Cuy

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Yep, tried it. SO good, actually. Backing up, though...

Staying in Cusco was great fun, and it was nice to be able to explore the city just a bit before jumping into the Inca Project. On Monday (was it only Monday??) we were picked up in a taxi with Ernesto and taken to a combi (large van) for the trip to Huyro. By the way, everyone here knows where Huyro is, even though it´s not on a single map I´ve seen. Strange. The combi ride was about 4.5 hours, which was insane, but I didn´t really notice as it was the most beautiful scenery I´ve ever seen (CO times 5, although CO still has a soft spot for me, definitely)... through Urubamba, Ollantaytambo (which is where I am at the moment), and up through a mountain pass, with the 5700m mountain Veronica on the left. HUGE. Coming over the pass, the moon rose and shone on the snow at the top of the peak... the view was incredible. And, fast as the combi drove over some hairpin turns (mostly paved, though), I wasn´t actually scared.

Arrival in Huyro- the lodge we stay in, a huge building, is called Establo- was to a huge group of 2-weekers... high schoolers who come for a short period of time. Great people, but honestly, I prefer it now that they´re gone. Just a little bit too wild and immature constantly for me. The place is completely different than the Conservation project... parts I prefer, and parts of that I miss. I´ll go into the details more if you ask me sometime, perhaps, but right now I´m just not in the mood. 😊 This week I macheted part of an Inca trail, shucked corn for the chickens, went to an enormous waterfall in the cloud forest, ate a traditional meal (TONS of meat wrapped in wet paper and put in a huge palm-lined pit, alternating with hot stones. It was incredible. This is where I had cuy, too. Establo has chickens, ducks, and cuy- guinea pig- that we raise for eggs and food, so the cuy was fresh. Sad, kind of, but it was really incredibly good, I thought.) Establo is about 30 minutes´walk from downtown Huyro, but I´ve walked it almost every night, on top of some hiking. Feels great to walk uphill, especially in the chilly (!!!) night air.

Anyway, after cleaning the lodge this morning, a friend and I took off via bus for the Sacred Valley. Quite the adventure... I could see the windy road this time (still quite a view, but scarier in the daytime), and you can see the climate zones change as you go up, from cloud forest to forest to alpine plain. Old ruins, farmhouses, people dressed as you´d imagine, and cows and sheep everywhere, too. And the engine had issues once, and we had a flat tire once. Sooo.... 5 hours later, we are in Ollantaytambo, which is an incredible town that´s hardly changed since Inca times, with stone alleys, a market, people that actually live here, red flags indicating chicha (corn beer- haven´t tried it yet, although it´s on our to-do list for the evening, along with dessert somewhere...), and amazing ruins right on the edge of town. We´re staying in the dorm of a great little hostal, for 15 soles- $5- on a quiet block off the plaza, and the air is thin and cool (just like Colorado... makes me feel a bit better for not being there at all this summer).

Tomorrow we´re off to Urubamba and then Pisac in the afternoon, to hit the market there on Sunday morning, and back to Huyro on Sunday afternoon! Hopefully meeting up with a Luther friend for lunch tomorrow, too, which will be excellent! Hope all´s well... I will write more later, but I´d like to go explore Ollantaytambo now!

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Comments

[Gramma G]

Trivia
It is sooo good to read your blogs (and talk to you)! And nice to know your adventurous palate is enjoying the new taste treats. It occurs to me that maybe we can 'take care of' the creatures from the chipmunk condos in our new landscaping in a tasty stew?? Never mind. Our tastebuds here are enjoying the fruits of summer. After making frozen jam for ourselves and helping Kris and Dan with about 30 pints of jam yesterday, and eating them with cereal, shortcake, angel food, and ice cream (and the number that just find ones mouth during handling,) we'd likely bleed strawberry juice. And raspberries are ready for picking! The weather has been delightful; we need rain. I'm so ready for thunder and lighting. Summer seems to be flying. Thanks for staying in touch. Have a great week. Love you lots.

[Ross]

CO
It is hard to believe that there is a place that is 5 times what Colorado is, but just the thought makes me extremely jealous of your place and overall experience!