Amateur Traveler: Sunday, May 31

It was Sacred Valley tour day. We took an all inclusive big bus tour. All entrance fees and lunch were included. It was going to to be a full day. The Sacred Valley is one of the standard tourist attractions of Peru. The valley is full of Inca ruins in a picturesque setting.

We were told that the bus would arrive at 8:00am. That was great so we could sleep in and have some breakfast. This was another of those strange situations where the organizer arrives 20 to 25 minutes early to try to get you going faster. I think the organizers must work on commission and the sooner they can get you on the bus the sooner they can get to the next order of business. I was having none of it. We took a leisurely breakfast, a very nice one I might add. The omlettes were excellent. Then we met the organizer at 8:05am and the bus pulled up shortly after.

Here is how the tour went:

Pisac The town of Pisac was the first stop. The highlight is the open air market. The local Andean population comes to this to market to buy and sell agricultural products and clothing. There are also plenty of usual tourist items as well.
Pisac Ruins Inca argicultural terraces and gravesites are found here.
Urubamba We stopped here for our buffet lunch. It was good. I had stewed Alpaca ribs. Very tasty.
Ollantaytambo This is a large and very interesting ruins with large terraces, living areas, and a temple to the Sun. Aside from the ruins there was a festival going on as part of a Catholic holy day. Some of the particpants were in a large arena where music was being played. There were a number of horses just outside the arena, but we did not see what part they played. There was also a large procession with participants is colorful attire.
Chinchero A quaint town high on a mountain top. We went to a co-op where they make wool items. We were given a demonstration about how the wool is prepared, dyed, and weaved for garments. Becky bought a table runner, and Tristan and I bought traditional wool hats.

After the tour, we headed for the San Blas section of Cusco. We had stayed in this area the first time we were in Cusco, but we never had time to explore. San Blas is in a hilly area with narrow cobblestone streets. We had a nice dinner at a place called Macondo with an artsy decor. The cusine is Neuevo-Peruvian. For the second time in one day I had Alpaca with a tasty potato dish.

Pisac Market