Day 2 - Cusco - Sacred Valley Tour
Monument of Pachacutec, considered to be the greatest Incan emperor.
My very first Coca Tea...hehehe...Coca leaves are the basis from which cocaine is made...ummmm for more information, go here
Stained glass at the Anita
Nice quiet courtyard...until the school above lets out for recess.
Had many a coca tea at that table while watching Spanish TV...lotta soccer.
Waiting for the Sacred Valley Bus...first brush with people selling stuff (water bottle holders)
Photogenic family....these arent the ones that go around with their kids asking money for pictures. Just some people who smiled when we all looked at the cute baby.
On the way to Pisac, we stopped to take pictures of a valley on the way. Not the "sacred" valley. I believe that this is the city of Chincero.
These are the people that ask for money. Also that's an alpaca not a llama.
Margaret and the Llama
We look like good buddies hahhaha
Wonder how much I paid for this pic...it's got everything!
What is everyone looking at?
Ahhhh a beautiful valley
Somewhat exposure corrected
The "Sacred Valley"...apparently the Incans didn't call it that. Someone did it as part of some marketing effort to get people to come out to the Urubamba Valley.
The town of Pisac
Apparently the town is so well known that a viewpoint of it needs its own sign. Mirador means view.
Local Bakery in Pisac
Cute Guinea Pigs nearby
All of the guinea pigs I saw in Peru had cool homes to live in. Little comfort though to them knowing that 10 feet away is the oven.
The oven...now before you scroll down to the next shot...I should warn you that its quite graphic and may disturb all kids born and raised in the US to think of guinea pigs as pets ONLY. In South America, kids are taught no such thing.
Guinea Pigs
Two Cows on top of everything...they are good luck charms!
The entrance to the bakery
I love sidewalk cafes
Everyone had wares to sell. Pisac is a great place to pick up stuff. Margaret ended up wishing we had gone there last.
[Picture from Margaret]
Churches in Peru all have their distinct style. This one was circular.
Food Market...too afraid to buy stuff to eat here
[Picture from Margaret]
Shopping in the shade
Some of the quilts/blankets/rugs were so amazing with really cool colors...if only there was a way to bring them home. Margaret brought like 2 home but I think they were small ones
Our bus...surprisingly all the buses we went on during the trip were really clean and great vehicles. Except for the SAS bus on the first day of the Inca Trail...that just seemed like it had no suspension system at all
Again...Pisac is a great place to get stuff
Buffet Lunch...at Inca's House Restaurant. The spinach was furry which bothered me a lot. Here I had alpaca again plus river trout. Good stuff.
Pisco sour...I love this drink. It's pretty sweet and has a vodka type taste to it.
Aargh...one thing I totally disliked was the peruvian corn. Too big and starchy
Hmmmm...really good ceviche
All the pots had different kinds of meat
I think I liked everything in those pots. hahahhahaa
Throwing coins at a frog...famous Peruvian game called "Juego de Sapo" or simply "Sapo". It comes from some legend about a frog in Lake Titicaca and how it would grant wishes or something. Here's a website of a place in Miami that sells a set. Margaret?
Here's a closeup
Hehehe cute cat
Margaret and her Corn beer...the guide said over and over again not to drink it. hehehe...oh yeah, he also demonstrated how before people take a drink, they spill a little bit on the ground in deference to Pachumama or Mother Earth.
Another cute cat....this one was sooooooooo tiny
Another Guinea Pig community
The town of Ollantaytambo was built pretty much on Incan ruins. They still use the sewer/irrigation system today.
Those @ signs mean one thing....Internet!!!
The Boleto Turistico Unico BTU Pass
The ruins of Ollantaytambo
[Picture from Margaret] No comment
Many Terraces
Walking up these was quite difficult...
Looking down at the city
Incan doorway...stones perfectly cut
Here I am demonstrating how wide the terraces are
Sun Temple....huge boulders were rolled from the opposite mountain side and across the valley and up the ramps.
Terraces
You have to be careful going down...falling is not an option...I didn't take much after this since my batteries ran out. Went to a pottery place (where they had this monkey that seriously looked like an old man...freaked Margaret out) and then a small church.
[Photo from Margaret] On the way back to Cusco
Mijunanchi Restaurant...one of the more expensive meals but a really good start in our Peruvian cuisine.
Omigosh these were so good. Cheese filled wonton skin rolls and then guacamole. Hmmmmm..."Tequenos en salsa de palta"
Not sure what Margaret got as her appetizer
Delicious Creme of Corn soup "Crema de maiz"
Cool kitchenware...that was a theme for the entire trip. Almost every place even the local broaster (chicken rotisserie place) would have china. It'd be chipped but still...
Everything comes with fries. Potatoes are a staple in Peru...Lomo Saltado de alpaca. Yes, this is alpaca meat.
So everything that I got back to 13 soles which is $4.06...plus I had a Fanta (gaseosa) to go with it.
Peru Trip 2005
