There are 467 blog posts for you to enjoy.
Cusco, Perú: Empire, Conquest, and Rediscovery
April 11, 2026
I'm in Cusco for 1 - 2 weeks. I'm not here to visit, take a few pics of Machu Picchu, and leave. I'm here to get a first-hand look at the city and the neighborhoods where one of my books takes place. And let me tell you - Cusco is an amazing place to visit. Not just the archeological sites outside and throughout the city, but the city itself. That's something most tourists miss - the whole of Cusco, the city. So, I'm visiting the neighborhoods, the markets, and walking the streets from the northern Santa Ana barrio to the south-central district of Wanchaq. I'll also be visiting some archeological sites in the Sacred Valley, but those are just for fun.
I'll be writing a few blogs during my stay here, as there's a lot to write about. This first blog is the history of Cusco, summarized in one blog. Be sure to check back in a few days for more about Cusco (but no more history).
Read More
Abancay, Perú: Better Than My First Impression
April 8, 2026
Abancay, Perú - a high southeastern Andes town that sits in a valley and actually has nice warm afternoons. The city has a population of around 75,000 and sits at an elevation of about 2,370 meters (7,775 ft), depending on which road you're standing on. The city is built in a narrow valley, with the Mariño River at the bottom forming its floor. So, the city is built up the side of the mountain. That means lots of steep roads, and that, for pedestrians, means extra time. Why? Because at this elevation, you don't run up the hills. If you pay attention to your surroundings, you'll see nobody is walking up those climbs quickly. In these Andes towns, you learn to move at a slower pace, and the roads are one of the reasons why.
Read More
Andahuaylas, Perú: Where the Past and Present Share the Same Streets
April 4, 2026
Andahaylas, Perú - population around 46,000 - sits in a valley in the high Andes of south-central Perú, at an elevation of around 2900 meters (9500 ft). It's in a valley but not sitting on the valley floor; it's built going up the side, so there are a lot of stairways and steep roads.
Read More
Ayacucho, Perú, Perú: A City of Hidden Courtyards and Colonial Echoes
March 31, 2026
Ayacucho, Perú – Behind the Doors of a 400-Year-Old City
Ayacucho, Perú, sits at about 2,761 meters (9,058 feet) elevation in the central Andes. The city lies in a broad valley surrounded by dry mountains and enjoys a mild, sunny climate for most of the year. With roughly 100,000 residents in the city itself and a larger metropolitan area approaching 230,000, Ayacucho feels like a mid-sized Andean city that has managed to preserve much of its colonial character while still being very much a living, working place.
Reference: Wikipedia
Read More
Lircay, Perú: The Stairway That Didn’t Exist Yesterday
March 28, 2026
Travel notes from a small town in the Peruvian Andes at 3,278 meters.
Lircay, Perú, sits at 3278 meters (10,754 feet) elevation, and has a population of about 6,800.
I decided to spend a couple of nights here on my way south to Ayacucho. Lircay is in the high Andes, where I am sitting in my hotel; the elevation is 3272 meters (10,735 feet). It's cold. The temp is 12° C (53° F), maybe not so terribly cold right now (about 6 pm), but it will be in the single digits tonight. The average annual high temp is 19.8° C and the annual low temp is 4.1° C.
The History of Lircay: From Ancient Cultures to Modern Peru
The story of Lircay stretches back centuries and reflects the broader history of the region. Long before the Spanish arrived, the area was inhabited by communities linked to the Wari civilization, one of the earliest complex societies in the Andes. Among the earliest known inhabitants were the Anccaras, an Indigenous group that lived in the surrounding valleys and mountains.
Read More