August 1-8 Our Peruvian Adventure by guest blogger Mary Mayrick

Stu and I flew (sleeping) overnight from Miami to Lima, hopped the short flight to Cusco and were met bright and early by a positively glowing Anne Ripley. I was amazing to see her and watch her go into her bargaining mode immediately with the cab driver. Armed with knowledge and working Spanish, she secured the best price for all of us. We soon found ourselves at the lovely Hotel Ruinas checking in, hearing stories and looking at maps to plan our days. The original plan was that we would sleep for the day to acclimate to the altitude but found that with the information we discovered that a steady stream of Ibuprofen would keep it at bay (along with a steady stream of coca tea), we were off!

 We began with a lovely breakfast at a crepe restaurant, just a short walk through the main plaza. Anne’s joy at sharing this lovely place was palpable.  The mix of culture, architecture and history were already evident. Our first stop would be Saqsaywaman (pronunciation sounding much like ‘sexy woman’), the Royal House of the Sun to the Inka. This was our introduction to the architecture and spiritual representations found in all things Inkan. We were fortunate enough to have been there on a celebration day, Mother Earth day. A ceremony was taking place that included the sacrifice of a llama. We observed from a hilltop and left before the finale.

Our second day included a guided tour of the Santa Domingo Cathedral, which was built on top of and around the sacred Inkan Temple of The Sun. Here we saw more examples and learned more about the Inkan architecture and spiritual connections. We also toured the markets. They are packed with everything one could possibly need and showed an aspect of family life as many of the booths were filled with wares as well as the whole family who ran the booth. We saw babies, toddlers and children of all ages playing, sleeping, or eating in most of the booths.  We then made our way to the orphanage where Anne worked.  We immediately felt accepted and loved because we were viewed as an extension of Anne. The girls were hard at work on the friendship bracelets that Anne and a few of the other volunteers taught them to make.  There was a celebration planned for the volunteers who would be leaving soon The girls were lined up for singing and dancing and then shared guacamole to complete the party (instead of the typical sweets which wreak havoc with the children’s teeth).  We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at the Balcony for Ibon and her son celebrating their time with the volunteers in their home.  Stu was brave and went for one of the customary dishes eaten for special occasions- “cuy,” or guinea pig, which was roasted. This was not for me as most times it is served looking very much like it did alive minus the hair!  We found our way to a dance club, Africa, just to get a look because we were exhausted!

Day three and we were on our way (by taxi) to Urubamba by way of Pisaq. Pisaq is a lovely village dwarfed by the terraced mountain that backs it. It hosts a lovely market that attracts artists and crafters from many nearby villages. We spent some time in the Andean Textile Art School where we could see several large tapestries in progress and also learn about the natural ways of dying the fibers into a rainbow of colors.  Overcome with their elegance and beauty we could not resist buying a stunning piece to take home.  We enjoyed a lunch at a lovely inn. I began a new love affair with guacamole since I’ve been here, not sure if it is the avocados or the onion that has me hooked. Quinoa soup has also come into my radar and will be something I make when home.

The cabs are like their own kind of carnival ride, any kind of cushioning or suspensions systems long worn out by the rough terrain.  The drivers we encountered were all kind and willing to negotiate.  The gentleman who drove us to Pisaq and eventually Urubamba, was very accommodating, stopping by scenic overlooks and waiting two hours for us while we explored the market. We arrived in Urubamba near the Tambo del Inka in the late afternoon and were greeted with a magnificent entrance, lobby and much-needed cup of tea. My mind kept circling back to one of the lines from Jurassic Park, “We spared no expense,” as every detail of the building and grounds were spectacular and carefully appointed. We arrived in our room and were even more pleasantly surprised at the lush beauty of it and the breathtaking view from our patio. Stu and I made our way to the pool (1/2 indoors, ½ outdoors with a gigantic glass door was on a pulley system to open and close), while Anne enjoyed the luxury of a bath for the first time in Peru.  We decided on a walk to town to find some wine, cheese and fruit for dinner and to snuggle into the comfort.  The sky provided a breathtaking backdrop for our walk- I saw the Milky Way for the first time in my life! The following day we started with a delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel and decided that a day of rest was in order to be prepared for the next adventure awaiting us.

The fifth day began with another cab ride from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, bringing us one step closer to Machupicchu. This began the next level of our education regarding the brilliance of the Inkan architecture. This area is an amazing place, termed a “multi-functional village due to its strategic placement along with its military, social, economic and religious impacts on the area.  Stu and I enjoyed a fabulous tour with Ray, who was knowledgeable, and very personable with a deep love and respect for Inkan culture and ruins. The pictures here speak for themselves.  Suffice it to say- no detail is without significance, whether it be a connection to time, spirit, safety or sustenance.  We then walked to catch the train to Aguas Caleintes, the village nestled in the footprint of Machupicchu. 

We rode on a train that had windows all around, including the domed ceiling.  The train ride wound through the mountains along the Urubamba river, where every curve provided another breathtaking view. It seemed that from the moment we arrived in Aguas Caleintes, time began to slow, with the afternoon drawing slowly out before us as we went in search of our hostel- El Mistico, dinner and a box lunch to for the trip to Machupicchu. With bags dropped off at El Mistico, we found our way through the small very inclined walkways of the village to The Tree House, for a fabulous dinner of Thai soup, salad and a lovely glass of wine.  Sated, with our boxed lunches ordered and set for 4 am delivery, we made our way back to the hostel.  We met a happy group in the lobby area who were just re assembling after a day split up on several adventures.  The group was led by two teachers from Canada (one also being a yoga teacher as well), who began bringing groups during their summer break several years before- this may be something on my to do list after retirement!  We headed to bed early with a 4:15 am breakfast and lunch delivery ahead. The ripple in time seemed to stretch again for me as I could not sleep and was vibrating with excitement.  

We left the hostel by 4:45 hoping to get on one of the first of the fleet of 24 Mercedes buses that wind their way up to Machupicchu.  We were surprised to find a significant line already formed but relieved in some way to see it quickly stretch into the dark behind us. We ended up being on the 6^th bus going up.  Words are difficult here to describe the vision and emotion upon first view of this magnificent wonder, Machupicchu. Now it seemed as if time came to a stop, even though we were still in motion. We explored the village and decided that we wanted to make the trip up to the top of Machupicchu mountain.  We made our way up to the entrance (20 minute hike), signed in (14^th, 15^th, & 16^th people that morning) and began climbing the steps.  

Again there are no words to describe this experience and the pictures help only slightly.  We climbed for about an hour and fifteen minutes – (almost straight up!) without passing anyone coming down when we decided that we may have reached our peak and worked our way back down. I was sure (my stomach told me) that it was lunchtime, though when we checked it was only 8:15!  We made our way around to different sections of the village and found a quiet place to eat our lunch.  An amazing crowd has amassed by this time and I was ready to work my way back to Aguas Caleintes.  Time almost seemed to go backwards here as we had two hours to wait for the train back to Ollantaytambo. We made our way back and were treated to another lovely dinner at a small restaurant that seemed to just be open for us.  After one more adventurous cab ride back to Tambo del Inka we all passed out and slept like babies.  Early the next day we said our farewells to Anne who was on her way to the next leg of this exciting adventure.  Stu and I are so grateful to you Anne for bravely taking on this adventure and inviting us into this beautiful slice of it!