Peru Trip: Ollantaytambo

I leisurely awoke the morning I was to head to Ollantaytambo.  Ollantaytambo, you have probably noticed,  I have spelled several different ways. This is not like Hillsboro vs Hillsborough so much as lazy Danny not spending the time to correctly spell it. It is however spelled as I have above.

Anyway, I meandered over to where the collectivos collect and was lucky enough to have three other people come in quick succession.  I was unlucky in that we must have gotten a new taxi driver as he nearly stalled on four different occasions, would come to near stops at speed bumps and once was over taken by an alpaca. Okay so that's not true but it did take us a long time to get there.

But was it worth the wait! I have attached copious amounts of pictures and I cannot wait to go to Macchu Picchu tomorrow to compare but I'm hard pressed to think it'll be more impressive.

And the little village at the base of the ruins were over six hundred years old as coil be seen by roads so narrow as smart car wouldn't get through.

The hiking was spectacular and once you got up a bit the tourists faded away and you are left with nothing but beautiful mountain vistas in all directions.

That certainly has been my only gripe about this trip so far: the tourists. I realize I am one as well but by golly, at least try to speak Spanish okay? And while those traditional clothes look good on Peruvians, it looks pretty obnoxious on you with your Yankees hat with your face in your smart phone. But I digress. Just keep climbing and you rid yourself of them quickly.

The hiking did get a bit sketchy as I got above where the masses trampled and some of the drops had me clinging to the cacti. It certainly would have given Jimmy Stewart vertigo.  But I was blessed to have my knee hold out and my ankles are only a little more swollen. Not bad for a long day of hiking.

Have I mentioned how much I love the lunches in Peru? There is usually a soup and entree meal accompanied by a drink for seven sole in Cusco, here where there are less options it is 14 but still that's less than $5. And its filling. Dinners can be far more pricey but you can usually find something reasonable.

I spent my evening at a shared table with an Englishman and two guys from Vancouver all who were going Macchu Picchu as well just the day after me. We compared stories and I got a few good suggestions of things to do once back in Cusco. But its now getting late and I have to be at the train station for 4:30a for my ride to Macchu Picchu so I'm heading to bed.

Until next time,

Danny