leather, not like the 'other' booths. Or their was real silver and the other booths had lesser quality.

After the market I enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate overlooking the river and wrote in my journal.  It is rare that I can sit and do nothing but write in my journal.  At home there are so many other things that I may write a couple sentences and then I'm reading a book, surfing the web, working in the garden, doing chores or going to bed.  To truly journal means spending more than 2 minutes and allow time to actually explore.  Although the cup of hot chocolate was expensive (more than Starbucks), it was so relaxing to have that time to myself, to enjoy the river and my hot cocoa.  

Here are pictures from my mini-photo walk.