Spud had always dreamed of following in the footsteps of one of the world's great dynasties: the Inca of South America.
The Incan dynasty eventually spanned a great deal of the continent from its humble beginnings in the late 15th century. They had an amazing understanding of stonework and carved out great temples and fortresses with incredible precision using crude tools.
The Inca also had a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the land and how to reap the most from it. They were masters of agriculture and their complex irrigation systems ensured the steep mountain valleys would flourish with the fruits of their labour. But it was neither of these achievements that the Inca were most revered for. The Incas' most notable contribution to history was their carbonated gaseosa: Inca Kola - a yellow coloured, bubble gum flavoured soda. It was for this golden nectar that the Spaniards traveled thousands of miles to battle the Inca - a bloody fight that resulted in the fall of the dynasty in 1572.
Spud managed to scoff one of these prize bottles from storage in the cellar of La Compania at the Plaza d'Armas in Cusco. He quickly drank the yellow honeydew and (after a short processing time) filled it right back up, capped it and put it back in storage. Good thing it's yellow!
One
could not visit the 'archaeological capital of the Americas' without
seeing the amazing Incan stone walls. Lining many of Cusco's narrow streets,
these walls are comprised of hundreds of intricately carved blocks fitting
together without use of mortar.
Historians cite that most blocks are carved so precisely, that one can't even slide a sheet of paper between them. Spud wasted no time in trying to test this theory.
In preparing himself for the test, he doused his hand in vaseline and margarine and then had two locals jam his rubber fingers into a crevice. It took almost 30 minutes of pushing and cramming, but he eventually proved this theory wrong and lodged his hand between two of the blocks. Unfortunately, science has it's price and Spud was unable to extract his appendage. Don't be surprised if you head down Calle Tucaman in Cusco and see an arm sticking out of the wall!
The adventure continues! Follow Spud to Machu Picchu!