3rd Posting - Ollantaytambo, Cuzco, and Lima

To see the Machu Pichu pictures, scroll down to the 2nd posting......

Well, I had planned to finish this blog with the second posting and the pictures of Machu Pichu. Silly me! After leaving Machu Pichu I took over 200 photos and Peru just continued to amaze! The people in the rural areas are so colorful, wearing traditional clothes not for tourists, but just because that's what they do. The town of Cuzco was stunningly beautiful, and finally, Lima really surprised us. The main square in Lima is probably as beautiful as any city's main square in the world. The coastal suburb of Miraflores was modern and chic and felt far more like southern California than South America. I'll have to admit, Peru took me off guard and this has been an overwhelming and wonderful three days!

For the second night in a row landslides stopped the trains from running. On our way to Machu Pichu we waited 3 hours for trains to start going again and on the way back from Machu Pichu we waited 8 hours for the tracks to open! But we made it both directions. Here Alan and Kermit marvel at the wild and crazy Urubamba River in Aguas Calientes.

Main plaza in Aguas Calientes

I took lots of people pictures - they are just so colorful.

A preferred mode of transportation around Ollantaytambo is the Moto-Car.

So many of the women have long braids, tied together in the back.

The residential area of Ollantaytambo is a delight to explore. It is built on the Inca ruins with straight, narrow alleyways and original Inca walls are the foundation for the houses.

I asked this woman if I could take her picture and she just smiled broadly.

Kermit and Alan in front of our simple but nice little lodge in Ollantaytambo.

Coming into Cuzco - narrow streets, tile roofs, houses built on ancient Inca foundations.

The spectacular Main Square in Cuzco. Cuzco is at over 11,000 feet above sea level and was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire.

The Cathedral

On to Lima - lots of colorful buildings and interesting architecture.

Lima's Plaza Mayor (Main Square) and presidential residence.

Plaza Mayor, Lima

Main Cathedral, Plaza Mayor - Lima

Interior of the Cathedral

Mural to the Spanish Explorers in a side chapel in the Cathedral

Exciting pedestrian shopping street in Lima

Inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Merced

Plaza San Martin

Wonderful artisan markets in Lima

My favorite shops in the market sold all kinds of things made from baby-alpaca wool. So soft!

The Miraflores area of Lima feels much more like Southern California than Peru!

Sunset over the Pacific to end our Marvelous Machu Pichu trip.

I will definitely be back!!

2nd Posting - Machu Pichu

It's no wonder the Spaniards never found Machu Pichu. We had to take a train through a rugged, deep canyon from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (there is no road) and from there we took a bus up a very steep hill with serious switchbacks to reach Machu Pichu itself. The Andes are awesome!

Urubamba River below Machu Pichu

First view as we entered Machu Pichu

Machu Pichu with Wayna Pichu Mountain in the background

We had sunshine as we entered, so I climbed to the top right away in order to get the expansive views of Machu Pichu from the top.

Just above those clouds are amazing snow-capped peaks and glaciers.

Machu Pichu from above

Llama mama with newborn foal

My best overview shot of Machu Pichu

The llama posed perfectly for me.

Looking down, way down, to the Urubamba River

Kermit and Alan

The road we took by bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Pichu

Chinchilla - they run wild around the ruins

Dusk over the ruins

Last view of the ruins as we exited to our hotel, the Sanctuary Lodge

The next morning the world looked quite different. It rained most of the night and in the morning low clouds hung over the mountains. We were grateful for the sun the afternoon before!

Still, it was quite beautiful to see mountains peek through the clouds.

Kermit and Alan took off up the mountain for the Sun Gate, braving the 'Inca Mist'.

The Sanctuary Lodge is directly at the gate to Machu Pichu, the only lodging near the ruins. It is an Orient Express property and one of the most expensive hotels I have ever stayed in, but we were glad to be right at the door to Machu Pichu. Behind the hotel they have a beautiful 'Orchid Path' through the tropical vegetation and I had a lovely walk photographing flowers and trees.

Wild fuchsia

Many of the orchids are small, but many are exquisite.

Hummingbirds were abundant among the flowers.

Here I managed to catch 2 hummingbirds together, actually still enough for a photo.

But by about 9:00 the clouds began to break and the sun started shining again, turning into another beautiful day in Machu Pichu!