FUN-travel: South America: Cusco to Sacred Valley, Peru
February 29, 2012 by Susan Clarke
Day 16 – Sunday, February 19 – Cusco to Sacred Valley – blue skies mixed w/light clouds – 60’s
Alpaca Thread Dying
- Good News – wake up to sunshine!
Carnaval in Pisaq
- Good News – full day excursion starts @ 9:30 (whenever we want!)
- 1st stop – Puca Pucara – a small fortress – might have been some sort of storage facility, lodge or perhaps guard post on the road from Cusco to the villages of the Sacred Valley
- 2nd stop – Awanacancha – farm w/llamas, alpacas, vicunas & guanacos – relatives of the camel – alpacas have thick wool & most commonly used – vicunas are small & delicate w/fur considered the finest -see native weavers from different areas showing their different weaving styles & dress
- 3rd stop – town of Pisaq for market
- Really Good News – today is Carnaval! the whole town is decorated in colorful balloons, streamers & huge bouquets of tree branches & flowers
- Good News – main town square filled w/locals, music & native dancers
- Lunch stop – Sol y Luna hotel – eat traditional BBQ
- Good News – see Peruvian Paso Horse show – instead of a trot, they perform an ambling (four equal beats) lateral gait – there are always two, and sometimes three, feet on the ground
- 4th stop – Tambomachay – known as “Baths of the Inca” for its fountain, falls, and streams
Incan Ruins
Ollantaytambo
- 5th stop – Ollantaytambo – more Incan ruins – 250 steps straight up to top – massive pink granite rocks brought from top of mountain on other side of valley – amazing!
- Bad News – fear of heights, narrow trail on edge of mountain & no railings!
- Good News – make it down – easier than I thought
- Dinner – Lino’s on the plaza
FF – (FUN-facts) – Guinea Pig is considered a delicacy in Peru & eaten on special occasions.