Ollantaytambo and Aquas Calientes

The Sacred Valley, as it is called, is the route of buses and trains headed to Machu Picchu. We spent a few hours in the ruins of Ollantaytambo and then rode the train on to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Village.

Misty afternoon at Ollantaytambo, last stand of the Incas against the Spanish

Looking down on the modern town

Niches (possibly altars or tombs) and a doorway

Terraces

Ingenious!

We found out later that this might have been a tomb. Elisa felt extremely disrespectful.

VISTADOME!

Living in luxury. With coffee.

The river in Aguas Calientes

Whoa.

A celebratory, pre-Machu Picchu feast. So much delicious food.

Ayacucho and neighboring Quinua

Exploring the city and its surroundings

Ayacucho´s central plaza

Our first cafe con leche, or coffee with milk (many more to follow)

Ayacucho from our private roof-top

Art in the artisans´ neighborhood of Santa Ana

Really? Yes.

Mmm... tuna...

Elisa made Maggie go to the Obelisk, site of the battle of Ayacucho. We don´t really know what happened. Someone fought someone else. We think it resulted in the end of colonial rule of Peru. The mountains were pretty.

The village of Quinua, known for its ceramics.

Huancayo to Ayacucho!

A beautiful, but slightly harrowing bus ride...

Hilarity in Huancayo

Beauty - only after we DIDN´T fall off the edge of the cliff!

Following a river valley (phew). Still pretty.

We made it to Ayacucho.

I´m alive! And I have a private roof-top!

LIMA ROUND 1

New tactic: photos and captions only!
Our first day together...

Barranco - the land of Peruvian hipsters!

Pretty park on our way to the beach

Flowers - a shock for Elisa!

Chicha morada, purple corn juice- so delicious we drank the entire pitcher!

Pretty sunset which we watched later from a hill overlooking the ocean

Lima coastline - a view of the Pacific