Peru trip - The Sacred Valley

We left reasonably early in the morning to explore what is called “the Sacred Valley” that lay just below Cusco and that wind its way down through what is called “the Inca's Balcony”, in Chinchero, a picturesque spot with some impressive views, where a dozen families still clings to the their traditional customs.

We were shown the ancestral way in which they process the wool, and get those vivid colors in their textiles. This stop was incredibly well staged, interesting and so informative that it may stay as one of the key highlights of our entire trip. We fell under the spell and bought some of their pieces.

Afterward, we continued down to Ollantaytambo, one of the most monumental architectural complexes of the ancient Inca Empire, which also happened to be one of the few places where the Spanish conquistadors lost a major battle.

Very well known for its “andenes” (agricultural terraces dug into the mountain slopes), Ollantaytambo served both as a strong fortress and a temple. Another great opportunity to come close and personal to the incredible stone masonry technique mastered by the Incas.

Then, we walked around the town of Ollantaytambo, “a unique living Inca town” standing example as the best surviving example of Inca city planning, with its narrow cobblestone streets that have been continuously inhabited since the 13th century. Our guide also share with us the Incas creed, or Chakana, that said it all in three key principles; “Don't lie, don't steal, don't be lazy.” That one made a big impression on me!

Our hotel for the night was the San Agustin Monasterio de la Recoleta. a charming hotel, planted in the middle of nowhere in Urubamba, with poorly trained personnel. We walked through the poor town of Urubamba in the afternoon, took refuge inside its covered market to escape a rain-shower and walked back to our hotel.

Our health and appetite were still in recovery mode...