Peru - -(2 of 2)

Our tour of Ollantaytambo, passed through the sacred valley, with its Inca terraces and onto our first stop, a 'G adventure' sponsored project designed to help women earn money to support their families. Here we had our first close up encounter with local alpacas, from which they obtain the fine wool or even finer (and softer) baby alpaca wool (first shear from a 1yr old). Set in a small rural village, local women spun, dyed, wove and knitted goods using traditional methods. They showed us how they dyed the wool with different plants and used minerals to change the colours. It was fascinating, the range and vibrancy of their colour palette. The women genuinely wore the local dress, and we learnt the code used to indicate if they were single, single dating and married; it's all about how they wore their hats.

We also stopped at a local pottery place and were shown how brinks, still regularly used, were made of dirt and straw. The houses are strong enough to be two storeys and can last 100 years. Their use was very evident, and we were told tradition has it that houses for newlyweds are built by men who join forces to make the houses for each other—a form of collectivism.

Our journey also took us past 'Gringo town' famed for its locally mined silver, past a pod hotel high on the side of a cliff, and to a village where everyone waved grilled Guinea pigs at us as we entered (a local delicacy since Inca times). Tempted, many of the groups chipped it to buy one (for £12) to try for lunch. Our final stop before reaching Ollantaytambo was another sponsored project which offered a 5-course tasting lunch. However, he didn't seem that keen (it tasted like greasy chicken).

Ollantaytambo deserved more time than our short orientation walk. Set in a high valley, it was littered with Inca remains and overlooked from two sides by ancient terraces and buildings. Many streets were too narrow for cars, often cobbled, mainly originally Inca. Its pretty, small square, surrounded by rustic and colourful shops and restaurants, acted as a focal point for the town, and in the evening, the road system became a volleyball court for locals. We crashed after a group meal in one of the better restaurants that offered some local dancing demonstrations.

We weren't to enjoy our quaint and simple hotel (Inca Paradise Hotel) for long. It was a 5.45am start, kicked off with a typical breakfast of egg and fruit, but we were all buzzing - it was Easter Sunday, and we were off the Machu Picchu.

As the sun rose above the mountain tops, we queued in the busy train station, which led to Machu Picchu. The train was much more than expected, with reserved seating and windows that curved into the roof, offering a fantastic panoramic view. The views were stunning - Incan farming terraces, increasingly lush vegetation and snow-capped mountains. The train wound us through valleys, tracing the route of a wild, untamed river, treating us for its 1 1/2 hour journey time. The journey is quoted as one of 10-20 of the best railway journeys in the world.

Stopping at Machu Picchu "town," we clambered off into a rambling 'shanty' ski-type resort and boarded surprisingly good quality minibuses to ride for about 30 mins upwards through twisty roads with sheer drops, finishing at the entrance of Machu Picchu. It was stunning; the setting made it more so. We were lucky, too; the day was clear and warm, and it was less busy than usual due to the pandemic.

Impressively, we managed to Facetime others to enjoy the experience, if only a little, Martin, his mum and Jacqui, her daughter. Technology is amazing.

Expert guides guided our tour, and Martin managed to ask a few good questions, such as "Could that just be a coincidence it looks like that'" when the guide pointed out a carving on a rock (you did need to have a good imagination to see it) and "What did they do with their poo?". The guided didn't understand what sewage was - but pointed it out it was a good question as the inhabitants had to avoid disease etc. - commoners had to go out into the jungle (Amazon) to do their 'business', the rich would do it in a pot and servants would take it out to empty in the jungle (then clean the pot with ash. (for more on Machu Picchu see - 'Achieving a childhood dream')

We thought the trip back on the train would be uneventful. Jacqui, exhausted, wanted to sleep, but first, we had a display show with someone dressed as a Sharman of sorts and then the most bizarre fashion show! The staff walked through the carriage trying to sell us the jumpers, scarves and ponchos they'd just been showcasing - very strange, very funny. Martin managed to get the theme tune of Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones on his phone, so we gazed upwards and imagined we were on our way through Jurassic Park - it felt very authentic! Jacqui, who had dressed in her adventure gear, designed to ward off any flying insects, looked the part of Indiana Jones, though she might adopt the name 'Indiana'!!

Our visit to Peru had plenty more to offer. On the same day (due to a national strike), we returned to enjoy a guided walk through Cusco and plenty of leisure time to wander and enjoy the city. With one more full day, Martin organised a group walk to some nearby Inca Ruins, the fortress temple of Sacsayhuaman. Some say this is more impressive than Machu Picchu. We climbed what seemed endless streets and paths to the flat plain above the city. The fortress had three defensive walls, each built in the impressive Incan architecture - where stones are shaped to fit each other with no need for mortar. These stones ranged from small to massive - up to 100 tonnes and 3 metres high. It was something to marvel at for sure.

We had a final Group meal that night as some were going on a trip through the Amazon. We told our guide we were impressed with how 'open' the city was - they had rainbow flags flowing everywhere, only to be corrected - it's the regional flag for Cusco, we were told, not gay pride! We enjoyed the mix of people and again valued some rich discussions with many of them.

On our next day, after a brief tour of some of the churches built in the 1600s by the Spanish invaders, we returned to the oxygen-rich Lima, enjoying a trip to a spectacular night fountain show, an entrance fee of just 80p. Squeezing in yet another activity before our flight to America, we visit one of the many museums only to find, some 3/4 hour into a guided tour, that it wasn't the museum we wanted to go into. It was actually around the corner and about to close.

On the way back to the hotel, Martin decided he wanted to dip his feet in the Pacific. Unfortunately, a large wave resulted in more than his feet getting wet; he was lucky not to lose his trainers that started to wash away from the beach! On the other hand, Jacqui was thrilled to find Paddington Bear finally…

So, after the last meal with another departing guest, Ellie, we taxied to the modern airport for a late flight out.

Overall we loved Peru - the culture, history, food and value. We left feeling pleasantly surprised and willing to return to explore more.

M&J