Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Sacred Valley a year ago...



So one year ago today I had my favorite day in Peru
Mom and I, along with three others, hired a guide and driver for the day.
Our plan was to go to the Sacred Valley and explore Inca ruins and visit towns along the way...
It was a day full of exploring and learning...



These cute guys are food to the Peruvians...
They have them in cages right by the back door so they can pick out the "fatted Guinea for dinner"
I guess it takes several days to prep them.
They are very tough and flavorless so the spend a few days stuffed with seasoning before they eat them...
Not the first time I've been glad to be a vegetarian!



Our first stop along the way was in the town of Chinchero
We were there early, before 8 and we were the only ones walking around...
We saw a demonstration by the local people of how the Inca's had made the bright colors for their clothing...(squished bugs make the red...)



The day dawned cool and cloudy.
Our guide kept telling us that the Ande Mountains were just behind the clouds...
I was worried we wouldn't get to see them...

Several times on the trip I was struck by how overwhelmingly wealthy I am compared to these people...
How very easy my life is compared to them...
How I take plumbing, clean water, electricity and a car for granted...
I kept thinking "I'm like Oprah wealthy compared to these people" 
It was humbling....



Here I'm in Moray with it's impressive terracing...
It's a very deep pit and you can't help but want to climb all the way down...
You do think about it because of the elevation it makes climbing out so much harder...
I was dying!




The Salinas salt pits
My favorite picture of my Mom.




Ollaytatambo
My favorite place!
We could climb all over the mountainside looking at ruins
We climbed 250 steps up, gasping for breath every step of the way!
It was gorgeous and some what Macchu Pichu like
It would be as close as I would get to MP...



I'm pointing in the direction of Macchu Pichu...
They opened to the public the day after we flew home
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr



Hanging out at Ollaytatambo



I was so thankful that the clouds burned off and we had amazing views of the Andes as we drove through the Sacred Valley on our way back to Cuzco!










It was an amazing day!

That evening when we got back to Cuzco the place was crazy!
We were there the week before Easter so there had been all kinds of processions and festivals...
But I'll save that story for another time...

Thanks for checking in!
I appreciate it!

Frychik

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