Brian's travel adventures: Cusco

Day 19 - Cusco - Sacred Valley

Cusco, Urubamba

Monday, 9 September 2013

Today we travelled by bus from Cusco to the Sacred Valley. We stopped along the way at Awana Kancha to look at the different varieties of alpacas and lamas. We spent a bit of time looking at the obligatory tourist shop. We learnt how they dye the wool and we also learnt that the Incas grew 300 different types of potatoes and 200 different types of corn that are still used to this day.

We briefly stopped for a photo opportunity of the Sacred Valley.

We then travelled to the market at Pisac. Some went crazy and bought silver, for which Perunis famous. A wander around and finished off with an empanada for a snack.

We then drove through to our hotel which was once a monetary and dropped off our bags and Ian who was feeling unwell. We then continued on the Tunupa Restaurant for lunch. Great views there and a lovely meal.

After lunch we continued on to Ollantaytambo and climbed the ruins. It was 270 steps to the top and we stopped several times on the way. The altitude is still causing the usual shortness of breath. It was amazing up there and I can't wait to get to Machu Picchu tomorrow. The rocks were cut out of the mountain approximately 6km away and rolled to the current location. These rocks way approximately 60 tonnes each. In order to cross the river, they stopped by the side of the river with a number of the rocks. Once they had done that, they then redirected the river around the rocks and they now had them on the other side of the river and could continue the journey. Quite an ingenious civilization.

We returned to the hotel, only to find the Internet is reluctant to work. Having dinner at 730 and an early night as we have to leave the hotel at 545am

	Awana Kancha [Map]		Awana Kancha [Map]
	Awana Kancha [Map]		Sacred Valley [Map]
	San Agustin Monasterio de la Relocata [Map]		Tunupa Restaurant [Map]
	Tunupa Restaurant [Map]		Ollantaytambo [Map]
	Ollantaytambo [Map]		Ollantaytambo [Map]
	Ollantaytambo [Map]		Ollantaytambo [Map]