Peru -- Primarily Machu Picchu (Dec 2010)

This was a "shopping" stop (picked by the tour guide) where they gave a demonstration of dyeing and weaving at a small semi-outdoor shop. This is basically a salesgirl, in costume. This is one of several places where we ran into an odd thing: they would not take our US money (or credit cards). Apparently the banks outside Lima will only exchange US bills that are in perfect conditons (no permanent folds or small tears on the edges). Because of this, merchants will not take them either. They call it "broken" money.