Ollantaytambo and Cuzco

        We returned to Ollantaytambo on the train, and spent another night here.  Ollanta (as the locals call it) was an important place for the Incans, it was a grainary.  The ruins here are almost as large as Machu Pichu, but were discovered by the spanish conquistadors, and heavily damaged.  The main city was above the current town, and we hiked up to see the ruins.  This wall was in remarkably good shape, and the 12 trazpezoidal windows a long-term source of curiosity.













These people were dressed like many locals.  The man, on the left, is wearing the most gorgeously colored clothes, and was carrying no burden.  The woman, on the right, is wearing the typicaly hat of  Ollantaytambo.  It looks like a bowl of flowers!  The locals do not appreciate being photographed, so I  'stole' this photo.









This woman gave me permission to take her photo, after I gave her some soles.  She was wearing at least 4 layers of skirts, and who knows how many layers of sweaters/shirts.  It gets very cold at night here, and the only heat is from a fire.

















Most of the rooftops in the Sacred Vally are adorned with a pair of clay bulls, a miniature ladder, a rooster of some sort and a small clay pot.  The bull image dates from post-conquest times, when the spaniards introduced the cow to Peruvian culture.  The tableau is a cross culturaral religious icon, blessing the house and protecting it from evil.






















Another beer...we liked this one.  A pilsner.  Served warm, of course!

















 Pachacuti, the Incan Ruler who probably built Machu Pichu.  This statue is atop a tower we climbed for the view of Cuzco.   Many locals can trace their family back to Pachacuti, and are very proud to have the name.



















The market in Cuzco was one of the best we saw!  Brightly lit with natural light, clean, wide aisles, it was a good place for shopping or eating cheaply.  I loved the expressions on the pigs faces here!













Ceviche is a national dish in Peru, and we ate it almost every day.  This woman assembled a most delicious plate of river ceviche for our lunch.  While Cuzco is probably the biggest tourist town in Peru, the mercado doesn't see many tourists.  And even fewer who eat there!






Cuzco is not only about 2 miles above sealevel, it's built up and down the mountain sides.  It's impossible to walk far on a flat sidewalk.  These steps were just outside our hostel, and we had to negotiate them at least twice a day!

Cuzco is a pretty town, with much histoy. Going to Cuzco after Machu Pichu was a great plan.  We learned a tiny bit of history of the Incans before coming back to their capital, and had time to adjust to the altitude.  And, our tourist ticket expired after 3 days in Cuzcu.  We decided to move on....