Living in Peru : your everyday companion

The Imperial Incan City of Cusco has proven to be a magnet not only for tourists from around the world but also for several celebrities. In the past month Cusco has had visits from Aussie-Brit singer and actress Oliva Newton John and American actress Cameron Diaz.

We can now add to to the list chairman of Microsoft Corp. and multi-billionaire, Bill Gates. Bill Gates arrived to Cusco and immediately went to Machu Picchu on June 22.

He returned to his hotel in Cusco that same night on nothing less than the luxurious "Hiram Bingham" train which left Machu Picchu's train station at 6:15 p.m.

The multi-billionaire was present at yesterday's Inti Raymi or Sun Festival where he was surrounded by security agents which attempted to keep Gates from being photographed or filmed.

From his seat, just below Marina Sequeiros - Mayoress of Cusco, Bill Gates was able to appreciate all of the festivities. To avoid further contact with the press, Gates left the festival just before its end.

American actress Cameron Diaz was not present at the festival.

The Inti Raymi festival, which begins at Coricancha temple and ends at the Sacsayhuamán fortress, takes place every June 24. The event, with the participation of 600 actors, is to commemorate the the ancient Incan ritual in which the Sun God was worshipped.

Gates was born in 1955 and is chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen. Owning 8% of common stock, he is presently the largest individual shareholder (of common stock). He has been ranked the richest person in the world since 1995, recent estimates put his net worth near $56 billion.

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