Pisac

---

Today we booked a tour to Pisac. We started our 3 hr tour with Valentin. He was our tour guide and very friendly and informative. We first visited the market in Urubamba. Here there were many vendors selling their local foods...Potatoes are one of the largest crop here with 400 different varieties... white corn is also very popular and though they don't harvest the most corn here they feel they lead as having the most quality of corn- white and very large cobs. They also fermented maize for sale- this corn is used to brew an Andean traditional beer called Chincha for the workers. You will see many red balloon like flags flying at local homes and some bars along the country side - these are places that have homemade Chinca brewing. This local drink is sold for mere pennies and you see people carrying jugs of it to the workers. It is not meant to make them get drunk but they drink it while they work as "work" is a celebration of life to them and they get together to work hard, make life and be happy. Nothing like the work we are use to. We never did try it but apparantly it is not very tasty.
We watched some kids do karate in the market street and Sarah bought a necklace made of corn and rocks from a man who smelt like gonja...
We then drove to Pisac. Along the way we saw the local towns which were quite run down, again many dogs, sheep, pigs and bulls along the road. There were a lot of kids playing in dirt and locals harvesting their crops. Apparantly this is the richest region due to the fertile land. You wouldn't guess this area is rich in anything to our standards.
We traveled up the mountain and felt a bit sickly but managed to make it to the top. We stopped for a bathroom break but they don't supply toilet paper or toilet seats, so of course Julia would not go. I was good with it as I had no choice...I didn't find out until I had already gone :)
The Pisac ruins were cool. We learned alot about the Inka and the discovery of Peru and the trails from Valentine, but it was hard to remember everything so you will have to google it. Valentin is very proud of his country and we could tell by everything he told us. I did remember the 3 laws of Inka - Don't be a liar, Don't be lazy and Don't steal. Pretty good laws to live by- I think they could also be CrossFit laws. We then travelled back to the town market and shopped for a few minutes. Again there were Kids alll around - dirty and holding baby lambs. They would approach us to pet the their lambs and take pictures- and then want money. It seemed quite sad but I guess that is how they make money. Lindsay bought a couple rings for friends, Julia bought a winter hat and I bought a xmas decoration of a Lama! I am considered the lama whisperer now!!! Last but not least the kids finally got to see the Guinea Pig ...they were quite cute. Valentine explained that Guinea pigs are a delicacy and only for special occasions. One guinea pig would serve 4 people. How, I do not know as they don't seem to have much meat on them.
We then headed back to our hotel and kids counted 363 dogs along the way.
Had a late lunch, napped and then back for dinner. Sean had his first adventure and tried Bulls heart- and oddly enough he liked it. I thought it was a bit tough and liver like but still enjoyable. Kids watched a bit of the movie Back to the future on a TV they brought to our room tonight but we didn't have too much time to watch as we have to get up early for our train tomorrow at 5:45 am so off to pack and bed.

---