I arrived in Cusco the day before the US embassy website posted the kidnapping advisory for US citizens in Cusco & Machu Picchu.

I spent the next week walking around the city of Cusco, often alone, and went to the village of Ollantaytambo for a hike to unknown ruins. 

I made a short video of my observations while in Cusco that I hope will address some of these questions . . .…

My God, it wasn't just your run-of-the-mill gorgeous outdoor destination, it was a freaking, sparsely populated island in the Galapagos! "How could you people walk away from the sky and ensconce yourselves in walls. For chrissakes, come outside and sleep!"



Those were the thoughts that passed through my mind as I dragged my mattress off the rustic, yet sturdy, hand-cut, wooden bed frame and dragged it across the floor of the cutest little cabin I'd ever been in, and slammed it down…