Ollantaytambo

---

After spending one day in Cusco, we departed towards Ollantaytambo. Before departing the hotel, we met another local tour guide for the day.
We boarded our bus with our day packs, and duffels towards Ollantaytambo. Our guide talked a lot of the drive about the different places we were passing. We also stopped at a few different Incan ruins on the way.
In Incan times, the royal family was very seperate from the army so you could see at many of the ruins the seperation. Our local guide also talked about the Incan baths. Incans only bathed a few times a year. Water still runs in many of the baths, and it was as cold as glacier water. Must be the reason for never bathing. The baths were suppose to be a sacred event to help wash away the stress. For me, a freezing bath would not do that.

Along the way we also stopped off at a women´s project. The idea was for women to come together, socialize, and sell the different items they made.
We were also able to see how they died the yarn (Usually Alpaca or Sheep wool) using a variety of plants. The darkness of the color was determined on how long the yarn and plant were boiled together. There were also Alpacas all over. Alpaca wool is really soft.

We also stopped at a local ¨beer¨ house. Our local guide showed us how to play this game (which I´ve sadly forgotten the name of), which involves throwing heavy coins into holes or a frogs mouth for different amounts of points. After playing the game for a bit, our group headed inside to learn and taste the local corn beer.

We were shown how the corn was prepared to make the beer through different steps of soaking, and filtering. The finished product is only 1% alcohol. We had a tiny sample of the beer. I thought it tasted really bad, but Lisa thought it was pretty good.
They also make a strawberry flavor without alcohol that is generally for women. I thought that drink tasted a lot better.

We continued our journey to Ollantaytambo. WHen we arrived at the town, we immediately drove to the ruins for a tour. The ruins here are the most impressive we have seen so far. They were the royal estate of emperor Pachacuti during the Incan Empire. The ruins were built right into the mountain side as well. Accross the valley, there were smaller ruins many which were storehouses.

After the tour we checked into our hotel just off the main square. I was feeling sick again with my stomach pains from Coloardo so I layed down while Lisa explored a bit. When she returned I still wasn´t too much bettter, and decided against the hike. I was too scared my stomach pains would get worse, and at an altitude of 14,000ft plus, I wouldnt´be able to take Vicodin with the lack of oxygen.

Our tour guide helped arrange a cab and hotel for me back in Cusco. The following morning, Lisa departed on her hike, and I left for Cusco. I felt bad for Lisa, because I know she didnt´want to do the hike alone, but I knew if I got worse it would be really really bad.

My taxi cab back to Cusco was a little scary. My driver liked speed. The two hour car ride took us just over an hour. Hopefully I´ll have a better driver tomorrow. I spent the rest of the day resting.

Today I feel much better, and will probably go for a hike in the mountains of Cusco.
Tomorrow I will return to Ollantaytambo to meet my group and head towards Machu Picchu.

I am so excited for Machu Picchu!!

---

Comments

[dHelen]

Great to hear from you.
Hey Brit! Our computer has been on the fritz so I am just not able to pick up your blog. Sounds like you are having a fantastic time! Grandma