To get to Cusco, you go to the international bus terminal - not to catch a bus, but a shared taxi to go over the Chile/Peru border. Beside me was a man who spoke a little English. "What nationality are you?" he asked. "Norte Americano," I said. "And you?" "Iraqi." I hardly expected that and felt uncomfortable. I wondered if he were hostile toward Americans. "No," he said, "When the USA first invaded Iraq, I called the U.S. embassy crying, thanking them." Now he is much less happy with the situation. Electricity for only four hours a day? Bad conditions not getting better. I asked him if he thought Bush was stupid, but he said no. But now what? That's what we are all asking, I agreed.

My comfy, $20-a-nite hostel was the Jardin del Sol.