Ollantaytambo and the Sacred Valley

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We checked into the Hotel Pakaritampu in Ollantaytambo and wandered up to the town square. We were surprised and delighted to find that it was the town’s anniversary party and that a good local rock band was playing to the obvious pleasure of the crowd. We left at dusk, watching a foreign (female) tourist being ejected from dancing on the stage for the third time, and returned to our hotel for dinner. Our waitress had a terrific command of English which she’d learned at school in Lima. She’d decided to leave Lima because it was "unsafe outside the tourist areas".

This morning (Tuesday) found us making an early start by walking up to the Inca terraces where admission is free according to the Lonely Plant guide, only to find that it is free if you’ve already purchased the Cusco culture pass for S70, which we had’t and we weren’t carrying sufficient to buy one. We therefore trooped into the town square where the evidence of the previous evening’s festivities were being cleared away.

Di’s influence with the Sun God seems to have been effective - it’s a lovely day!

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