Dec 24: Bonus Post!

ZOMG was the ride home ever fun! As we pulled out of the station, they herded us down into the drinks car for pre-dinner champaigne and Pisco Sours. They had a two-man mariachi band singing Latino standards, occasionally morphing into a four-man band by getting passengers to play the maracca's and bongo drums.


We then went back to our dining car for a five-course Christmas dinner and then happily dozed as the train rumbled on through the night.

We arrived back at Cusco at 10PM to find bustling with activity. The Peruvians celebrate Christmas Eve by spending the afternoon in the market buying gifts for the baby Jesus in the creche, then stay up drinking until midnight when they have their Christmas dinner, followed by drinking until 4 or 5. As such, the streets were alive with people celebrating, drinking, and setting off firecrackers.

At last, we got back to the Monestario hotel to find that we had been moved into a two-floor suite.

Best. Festivus. Eve. Ever.