The rooster crows early, during breakfast

Cheese

We got an early start to the day, we still had a couple hour drive into to Cusco and needed to buy our tickets to Machu Picchu, and return the motorcycle today. We are going to visit an animal rehabilitation and refuge center. Ollantaytambo is a Incan town and agriculture site, it is the best representation of an Incan village left. Pisac is on our list too, not just the ruins but the whole town, it has one of the best craft markets.

Ollantaytambo

Pondering life, so this is what happens when a community doesn’t have TVs.

Survey marker Mateo was really excited about this!!

It goes from cold to hot in a moment.

“A mountain over there!”

Ollantaytambo

The Drive up to Pisac

Pisac

We found a good place to eat just before leaving town to begin our race to Cusco. I am in love with Peru, the mountains and valleys, the people and rich culture. I am so glad we made this our last country on our trip. My home sickness had fled and I’m ready for our next two and half weeks. I think about arriving in LA and having to find a job when I get home, and even the sound of having a cell phone is strange, uggh. Well that’s all for when I get home for now we have beautiful Peru a head of us. the animal refuge was much larger than I expected, with birds, llamas, Peruvian hairless dogs, bobcats, and Condors.

Animal Refuge, they had 5 rescued Condors

Condors above us, lucky they are scavengers and only eat dead meat!

They had examples of how they naturally dyed Alpaca yarn

For demonstrations they have people from close by villages demonstrate and sell handicrafts.

On our way back into Cusco

The man him self looking over Cusco

We arrived back in Cusco after catching some extra sights to see, unloaded our motorcycle went to et our tickets, finished the night with pizza and went back to our couch surfing spot. Luis had let us keep the majority of our belongings at his house while we go venture off to different places, he has been really great. We will catch a direct bus to the town of Hydro Electrica, about an 8 hours drive, then hike to Aguas Calienté. This town is so called very touristy but only reachable by train or foot, no roads should be fun. Then the following day we plan on hiking to Machu Picchu.

Our first stop on our motor bike tour, Chinchero Church

Some of the beautiful mountains on the road.

Moray Incan agriculture site.

Mateo’s favorite steps of the Incans, llama leggings and all

Down in the lowest circle, where the lowest temperature crops could grow.

Surrounded by awesome!

Maras Salt ponds

Tasty Salt

Thes salt ponds have been around for hundreds of years, all this salt comes from the smallest salty stream

After we finish at the salt pools we head down to Urubamba. We booked a hostel for the night. This hostel had no reviews on Hostel World it could be awesome it could be horrible. We also thought we would stay in a tent at the hostel, it was cheaper and we like tents. To wake up in the Andes in a tent would be awesome. We arrived in the town of Urubamba, and found our hostel. It was tucked away off the main road, down a dirt road. This place was perfect for Mateo and me, all of the facilities were outside individual rooms, the kitchen, living area, bathroom and the recreation area. It was cold, colder than Cusco, this is the highest elevation we have been at, still no elevation sickness. Our host Juan Carlos served us cocoa tea right way, tastes similar to green tea. The he served us some traditional Peruvian corn beer, tastes similar to kombucha, it didn’t taste like it had a significant amount of alcohol in it. Juan Carlos also thought that it was too cold to sleep outside and put us into one of the hostels rooms they had for no extra cost. We would be the only guests for the night! It felt so much like being in a cabin in the woods high up in the mountains. Juan Carlos and his wife Judith opened their hostel only 8 months ago, he did work for a hostel in Cusco. His small hostel is in competition with the big hotels in Urbamaba, there is only one other hostel in town. I think they will do great. We took the motorcycle a short distance into town and explored until it was dark. We had a delightful dinner with Juan Carols and Judith. Motorcycle riding really took it out of both of us, my butt hurts and my back too.

Hostel hang out with a cap fire inside

Mateo and I with our hosts Juan Carlos and Judith

Mountain Flowers