This is part 6 of the puzzle series that started at Living the traveller's dream. Each part is solvable on its own.
”Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints.” – unknown
Dear Puzzling,
As a world citizen who takes full advantage of the opportunities made available by globalisation, I find it’s really necessary to keep in mind what kind of effect one’s presence can have on the environments one visits. This becomes especially clear when looking at evidence of thriving cultures of the past whose downfall was brought about by foreign invaders, which is what happened centuries ago in the country I am visiting this time.
Each puzzle has five "thematic" answers, which are geographical locations all in the same country. Each is notable enough to have its own article in the English Wikipedia, although not necessarily under the same name I use. Your task is to fill the grid, highlight the thematic entries, and guess which country I am currently visiting (which is not indicated in the grid). Some of the answers will be needed in the final part of the series. Except for the last part, all others are solvable on their own without knowledge of the previous puzzles.
This week I have hiked among spectacular mountain scenery, seen rows of ancient drawings in the ground as far as the eye can see, and visited the ruins of some of the once mightiest cities on the continent. Can you guess where I am?
Wish you were here!
Love, Gladys.
Across
7. Thank you, Mr President, for a ride (4)
8. Troy escaped zaniest clan compound making figures in the ground (5,5)
10. Two channels separately visit mother with uranium-coated picture showing ancient citadel (5,6)
11. Mature, as shown by silver head in evidence (3)
12. Absence of energy seen in Sith lord's title (6)
14. Obscenity and lewdness, ultimately in the style of Gomorrah, perhaps (8)
17. Golf with filmmaker Lee's clique (4)
18. Best president of the United States? (5)
21/32. Solo concert's start inside Jackie's archaeological site (4,4)
23. Wings cut off, cracker-hungry bird placed in coop to make modern art (7)
26. Live on nuts like Juliet after meeting Romeo (2,4)
27. Character of old tree (3)
28. Deep gorge formed by river of Coca-Cola flowing all over city in US north (5,6)
31. Criminals counter SWAT's foremost officers (10)
32. (See 21 across)
Down
1. Dance for old lady around stadium (8)
2. Maybe The Trout is played kind of loud? (4)
3. Picture reflected towards his empty skillets, say (8)
4. European people's inspection's announced (6)
5. Artist's letter introduced to overturned piece of legislation (6)
6/19. Young female, 20 down of Greek lore, climbing drilling platform (3,3)
9. Auditor's consumed a cube (5)
13. Drink from the south that's fit for a king (5)
15. Being above topmost of masters – maybe AlphaZero's goal (3)
16. Parasites on the rise under the surface of Corfu and Rhodes (5)
19. (See 5 down)
20. Royal publicity scandal's beginning, covering endless inappropriate relations in the family (8)
22. Like the first sound in Debussy's Arabesque (No. 1 only) blasted all over (8)
23. Kings once ruled here in circus costume (5)
24. A medium test having no principles (6)
25. Surrounded by unending overindulgence, model in the end performs admirably (6)
29. Cut New York ballplayer in broadcast (4)
30. Employment of you and me supported by institute, at last (3)
Gladys will return in She must be tripping.
