sasark

Lllamas, ruins, ocean views, cool people -- I'm still floating following an incredible two weeks in Perú!

Because this forum was so helpful to me in planning my trip, I wanted to leave some details about my own travels. First, here's a high-level overview of how I spent my time:

- Three nights in Lima's historic center (at the Gran Hotel Bolivar)
- Two nights in Ollantaytambo (El Albergue)
- Two nights in Aguas Calientes (Andina Luxury)
- Five nights in Cusco (La Piccola Locanda)
- Two nights in Lima's Barranco district (Second Home Peru)

This was probably the most ambitious trip I've undertaken on my own. As a child (and military brat), I traveled extensively in Europe with my family, but as an adult, it's only been in the past few years that I've had the opportunity to travel internationally. I've been to Montreal, Grand Cayman, St. Lucia, and now Perú. I chose Perú because it has, among other qualities, a few attributes that I was particularly drawn to: a world-class city, a gorgeous landscape, and of course its incredible Inca heritage. In all these areas, it surpassed expectations.

Now... on to the details!

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Saturday, Nov. 19 - travel day
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My flight, via Continental, landed on time at about 10 p.m. After gathering my bag and getting through customs, I emerged from the airport around midnight.

I was met by Américo, a taxi driver I arranged when booking my room at the Gran Hotel Bolivar. He spoke some English and was very friendly. Following cautionary advice I'd read on TripAdvisor, I put all my stuff in Américo's trunk -- my money was stashed all over my person in various hidden pockets -- but I didn't see anything that made me feel this was really necessary.

A small white rosary swung from the rear-view mirror as Américo navigated the streets. While he drove, he told me about the city and pointed out a restaurant with a sign that said "Chifa." That means Chinese food, Américo said, reminding me that Lima has a large Chinese diaspora.

Américo estimated it would take 30 minutes to reach our destination, but it seemed hardly any time had passed when we pulled up to the Gran Hotel Bolivar, which is on the Plaza San Martín, a square named for the man who led Perú to independence from Spain. The square is lined with graceful white colonial buildings and is particularly beautiful at night, when it's all lit up.

If you've read a few reviews of the Gran Hotel Bolivar, you probably have a good picture of what it's all about, but here's a quick summary: It is a historic hotel that was quite grand in its day. Today it's a bit worn around the edges, but still glamorous. The hotel's lobby has a stained-glass domed ceiling, and a Model T is parked near the front desk. Unfailingly polite doormen are stationed out front 24 hours a day. Curiously long corridors wind through the upper floors, and the spacious guestrooms have 12-foot ceilings, walk-in closets, and tasteful wooden furnishings. I had requested a room with a view, but they gave me one facing an interior courtyard. This was probably just as well, since even in the interior I could hear traffic from the streets.

The bed was hard, but I slept like a rock after the long day of travel.

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Saturday, Nov. 20 - Lima
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My first day in Lima was amazing!

It started with breakfast at the Bolivar, which featured strong coffee, juice, and a basket of breads. The highlight was a soft croissant that had a layer of caramel baked in -- delicious! The waiter tried to serve me scrambled eggs with ham, but I'm a vegetarian and had to decline.

After that, I was off to explore the city! First I walked to the Plaza de Armas. My idea was to walk through it on my way to the catacombs, then return to the plaza to see the changing of the palace guard at noon. But when I arrived at the plaza, I was surprised to see it packed with people. Surely all these people aren't here to say the changing of the guard, I thought... but it was unclear what was going on. I wandered over to where the crowd was thickest -- near the Cathedral -- and, after perhaps five minutes, a procession started up. At this point, I should mention that I have only rusty college Spanish, but based on what I was able to glean at the time and through a little reconnaissance later, I learned that this was the start of a month-long celebration of San Martín de Porres, the first black saint from the Americas and a much-loved figure. The procession included people carrying a litter that held a statue of the saint, followed by a brass band, the highlight of which was the cymbal player. At times confetti was tossed, and the scent of incense hung heavily in the air. During one stop in the procession, children were lifted up so they could get a closer look at the saint's likeness. Meanwhile, all around the area, vendors sold trinkets commemorating the event. San Martín is often pictured with a broom because he got his start in the Dominican order by cleaning and doing other menial tasks, so among the items sold were small brooms decorated with ribbons and sequins. My broom, bought for 1 sol, is is now a treasured memento of the day. Here's a short video I took of the procession:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e-pR3WiN30

I followed the procession half a block out of the Plaza de Armas, where it stopped for a lengthy reading of verses. I continued watching for a while, then decided maybe it was time to wander away. At this point, I looked behind me and saw still more activity in the plaza. I went back and found myself on the sidelines of a lively parade! This was yet another celebration, totally unrelated, marking the 67th anniversary of an area in Perú called Pasco, which includes several mountain communities. As a nod to the chilly, high-altitude Pasco climates, many of the parade participants wore blankets and other symbols of warm clothes, and dancers sometimes had bright red circles pained on their cheeks. Others wore elaborate face masks. Here is a short video I took of a few of the dancers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6UQmbCSutg

After the parade, I visited (finally!) the Monastary of San Francisco, also known as the catacombs. An English-speaking guide showed us the church's beautiful hand-carved choir, its paintings, the peaceful courtyard, and the library, which contains texts so old they pre-date the conquest. But of course the highlight of this church is its crypts. Apparently, back in the early days of Lima, there were no cemeteries. People were always buried in crypts. Eventually, to make room, bodies were sorted out into groups of skulls, femurs and so forth, and you can see bins of each type of bones in the crypts.

After the Monastary, I just wandered around, enjoying the sights and sounds of the city. I loved the Plaza de Armas. In some ways it looks Spanish, yet the bright yellow buildings and the palm trees give it a different flavor.

Another thing I liked about Lima is that there are so many cafes situated in alcoves along the streets. That is, they do not have exterior walls -- you can just step inside and grab a table, which makes having a snack very tempting. Another enjoyable thing is that many of these cafes have cases and cases of pastries right along the sidewalk to tempt you. The Peruvians most love desserts! Anyway, that afternoon, I found a small cafe and had a towering slice of cake topped with a cherry. Then I headed back in the direction of the Plaza San Martín, and the Museo Andrés Del Castillo. This museum is housed in a beautiful colonial building, and its exhibits include mineral samples from all over Perú, and, on a seemingly unrelated note, textiles and pottery from ancient Peruvian cultures. I especially enjoyed the pottery, which included many depictions of animals. I particularly liked a sculpture of a dog nursing several pups.

Afterward, I walked to El Bolivarcito, a small bar connected to my hotel. This bar offers wonderful nighttime views of the square. I had a pisco sour, the classic Peruvian cocktail made of lime, whiskey and a frothy egg-white topping. I can say now that the pisco sours at this bar were the strongest I had in Perú -- almost too strong! Also, it really struck me that at this bar, every single person was drinking pisco sours! I didn't see a single other beverage being consumed!

Following the cocktail, I drifted into the Bolivar dining room, and asked in imperfect Spanish for a vegetarian meal. I was served a mushroom risotto that was much cheesier than I prefer, but it had no meat so I won't complain!

More later...

qwovadis

AWESOME report thanks for the give back

also love secondhomeperu.com

apulodge.com for me in ollantaytambo.org

more pastoral away from the train station

Idahospud

Very good detail in your report of Lima. Not many write much about it. Looking forward to reading more. We're heading there the last of April.

sasark

qwovadis, thank you so much! Regarding Ollanta, I walked by the Apu Lodge once or twice and thought it looked really nice. In retrospect, I actually wish I had stayed in that area rather than out by the train station, although there were things about El Albergue that I liked.

Idahospud, thanks so much! I really loved Lima. I'll post a gallery of photos with my next day's summary...

sasark

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Monday, Nov. 21 - Lima
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I woke up my second day feeling well rested and firmly in vacation mode (it always seems to take a day or two). However, it was hard to believe my time in Lima was already half over! For my last day, I decided to visit more of the historic churches and colonial mansions described in my guidebook. Most of the mansions you cannot actually go inside of, but you can admire their exteriors. I had also wanted to visit the "Magic Circuit of Fountains," but an attendant at the hotel's front desk told me it isn't possible to go on Monday. (I ended up doing it later in the trip...)

Before leaving for the day, I had breakfast (this time a very good vegetarian omelette along with the same basket of delicious breads). I also decided to take some photos of the interior of the hotel. A member of the cleaning staff saw me doing this and gestured for me to come in and take photos of one of the suites. This was fun -- the suite was big, with a living room and a balcony overlooking the square. I'd heard that, in the past, this hotel has hosted many notable people, including Robert Kennedy, Ava Gardner, and Ernest Hemingway. I couldn't help but wonder if someone famous had ever stayed in this suite.

Then I was off! My first stop was el Palacio Torre Tagle, an 18th-century baroque mansion now home to Peru's Foreign Ministry. The first thing you notice about this building is the perfect color scheme, which includes rose (the exterior walls), mahogany (two elaborate Moorish-style closed balconies), brownish gray (the stone doorway), and bright white (the frothy looking decoration over the door). The overall effect is really striking.

My next stop: La Iglesia de San Pedro. This 17th-century structure isn't too exciting on the outside, but the interior -- wow! Everything is golden and fabulous. The arched white-and-gold ceiling is especially beautiful. I learned later that the church has three doors, but because having three doors is considered appropriate only for cathedrals, the third door must always remain closed. I did not see any other tourists inside -- just people praying -- so I didn't take any photos.

Next I walked to La Iglesia (y Monasterio) de Santo Domingo, which is the church associated with San Martín de Porres. As I walked into the chapel, I immediately recognized the statue of the saint that had been carried around the day before. An altar near the statue also contains the saint's skull, along with the skull of another saint. After looking around a bit, I went to the monastery, where two English-speaking guides showed me different parts of the grounds.

The first guide showed me the bell tower, which had impressive views. I asked about the area to the north, where I could see houses nestled into hillsides. She said that that was just more of Lima, adding that this area also has beautiful churches, but she warned that tourists need to be careful when going there.

The second guide showed me the rest of the monastery (though he said it was more properly called a "friary"). He showed me a beautiful courtyard and pointed out how the arches on the lower level are basic rounded arches, but the ones on the upper level reveal a Moorish influence. We also viewed the library, which has many ancients texts, and a room with an intricate hand-carved cedar ceiling. I believe my guide said that the cedar came from Nicaragua and that the ceiling took 20 years to make.

We also visited a chapel devoted to San Martín. My guide pointed out a large clear case into which people place prayers to the saint. Apparently San Martín was illegitimate, the child of a Spanish nobleman and a free African woman from Panama. He was exceptionally compassionate, and he considered all work sacred, no matter how menial. My guide mentioned that San Martín is particularly well loved in Perú. Later I learned that San Martín loved animals and was a vegetarian, just like me. ; )

I asked my guide where he was from and he said Lima, but that his family originally was from another area in Perú. He said that this is the case for many people from Lima -- they trace their original home to somewhere else in the country.

After Santo Domingo, I wandered a bit, passing two more historic mansions: la Casa de Oquendo and la Casa de Riva-Aguero. Of these two, I thought la Casa de Oquendo was the prettiest. I also passed la Iglesia de San Agustín and admired the elaborate facade but did not try to go inside. Unfortunately, a bird pooped on me here -- I was thankful to have a moist towelette with me. One more reason to carry those around....

My next stop was the cathedral. In the past, the cathedral has been damaged by earthquakes, so the interior is not entirely original, but it's very beautiful. My English-speaking guide, Cristian, was excellent. (The tours are free and you tip the guide at the end.) Among my favorite sights in the cathedral was a painting showing past leaders of Perú. Most are Incan emporers, the last of these being Atahualpa. From there, Spanish kings are shown. I also saw the hand-carved rococo-style choir, the sacristy, and a number of beautiful chapels. There is also an office-like room where I am pretty sure Cristian told me that paperwork related to Peruvian independence were signed... though I could have some part of that wrong.

The cathedral also has something slightly disturbing -- an elaborate chapel that houses the remains of Francisco Pizarro. Given all the bad things Pizarro did, it's disconcerting to see him laid to rest in such a prominent place. I asked Cristian about this, and he said that the crypt does not represent the sentiments of the people of Lima so much as those of the Catholic Church, which honors Pizarro as the founder of the cathedral. An engraving in the chapel also reminds you that Pizarro was the founder of Lima.

Like my last guide, Cristian said that he was from Lima but that his family came from an area to the far north, near Ecuador, where the beaches are exceptionally nice.

After the cathedral, I walked south, stopping in at la Iglesia de la Merced. The inside was crowded with worshippers, many of whom lined up to place a hand on a historic cross that belonged to a 17th-century priest said to have had a vision of the Virgin.

I then continued south, past the the Plaza San Martín, until I reached a greenway bordered by two busy highways on each side. I walked through the greenway until I came to the end. Along the way, I took photos of the Palace of Justice, to the east, and several sculptures. Near the end of the greenway is Lima's art museum, also known as MALI. I looked at my watch and was disappointed to see that it was 5 o'clock -- too late to go inside. (But I did end up returning on my last day in Perú, and I loved it!)

At this point I was hungry. I bought a caramel-flavored cookie from a woman across the street from MALI, then headed back. If I had felt better about my Spanish, I probably would have made a reservation at the Huaca Pucllana restaurant and taken a taxi there. But I was tired, and given my early flight the next day, not to mention a lack of confidence in my ability to handle a Spanish phone call, I opted for a cheap chifa restaurant near the hotel. After a laborious conversation with the proprietor, I ended up with a bowl of soup which, sadly, did contain a chunk of meat, along with a plate of rice and vegetables that was really not very good. At least it was only 7.5 soles! Afterward I eased the pain with a pisco sour at El Bolivarcito and some pleasant conversation with a server there named Walter.

Then I retired to my room, packed up my things and prepared for my flight to Cusco the next day!

sasark

My photos of Lima:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7172500...7628353318733/

sasark

Just a note -- there might be a mistake in my next-to-last post. Re-reading my description of la Iglesia de Santo Domingo, it suddenly seems doubtful that it would have taken 20 years to complete the ceiling, especially since I believe the guide said that many people worked on it. Googling it is not turning up anything, though. If anyone knows more about this, please jump in with the correct details!

sasark

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Tuesday, Nov. 22 - Lima to Ollanta
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It was with reluctance that I checked out of the Bolivar. Besides feeling that I could have easily used another couple of days in the city, I had really enjoyed the hotel itself, despite its little quirks. In fact, of all the hotels I stayed at in Perú, this is the one I most want to return to.

My flight was scheduled for about 10, and I got there a little before 8. Upon arriving at the Taca counter I met an American family, and an American couple. While waiting for the airline's domestic check-in counter to open, we became engrossed in conversation, and later I felt fortunate to have met all of these people, because our flight ended up getting delayed for several hours. As the morning and then afternoon wore on, it was nice having these kindred spirits to talk to -- all had interesting stories and travel experiences to share. So what might have been a boring few hours was actually quite memorable.

At the Cusco airport, I was met by Eloy, a driver I had arranged for through El Albergue. I was impressed that the pickup went seamlessly, despite my flight's long delay. Originally, I had wanted to stop at Salineras and Moray on the way to the hotel, but given the time (it was about 3), Eloy and I both thought it was too late, and we just headed for Ollantaytambo, which is about a two-hour drive.

At one point during the trip, we came around a bend and in the distance below us was a town surrounded by soaring green mountains. Overheard, the sky was gray, and after a moment a thunderclap punctuated the air. It was very dramatic! I asked Eloy the name of the town and he said “Urubamba,” obviously pleased that I was so impressed. As it turned out, this is his hometown.

We chatted off and on during the drive. I asked Eloy if he speaks Quechua and he said it's his first language. As we drove through the countryside and small towns, I noticed the word “Keiko” in big letters on the sides of many buildings – the name struck me as familiar, but Eloy had to remind me of Keiko Fujimori, who lost the recent presidential election. These had been signs of support for her.

We arrived at El Albergue and I got all checked in. El Albergue was exactly as I had imagined it. My room had dark wooden furniture with perfect white bedding. There was a writing desk, fresh flowers, and complimentary water. My room (#15) also had a great view of the mountains on one side; the windows on the other side looked out across a common garden area to other rooms, so I ended up keeping those shutters closed most of the time. The room was larger than I needed, but I had chosen it after e-mailing the hotel and asking which room would be both quiet and have a good view, and this was one of the ones suggested -- overall a good choice, I think.

After getting unpacked, I had dinner at the hotel's restaurant. For some reason, I chose fettuccine with pesto – usually I avoid pasta if there’s another vegetarian option, but I was in the mood for comfort food. As it turned out, the entrée was just OK, but I really liked the complimentary potato appetizer, and the pisco sour was tasty and strong. There was only one other party dining, but otherwise the atmosphere was nice -- the tables were lit by tapered candles, and the view of the train platform made the setting unique. A musician provided entertainment -- very relaxing.

Debbiekep2

Really am enjoying reading this!!

sasark

Thank you so much, Debbiekep!

sasark

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Wednesday, Nov. 23 - Ollanta
========================

During my first morning at El Albergue, I decided that the bed in my room was miraculous and that the plumbing was a bit dodgy. (Nothing terrible happened, but the toilet made me a little nervous, and the shower went ice-cold one time before coming back a few minutes later.) Given some of the much-worse shower problems people have in Perú, overall I thought it was a good tradeoff. ; )

For my first full day in Ollanta, I wanted to explore the ruins. First I had breakfast at El Albergue, which was excellent: fresh papaya and kiwi, scrambled eggs, toast, juice, and coffee. My server was the same pleasant person who had waited on me the night before. I never got her name, but she brought me every meal I had at El Albergue and was always wonderful.

Before visiting the ruins, I wanted to buy a pair of sunglasses – the sun was so bright! – so I walked into town and headed for the square. At the shop where I bought the glasses, I noticed that the proprietress also was selling Kingston memory cards. I felt I was going through memory a lot quicker than I’d expected, so I asked her how much she charged for 8GB. She said 125 soles. About 20 minutes later, I saw another shop closer to the ruins selling the exact same card for 90 soles, so I guess the moral is shop around (or bring enough with you!).

My first impression of Ollanta was that it was more touristy than I had been expecting. It felt a bit odd to look around the centuries-old settlement -- or at least the most heavily traveled parts of it -- and see so many iPhone-wielding visitors (and so much business geared directly to them). As a tourist myself, perhaps I shouldn't complain about a place being touristy, especially since it's the "touristy-ness" of a location that means you can do things like buy extra memory even though you're up in the Andes! I think I just had expected it to be a bit more sleepy.

So, that was my first impression -- the following day I spent more time exploring some of the town's quieter paths, and that was a lot better. In fact, nice as El Albergue is, walking through the quieter parts of Ollanta made me wonder if I should have found lodging in one of *these* areas -- perhaps doing so might have let me better soak up the feeling of the town, and get more of a sense of what makes it special. Maybe next time.

Anyway... at the ruins, I bought my boleto turistico, and almost immediately a woman came up to me to ask if I wanted a guide. My feelings were mixed. I like to walk around ruins at my own pace, but I didn’t know that much about this site, so I decided to use her services. I paid her 60 soles for two hours.

My guide's English wasn’t great, but I really enjoyed her company. She told me a lot of interesting things about the ruins, pointing out some of the finer stonework, for example, and showing me small outcroppings in stones that might have been used as handholds while construction was still in progress. But more than that, it was just fun talking at length to someone from Perú. For instance, she told me a little about what it was like living there during the internal conflict. She also asked me about the native tribes of North America, and I thought her questions were really interesting. After quite a lengthy hike up the hillside, we sat for a while staring at the view to the northwest, and she told me that sometimes she likes to walk way to the end of the ruins and just be by herself, which I thought sounded just like me!

After the tour, I was both hungry and out of money, so I walked back to El Albergue to get some cash from my room. While at the hotel, I used a tiny laptop they have at the front desk to try to figure out what was wrong with the international phone that I bought prior to the trip, and which had stopped working as soon as I entered Perú. Finding no immediate answers, I e-mailed the company, then I walked back into town and had a piece of cake at the Hearts Café, and wrote in my journal for a while.

While at the ruins, my guide had pointed out people walking around the “other” ruins on the hillside opposite us, but it wasn’t clear to me exactly how to get to that site. I could tell the general direction, but didn't want to wander down someone's private property or anything -- it looked like you had to go through a residential area. After consulting the Lonely Planet guidebook and seeing nothing there that helped, I walked to the visitors' office on the main square and they gave me a map. They also mentioned that the walk through this area, called Pincuyllana, takes about three hours round trip. It was about 4:30, so I decided it might be better to go the next day.

Afterward I walked back to El Albergue and gathered up my things so I could be ready to check out the next morning. Then I headed back to the hotel's restaurant for my second dinner there. Perhaps for variety, I should have tried someplace else, but I hadn't really researched other dining veggie options, and I was curious about a Peruvian vegetarian entrée on the El Albergue menu. The entrée was a quinoa-potato dish, and to be honest it did not turn out to be that exciting, but at least I could say I finally had a meal that was more Peruvian than Italian or Chinese! Also, I was again served a complimentary appetizer (cheese and olives -- yum), and the restaurant was hopping with people this time.

After the leisurely meal, I spent some time reading a book I'd brought with me about the Incas, before drifting into a sound sleep in that awesome bed.

colduphere

Sasark - looking forward to your comments on La Piccola Locanda as we are staying there in two weeks. But no hurry ... very nice report.

sasark

Thanks, colduphere! I’ll talk more about la Piccola Locanda more when I get to Cusco, but my general feeling about it was that it was a good value, despite some quirks (including its location at the top of a steep pedestrian-only road, and noisiness on a few nights). Breakfast was simple but good, and overall the staff was friendly, though their approach is definitely more hostel-style than hotel-style. The immediate area is not very remarkable, but it is convenient to the Plaza de Armas.

I loved my room (“Biblioteca”) -- this was my favorite thing about the hotel. The room was decorated with bright colors, interesting photos, a writing desk, and a comfortable bed. One of the windows looked onto the Plaza de Armas. My room was on a corner, so it actually had windows on two walls, which was nice – the views were especially pretty at nighttime, with the lights sparkling all over the hillsides. Just be aware that when they say on the Spanish version of their web site that the rooms have "balcones," this apparently does not translate to "balconies." (Don't trust Google Translate on this!) That is, these are not terraces that you can go out onto – they are tall windows, stretching almost to the floor, with flower boxes at the base. They actually are very pretty.

As a sidenote, the taxi driver taking me there for the first time had a lot of trouble figuring out where to drop me off, even though I gave him the exact address – I guess it’s hard for them to know exactly, since the street is pedestrian-only and there's no way to drive directly to the right spot. I figured out later it’s best to tell taxi drivers to drop you at la Iglesia de San Cristóbal. From there you can walk down to the hotel.

colduphere

Thanks Sasark - they sent us instructions on what to tell the taxi drivers. I think they said what you said. We are travelling with three tenagers so hostel is good. And the stairs ... well we might as well get used to them as we start the Inca Trail after 4 nights at the hotel.

sasark

Ah yes, good training!!

mlgb

Nice work sasark, I look forward to more. The plaza where Bolivar is located, and the downtown center of Lima seem to have improved even more in the past year, with the implementation of the Metropolitano transit system.

I was able to visit some of Lima museums requiring a reservation or travel agent.. Casa Aliaga, Museo Amano and the astonishing Enrico Poli collection.

I think Amano would be possible to visit as an individual by writing or calling ahead. What a fantastic collection of Chancay textiles.

If anyone has questions about the Metropolitano or the special museums, before I can get around to a trip report, please ask.

gg

Sasark- Do you have the contact info for Gran Hotel Bolivar and Andina Luxury Hotel?

sasark

Thanks mlgb! It sounds like you had a great trip! How awesome to go inside Casa Aliaga -- I can't wait to hear more!

gg, I do not have direct contact info for either of those hotels. However, for the Bolivar, if you write to Tambos Peru ([email protected]), they might be able to answer your questions. (I made my reservation through booking.com, and that was the contact listed in the confirmation e-mail -- apparently it is just a management company that handles the hotel's reservations.) Anyway, I wrote to that e-mail address to arrange my airport pickup and verify that I could check in late, all of which went smoothly.

With Andina Luxury, if it helps, I booked through http://www.machu-picchu-hotel.travel...-accommodation and it was problem-free.

sasark

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Thursday, Nov. 24 - Ollanta to Aguas Calientes
=====================================

My day started with another great breakfast at El Albergue. Then I turned in my room key and checked my luggage for the day.

As I was leaving, a guy at the front desk mentioned that from the hotel there's a nice walk that takes you across the river and up to some Inca terraces. These are on a hillside to the southwest of town. From there, you are supposed to be able to see a pyramid shape in the landscape that points toward the Temple of the Sun. (My guide the previous day had also mentioned this -- she presented it as one of those things that might be intentional or might be accidental, but fun to think about either way.) I decided I would go there if I could get back from Pinkuyllana in time.

So, next: Pinkuyllana! It was easy to find with the map. You basically walk through some quiet residential areas, and follow a path up a hillside. The walk has some steep drop-offs, however, and I hadn't been going long when I realized my fear of heights might be a problem. After some internal debate, I decided to turn back. As I was returning, I realized that the path branches -- I hadn't noticed this when starting out. I decided to try going in the other direction (to the south) and this was a lot better. I spent a few hours exploring this hillside and about 10-12 structures placed along it at various heights. I had the area all to myself, which was fun. I also enjoyed the views of the town and of the other ruins.

Afterward, I walked around the area of town right in front of the trail entrance, then headed north, away from the town center. These paths were very quiet, with not much sound other than that of water rushing through small canals built into the cobblestone walkways. I almost felt like I was intruding, which made me wonder what it would have been like to stay in this area (and "belong" there). I walked past the Apu Lodge and it looked very peaceful.

Eventually I headed back toward El Albergue, with some reluctance (I realized I probably wouldn't see the town again). But I wanted to check the directions to the terraces and also to get a snack. After doing both, I was off.

So, to get to the terraces, you walk south along the train tracks until reaching a bridge. You cross the bridge and then follow an uphill path that runs northwest. It drizzled a little while I was walking, but I liked the excursion. It was fun to see the town and both sets of ruins from a distance. The area was very secluded and I wondered if it was smart to be doing this alone, but things seemed fine (though I did see a dog that didn't look too happy with my presence).

Once I got to the terraces, I stopped to rest and take pictures. I have to admit, I couldn't really see the pyramid, but I liked the views. On the way back, the clouds cleared, and I could see the tip of an ice-peaked mountain to the north that was especially pretty.

I got back to El Albergue about 4:45 or so, which was well-timed for me -- as a slightly nervous traveler, I had wanted to be back well ahead of boarding time (6:30). I stood at the outdoor bar on the train platform, ordered a Cuzqueño, the local beer, and chatted with the guy working there, Cristian. In the course of conversation, he asked if I'd had a chance to see the town at night, when it's lit up with street lights and apparently very attractive. Ack -- no, I hadn't! Ah well, another reason to return.

While we were standing there, an Australian couple came by to see if the restaurant was open and were told it was closed for the whole night. I was surprised, then learned that the people were inside celebrating Thanksgiving! I had known that El Albergue is owned by Americans, but I had completely forgotten it was Thanksgiving.

As it turns out, the holiday spirit was very much with this family, as evidenced when one of them came out and asked me and Cristian if we wanted Thanksgiving plates and then asked another very thoughtful question. ("Any dietery restrictions?" -- a query a vegetarian appreciates...) Moments later, a huge plate of wonderful vegetarian foods was brought to me (and a regular plate brought to Cristian). Talk about hospitality!! Some time later, plates of pastries appeared as well, and Cristian made cappuccino. As we ate and chatted, the shadows grew longer and eventually the light started to fade. I decided the platform looked especially romantic at this time of day.

Finally it was almost 6:30. Cristian kept telling me I had plenty of time and should wait to board until closer to the train's departure time (7:00), but that's just not the way I roll! So I said goodbye to him and joined the masses lining up outside Car A.

I was near the front of the line, and right behind me were three Chinese people. I used to study Mandarin Chinese, but it was a long time ago and I honestly couldn't tell whether they were speaking Mandarin or not. I asked them in Spanish if they spoke Spanish. They said only a little and that they were from Macau. When I said I was from "los Estados Unidos," they didn't seem to understand. Then boarding began, things got a bit hectic, and the conversation was lost.

Seats are assigned on these trains, so I boarded and walked up and down looking for my place. When I finally found it, I was happy to see it was next to the three travelers from Macau, who greeted me warmly. They again asked me where I was from and motioned for me to open my passport. When I did, the man said, "oh, the US -- so you speak English?" This was said in perfect English, and we laughed about our previous struggles to chat. So began the pleasant train ride. It was too dark to enjoy the views, but it was fun talking to the people seated around me, which also included the Australian couple who had been seeking dinner at El Albergue.

It's hard to describe the upbeat mood of the train that night. It was as if there was an electricity generated by all these people looking forward to seeing the same unique place -- everyone seemed happy, excited, and completely easygoing. You don't always get that on a crowded train!

When we got to Aguas Calientes, I said goodbye to my new friends and looked for the person meeting me from Andina Luxury. Most of the hotel representatives had signs showing guests' names, but I didn't seem my name anywhere. Finally I saw a sign with the names of *hotels* listed, and my hotel was on that list. So I joined the hotel guy and, after waiting for a few other guests, we set off on the short walk to Andina Luxury.

I got checked in, and was glad to see my room was very cozy. The river was right outside, and the sound of rushing water was soothing. While "luxury" might be a bit of an overstatement, I liked the room quite a bit.

I spent some time getting ready for the next morning (laying out my clothes, counting out some cash, packing a wallet with my MP ticket, etc. -- that sort of thing). Finally I fell into bed exhausted and... couldn't sleep! Then I realized -- cappuccino! I never drink it in the afternoon, so the caffeine was having its way with me. Ah well! It wasn't too bad and eventually I fell into a deep sleep.

The bed was incredibly comfortable, and one of my last thoughts before drifting off was that it was a shame I would never sleep in here. But my alarm was set for 4:30 -- Machu Picchu couldn't wait!

sasark

Some photos of Ollanta:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7172500...7628438312971/