The Peru gallery has three rooms: Lima, Arequipa, and Ollantaytambo.
Rendez-vous Peru
Ollantaytambo Travel Photography
The chapters:
Getting there - Breakfast - Street Photography - Shopping - Chinchero - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo Archeological site.
My friend and I stayed in Ollantaytambo and before taking the two-hour train to Machu Picchu. Did you know its name translates to "ancient mountain"? Keep that one for trivia night :)
A little tip if you're planning your own visit: Machu Picchu tickets offer three different circuits. It's a thoughtful approach that helps protect the ancient paths and archeological site from the impact of large crowds. My photographs are from circuit 3.
But Machu Picchu wasn't the only experience that stayed with me. Something unexpected happened in Cuzco. An experience I wrote about in my open letter, The Spirits of Cusco Know. Give it a read, and definitely let me know if you’ve ever experienced anything like it.
You are so welcome here! Take your time. We're open all night long.
We hopped on a quick flight from Arequipa and landed a bit late, tired, yet excited!
Welcome to El Albergue Ollantaytambo by Wendy Weeks.
This charming hotel features its own farm, providing a unique experience. The staff is friendly, and the restaurant offers delicious meals. However, be prepared for mosquitoes, especially in the evenings.
The ultra convenience from this hotel is that the train to Cusco is right outside the door. So, once you're there, all you have to do is hop on the train.
This is a picture from inside the restaurant hotel.
We had breakfast at the hotel.
One thing I will note: I didn't experience altitude sickness at all during this entire trip. When I was at this hotel, every morning I did drink coca tea. Maybe that helped...
If you have a job that does drug testing, you will test positive for substances in your body. Be wise!
Street Photography
I didn't notice the two statues of cows on top of the building when I took it. I found them... interesting. Is it an aesthetic thing or a religious thing? Do you know?
Also, every time we go to our hotel, we pass by this beautiful bougainvillea and I took a million pictures of it :)
I LOVE THOSE PLANTERS!
Welcome to the "Comunidad de Mujeres Andinas"
Here, the women show you how to dye llama and alpaca fur and make the clothing. They also sell them there. Essentially, you are buying directly from the manufacturer. There are multiple of those types of places.
I genuinely appreciated the education on natural dyes, which brought back memories of my home country.
The downside was the pressure to make a purchase. I ended up buying something that I was not in love with. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed overall experience.
This is a prickly pear cactus.
As it begins to break down, a white residue produced by insects can form on the plant. It's harvested and used to create natural dyes ranging from rich reds to oranges. It's even used as natural lip-tints.
The most fascinating thing I learned!
Souvenirs in hand, we made our way to Chinchero!
I came across this map, and it was extremely helpful in visualizing all three flights for the entire trip! :)
"We buy scrap metal"
It was a short visit. Heading back now to have lunch at Amanto.
I placed my food order and turned around to find this staring at me.
All I could do was laugh...
I recommend this restaurant.
The food was delicious. Though the portions were really small.
And now, a quick word about the wardrobe.
I was in Peru at the end of October, and the days were hot and intensely sunny, especially in Arequipa and Ollantaytambo in the sacred valley. Mornings and evenings, however, were cool (sometimes downright cold!) Once that Andean sun comes out, you'll NEED a hat. Trust me, it feels like the sun is aiming directly at you!
So, when packing for Peru around that time of the year, think springtime in Chicago, where you're likely to experience all four seasons in a day, or a Kenya safari in August.
So to recap: dressing in layers is essential! Layers, layers, layers!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Bienvenue à Machu Picchu.
After a two-hour ride on the Inca Rail, we have arrived.
We'll address that weather later...
On the train, I can't find the words to express my awe at the majestic mountains and the crystal-clear river! I tried my best to capture it all during the ride :)
The weather seemed promising. The clouds were present, but the sunshine was shining through.
The weather transformed entirely as soon as we reached the top, with the clouds playing peek-a-boo.
Fortunately, our guide didn’t hurry us along; she understood how unpredictable the weather can be.
Thank you, Rosemary.
All done. Thank you, Machu Picchu!
Now, let's climb down.
Walked around for a while before returning to the train.
Getting back on the train was complete chaos. Good thing is, once we boarded, it was a smooth ride straight to the El Albergue hotel and another chance for more beautiful pictures.
End of this chapter.
The final day was dedicated to exploring the archaeological site, and soon after, it was time to bid adios to Peru.
