We got back from the park in the afternoon, time to kill. We walked up the hill to the Plaza. Something odd was going on. There were all of these weird stuffed people lined up in chairs in front of the fountain, facing an empty stage. We assumed something political? There were a few kids splashing water around the fountain.
We went into a bar with an upstairs patio for a coffee. And then a parade entered the plaza. And then everyone went crazy! It was a huge entire-town-level water fight. With soap guns. Within minutes, everyone was completely soaking wet. But they kept going, for like an hour! They were filling buckets from the fountain and chucking them at each other. And dancing. Dressed in traditional costumes. Carrying around the stuffed people on their shoulders (I'm still not sure the stuffed people had anything to do with the water fight or were just added to the festivities because they were there) And despite being wet and probably cold, they seemed to be having fun. At some point, someone came upstairs and got us with a soap gun but just a little. Val's coffee got a bit soapy but was still drinkable (thank god!).
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| Staying dry and watching from the sidelines |
Eventually, the party broke up and everyone wandered away. We were safe to leave our perch and pass through the plaza to see what else is in Aguas Calientes.
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| There can't be a bridge anywhere without locks |
We left Aguas Calientes the next morning for Ollantaytambo. We took the train. It was Valentines day. Finally, I had the perfect conditions to say 'I choo choo choose you' for the entire ride, much to Val's annoyance.
The morning train is more expensive but a nicer train. Our first Peru Rail was Expedition where we paid s/5 for really crappy coffee. This one was Vistadome. Better view. And free coffee and some sweet potato cake. And better windows. And a fashion show!? I didn't take any pictures but it did pass the time.
Ollantaytambo is a little town that has another ruin that is considered second only to Machu Picchu.
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| The courtyard at our hostel |
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| Hello, my name is Kitten. Can I come in? |
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| Kitten. Val wouldn't let her in so I met her outside for some loving |
We were going to head up the ruin that afternoon but when we got there (it was only a block from our hostel), it was blazing hot and covered in tourists. So we decided to visit the next morning before we left town. Instead, we went to the market!
And then we went and had some beer in the plaza. It was Valentines Day. Here are some dogs in love.
This kid arrived at our table and said he would sing for tips. Instead we made him explain why he wasn't in school (it was over for the day) and to do some math for us. Math has become a running joke for me and Val since we are constantly calculating soles to dollars, dividing expenses by two, sometimes celsius to degrees or vice versa or kilometers to miles or vice versa. And always when we are tired. We are not good at math at the best of times. Anyway, this poor kid did some sums for us and then wandered away. He eventually came back on his second round of the plaza and we gave him a couple of soles.
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| We saw him later, he had bought POGS with his math money. |
The next morning we were up and at the Ollantaytambo ruins by 7:30. There were only two other people there.
Like Machu Picchu,
Ollantaytambo is a bunch of terraces with some buildings scattered about (not as complete as Machu Picchu).
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| Terraces. |
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| Buildings to the left |
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| Buildings to the right |
We wanted to get over to the buildings on the right. They looked high but we were fresh. But of course, we took a wrong turn. We ended up at the buildings on the left and the sun temple, which was cool.
Then up some more steps. Where we found this awesome six stone wall! It was humongous.
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| These are steps in case that wasn't apparent |
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| That's Val for perspective |
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| this rock was the size of a bus |
We followed a path, hoping it would lead us to the buildings on the right. Of course, it did not! We ended up climbing the whole mountain. At the top, we found Inka Watana.
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| I found a map online to show how high above the terraces we were |
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| The wall at the top of Inka Watana |
Even though the day had started out sunny and warm, it started to rain as we came down the path from the top. We eventually found the path to the buildings on the right.
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| Kind of hard to miss, now that I see it |
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| Looking down from the path |
Another giant staircase down to the bottom where we found the water area (?), I'm sure it has a better name. There was a river that they had diverted into pools and channels. It was pretty impressive (like everything those ancient Incas did)
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| That's Val way down at the bottom |
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| Hi Val! |
We had to be back at our hotel by noon for our pick up. We had found a taxi driver who would drive us to Pisac, our next hostel, and stop at some Inca sites along the way.
As I mentioned before, the valley itself is an attraction. I need to check a thesaurus so I don't keep using the same descriptive words. I do remember using the words verdant and fecund as we drove. Unfortunately, our driver wasn't one to stop and enjoy the view, or slow down even. These are all out of the window at high speed, probably on a corner turn of a windy mountain road
First stop, Chinchero, a town famous for its weaving. (Side note. This amazing, beautiful, fertile agricultural valley is where they want to build a new airport so Machu Picchu tourists don't have to be inconvenienced but passing though the rest of Peru). Chinchero has a minor ruin (in my opinion) and a fantastic church which I am kicking myself for not paying to go in. But it was so dark, and no pictures allowed. But my quick head-poke-in indicated it was fabulous.
First we had a demonstration of weaving and natural dying from a woman's collective (I think). We both bought something. And they had dinner on the tiny hoof on display.
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| Remember this little face (I did) |
Then the ruins.
And the church., which is built right on top of the Inca ruins. Those Spaniards really liked to make a point. And that point was, we will destroy your old beliefs and way of life and replace them with our paternalistic and crushing beliefs and way of life. Now give us your gold.
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| This is outside the entrance |
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| Literally the worst photo ever. |
Here are a couple stolen from the internet, because it really was stunning inside.
Onward, no time to dawdle according to our driver who was paid a flat rate.
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| On the road through town |
Next stop, Moray. This was an Inka test site for crops. I can't believe this amazing location was just for testing crops but who am I to question the signage. There were three 'circles', one of which was particularly well built and preserved.
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| Can you believe this!!? |
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Those are stairs built into the walls of the circles.
They were the only way to get to the next terrace |
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| The second circle. |
After Moray, it was Salineras, a salt mining community. I had visited a salt mine in Mexico last year but this place was giganitic in comparison. We bought some salt for our moms. Where? At the Market, of course!
Then a mad dash to get us to Pisac so our poor driver (whatever!) could get home.
We had heard that Pisac had flooded with the rains. Some houses had even washed away. Remember back on my birthday when I bought my excellent new alpaca sweater in Cusco. While we were in the store, the owner was on the phone getting news that her grandmother's house in Pisac had been destroyed by the overflowing river.
We had originally wanted to go there because A. there is a ruin that is only surpassed by Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo, and B. there is the biggest Sunday market in South America (or Peru, it is big either way). But we were worried that the road may be out and the market would be cancelled. Our hostel people assured us, no on both counts. But the ruins were closed. After the previous day of climbing ruins, I was ok with that.
We arrived, and guess what, we didn't know where our hostel was. Our driver had to call them. It was on a street that was closed due to flooding but we were allowed to pass. Right across the street was a hole where a house used to stand! And mud! They were busy cleaning the streets but the mud was still all around.
Our hostel was very nice, a couple of little courtyards but a few puddles that required us to walk on boards to get across. The next morning, we slept in a bit, had our free breakfast and hit the market. Half the town turns into a street market! Lots of items we had not seen before. We had a flight to Lima coming up with a 15 kg baggage limit so we (I) were trying not to buy too much but there was some beautiful stuff. So we bought stuff!
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| Val buying yet another rock and/or bracelet |
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| I bought that pillowcase on the right. |
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| No hats bought this day! But an impressive display |
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Oh how I wanted to buy this llama skin rug for Chris.
But it was huge and I knew Pigeon would just shred it anyway |
The best part of the market was the ladies selling their wears in their traditional clothes. I love them all.
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| This was some sort of ceremony outside of the church |
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| Just casual, for a quick run to the market... |
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| I was ready to start dying my own wool with this table |
After the market, we braved a collectivo to get back to Cusco. We bought three seats, one for our backpacks. And extra s/5 seemed worth it not to have to sit with our giant bags, stuffed with new market purchases, on our laps.
We went back to our beloved hostel. And dropped off some laundry across the street (s/s 2.50 per kilo). We had promised ourselves that we would try cuy (guinea pig) at some point on this trip. And it seemed like our last chance on our one night in Cusco. We found a restaurant with the lowest priced cuy (it is generally quite expensive, probably to stop stupid tourists from ordering it for a photo).
We hummed and hawed. Val assumed she would not like it but I said, if we order it we have to eat it. So, we ordered one (and a pasta) to share.
It arrived.
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| Oh my god. it still had a head, and little toe nails. |
I tried not to remember those little pigs we had met the day before in Chinchero. No luck
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| Dinner? Or fluffy baby. |
I ate most of the leg (after hiding the foot from myself). But it was not a pleasant experience. Val, who had been reluctant, tucked right in.
After she said, and I quote, 'the ear is the best part, it's crunchy', I almost lost my beer. There was definitely some dry heaving on my side of the table. I had to hide the carcass behind the condiments just to get down some pasta.
I am not against eating meat and I know guinea pig is abundant in Peru and a traditional staple but no... not for me. Val had to distract me with an ice cream bar as we walked home.
(oh, dear. My computer is running out of power quickly but the plug is on the side of the room with no wifi. BRB... 30 minutes later. I might just have enough juice to finish. I am sitting on the floor by the door to get an extra bar without waking Val up.)
Where was I?
Nope, not enough juice...
let's try again.
Remember waaaaaaaay back when, when I was buying my Viva Air plane tickets from Cusco to Lima. Well, to remind you, here is a quote from
that post: "
I'm sure we will regret at least one of those removed costs but where's the story in 'we took a flight and it all went well' when you might be able to get 'we spent four hours in Cusco trying to find a printer to print our boarding passes"
So, we needed to check in and print our boarding passes or we would have to pay some crazy amount to do it at the airport. I sign in to check in. Val's name is wrong on the ticket. She is Valerie Cumberland. Despite the rumours, we are not married.
So I use the online chat with 'Sofi' at Viva Air. first conversation went well. They can change the name, just send a copy of Val's passport with her legal name. No charge. Great. But before I could copy down the email address (which is not offered on their website!), the conversation disappeared so they could offer me a survey of how the conversation went. Arggg. I begin a new chat. No answer, no answer, no answer. Curses! This is when we went out to eat the adorable furry family pet.
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| Hi. I'm Sofi, I will make your life a living hell! |
Eventually, Sofi answered again. After some confusion about why I hadn't sent the email, here is the email address again. Great. Email with photo of Val's passport sent. They said to check at 6am.
Next morning, our flight leaves at 12:21. Sofi told me we had to be there 2 hours before.
7am, no change to the name. Back on Sofi Chat! Re-explain everything. Sofi checked with the office. They couldn't open the file. It has to be PDF. I do not have Office on this computer and can't save anything to PDF. This is when we started harassing the poor desk person at Mallqui Hostel, who was unbelievable patient (her name was Milagros - Miracles).
She said she had a copy of our passports from when we checked in. She will email it to me and I can send it to Viva Air. Brilliant! But her email did not arrive. Back to the desk. Resend. Nope. I tried emailing her and having her reply. Nope. I still haven't received those email (stupid Yahoo).
I tried signing onto my Google email. It did not appreciate getting request for password update from the middle of Peru, so no.
Eventually, we had Milagros send an email from the hostel with the attached passport PDF. Back on Sofi Chat. This time, English Sofi was on a break. Chat back in 15 minutes. WE DO NOT HAVE 15 MINUTES. We had to leave for the airport soon. So Val got on there and she chatted with Spanish Sofi who went and found the email from Mallqui and told us the name would be updated in 10 minutes. That actually took 15 minutes to re-explain and for her to find the email etc. etc. etc.
And milagros of milagros, it was changed. Now we had to print the boarding passes. BAAAAAAAAAAHHH. Not allowed to save or copy the passes to email to the front desk. Milagros just signed onto Viva and printed them for us. I'm sure she just wanted us to get on our way and let her do her real job but she was beyond nice.
Anyway, we hopped in a taxi which got trapped in traffic. And then in line to check our bags which was very slow due to the MANY angry passengers who wanted to vent about extra charges. My bag was under 15 kilos!
Fortunately, security line was short. We made to our gate with a couple of minutes to spare. After all of that, it was an uneventful flight. We were in some sort of vortex, the food cart made it to row 13, we were in row 15. And the drink cart made it to row 17 in the other direction before they both rolled away to the back, never to be seen again as we began our descent.
Ok, it is now almost 11pm. I have not packed! Here is what my spare bed looks like. Those are just what I have bought. My clothes are on the floor.
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| Puff Balls! |
Our last day in Lima was mostly just to blow off our last Soles. Which we did. We found the street with all of the tourist shops. I think we both have about s/ 60 left after just one side of that street. Enough for taxi and lunch at the airport.
My last purchase was coffee! I found a small batch roastery. And of course, we had to sample.
Ok, that's it. That was our trip to Peru. We leave tomorrow afternoon and get into Victoria Thursday morning. See you there.
Adios!
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