Blogs from Sacred Valley, Cusco, Peru, South America - page 6

Unfortunately the Pisaq market was not on (only Tuesday, Thursday and the big one Sunday) but we enjoyed the ruins high above the picturesque valley patch-worked by fields rimmed by vast terracing. Lunch in Urubamba. Then to Ollantaytambo. Much of this nice village is still set out as it was in Incan times with blocks, narrow streets and functioning aquaducts. The ruins that tower above the village is famed as the only site that resisted Spanish attack. The temple area at the top, the myriad of water features (water was considered sacred to the Incas), the terraces, the silos and the white bearded carved face on the opposite mountain make for a magnificent place to spend the afternoon. Train to AguasCalientes arrived in the pouring rain and we had to sort out tickets and things before ... read more

Um 08:30 Uhr sollen wir zu unserer Tour abgeholt werden. Da es mir immer noch nicht besser geht, decke ich mich noch mit ausreichend Getränken ein, die restliche Marschverpflegung haben wir bereits am Vortag in der Markthalle gekauft. Um 09:00 Uhr sitzen wir immer noch und warten, schliesslich werden wir aber doch noch abgeholt. Es folgen weitere Komplikationen. Erst findet unsere Organisatorin den gebuchten Bus nicht. Dann sitzen wir endlichen im vermeintlich richtigen Bus und müssen doch wieder aussteigen. Bei der Buchung dürfte es Missverständnisse gegeben haben. Unsere Tour-Organisatorin fährt daraufhin mit uns im Taxi dem nun richtigen Bus nach, der allerdings schon früher abgefahren ist. Ihr Handy läuft auf Dauerbetrieb. Schliesslich holen wir den Bus doch noch ein und hoffen nun, den normalen Tour-Verlauf mitmachen zu können. Doch wir sollen uns täuschen. Erst noch ein ... read more

Hallo allemaal, Jullie hebben er deze keer extra lang op moeten wachten. Maar hier is hij dan toch eindelijk, ons volgende blog. En extra lang dit keer. Cusco, we konden er geen genoeg van krijgen. De heerlijke cafetjes en restaurantjes, de pleintjes en de kerken. Na nog een paar dagen rondhangen in deze bijzondere stad zijn we op pad gegaan naar de Valle Segrada, ofwel de Heilige Vallei. Hier zijn we in een week doorheen getrokken, hebben verschillende oude Inca bouwwerken bezocht en hebben deze bijzondere tocht beeindigd in het magische Machu Picchu. Hieronder het verslag. De ruines rond Cusco Na een paar dagen uitrusten van de trekking en genieten van het stadsleven zijn we in Cusco in de bus gestapt naar het dichstbijzijnde Inca bouwwerk. We begonnen op een site ongeveer 14 kilometer buiten de ... read more

Today we did the full-day Sacred Valley Tour by bus ($30/person includes lunch). We started the day, again, with our contact person showing up on foot and asking us to walk to the bus due to closed streets. However, this time we only had to walk two blocks, around the corner to the San Blas Plaza, to meet the rest of the group and our tour guide, Natalie. Our first stop was a mirador (scenic overlook) with a beautiful view of Pisac, glaciers in the distance, and the surrounding valley. Of course there was a small market and a young boy, dressed in ropa tipica(traditional clothing), being photographed for soles. He seemed pretty fascinated with us gringos and his pan flute. Next stop was the village of Pisac and its market. It is Wednesday(not a market ... read more

martes, 8 de junio The reason we went back to Puno (for all the Sherlocks questioning why we would go back to a place deemed good enough for just an afternoon the first time) was that we wanted to catch the Inka Express bus to Cuzco. It's a guided tour via some of the more interesting Inca spots and helps break a 7-8 hour journey by adding in education. Well worth the fortune we shelled on it. The bus left early in the morning so we arrived at the bus station as the sun arose, only to find the bus wasn't there. Just us and 3 Chinese girls with Hello Kitty and Cookie Monster luggage did little to ease our fears that the bus might not show and we would miss out on Machu Picchu. Turned ... read more