Cusco, Pisac Market, & Ollantaytambo, Peru
/(May 3rd - May 4th, 2016)
As we flew into Cusco, we knew we were in for another treat. Although the turbulence was some of the worst we’ve ever experienced (which was a little more frightening for the non-aerospace engineer of the group), the green mountain tops and the vast valleys below were breathtaking. After we landed we took a short taxi ride to Plaza de Armas and then walked the two blocks to our hotel, completely out of breath by the time we arrived (in our defense we were carrying all of our luggage and it was an uphill walk!). Once we checked in, we had some Coca tea to help adjust to the altitude and set off on a city tour. In a short 4 hours we explored Plaza de Armas visiting the Cusco Cathedral and Santa Domingo Covent built on the ruins of Coricancha (Temple de Sol or Temple of the Sun) and then ventured to the ruins of the Sacsayhuaman fortress, Q’enqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. At each of these locations we learned about the ruins and the fascinating Incan empire. We were completely amazed at the gigantic stones that were stacked perfectly on top of one another. Knowing that the Incas had no machinery to carry the stones from the quarries or to cut them, made the ruins even more impressive. We took lots of photos of the ruins and the views before heading back into the main part of Cusco. We finished the night off with a delicious dinner at Morena Café, which was just a few blocks away from our hotel. We had the best ceviche of our trip, a beef stir fry, and a dessert inside a cocoa bean!
The next morning we put our larger bags in storage at the hotel and set off on a tour to see Pisac and Ollantaytambo as we made our way into the Sacred Valley towards Machu Picchu.
On our drive to Pisac, we stopped at multiple viewpoints to take photographs, pet some llamas, and learn all about Peru’s quinoa production (I had no idea Peru is the world’s largest quinoa exporter!) Our guide recommended skipping all the roadside markets so we could get to Pisac before all the other tourists, so we only made a few stops along the way.
Pisac is most famous for its market, where local farmers and craftspeople bring their goods to town to sell and trade. We strolled through the market and managed to avoid buying anything while enjoying all the interesting crafts and colors. There was also a large vegetable market close by that had every vegetable, fruit, and spice one could imagine. It ironically also had a counter full of skinned chickens that made us seriously consider being vegetarians for the rest of our trip. As we headed out of the market, Allen found another canine friend that followed us all the way back to our bus wagging his tail.
We continued onto to Ollantaytambo, which is the town known for its imposing cliffside ruins built by the Incas. It is where the Incas retreated after the Spanish took Cusco and much of the town is laid out the same way it was back in Incan times. On our way up to the top of the ruins, Allen bumped into two of his friends from LA. What are the chances!? After taking a picture together, we continued up the ruins to get some stunning views of the valley and the watchtowers built into the cliffs. After our tour, we settled into our hotel and mentally prepared for our bucket list experience at Machu Picchu the next day.
