We only had about a day and a half in Lima due to our missed flight. I really wish we had had more time there, but we still saw a lot! ^^ From the hotel rooftop ^^ How dreamy is this?! Our hotel had the BEST breakfasts.
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We spent our first day in the Sacred Valley hiking part of the Inca Trail. Even then shorter version (7 miles) kicked my butt! But the views were so worth it. It was such a spectacular day. Words really can't do it justice. ^^ That's cute little Jon sitting way up there :) ^^ Soaking in the view as we turned the corner and saw this sight below: Tired and sweaty, we returned to our hotel where we found a giant spider waiting for us in our room (I'm talking larger than my hand), to which the grounds keeper, upon our request to remove it, gave a little chuckle and said "Oh that? Typical garden spider..." But nothing a good massage and spa sesh can't cure. On our way out of the Sacred Valley, we got stuck on the tracks due to a teachers' strike in Cusco. It was quite amazing how the teachers, students, and community members rallied make an impact; they had effectively blocked all roads going to/from Machu Picchu for miles. Like, a lot of miles. In the middle of the night, they had taken out some of the rails on the tracks and littered the roads with giant boulders so that it was impossible to drive around them. It ended up delaying our trip by about 5 hours or so, which also caused us to miss our flight back to Lima, but it actually ended up being a really memorable experience for me. Teacher power!!!
On our last day in Urabamba, we ate lunch at a quaint farm to table restaurant. It was such a hidden gem! After a delicious lunch, we hiked to see the salt mines in Maras. How many pictures of salt is too many? I refer you back to my post about llamas, in which I think I made a strong case for "there's no such thing." Later that evening, we all gathered for a Pisco tasting and dinner. I'm not exactly sure how it happened as I was already a bit tipsy, but somehow I ended up cooking with the chef in a demonstration for the rest of the group. Please enjoy the awkward photos below haha. How obvious is my fear of fire? SUCH a fun night. One I'll never forget.
Later during our stay in Urabamaba we visited Ollantaytambo. The ruins were just as spectacular as Sacsayhuaman. HOW did they get the stones stacked so perfectly? Seriously... It was totally mesmerizing to be there, After hiking around the ruins, we visited a community farther up in the hills. After a full day's work, the women of the community come home and weave (as a hobby). As someone how has recently taken up waving, I can tell you that it is incredibly laborious and strenuous work. It blows my mind that they're able to do it after working in a field all day. And their weavings were spectacular. See for yourself below! ^^ My mom made me buy a hat. Haha. So I rocked this super for the rest of the trip ;) ^^ The kids all lined up for a box of apples that Backroads brought them. I'm not sure why they all held on to each other, but seriously, could they be any cuter? ^^ And a random donkey
We left Cusco for a day of biking and headed to our next location: Urubamba. The bike ride was bumpy, to say the least, but included some amazing views and even a quick jaunt through a crop fire. ^^ literal twins Our hotel, Sol y Luna Lodge, was unreal. We stayed in little casitas which were painted brightly and so cute. I loved all the bright colors and plants. So dreamy. We spent the earlier part of the day at the Pisac ruins, the site of the largest Inca cemetery. Pisac overlooks the Sacred Valley and has some pretty incredible views. I was so mesmerized by those green terraces! ^^Pisco and the spa are always a good way to finish the night ;)
A little late to posting about this here (would you expect anything less from me?), but I have some super exciting news! Pilates on Seventh is finally up and running. After undergoing many changes and moves, it is in it's newest temporary home. Ha! It will change again once we finish our space out back. But for now, it is perfect and I'm in love. Here's a little tour! |
ELLEfeminist. linguist. traveller. foodie. crafter. ARCHIVES
January 2018
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All photos are the property of Elizabeth Cheney and may not be used without permission.
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