10 days of exhausting, thrilling, and challenging travel had passed since we left our home in Lima. Now it was time to leave Cusco for the Sacred Valley. While we had enjoyed the trip thus far, six hotels in 10 days was a bit fast paced.
Drive to the Sacred Valley
We were looking forward to getting out to the slow-paced valley and enjoying some down time at a new B&B, Casa de Tres Osos in Yucay. It was perfect. It was just what we needed. Not only were our bodies rested, but our souls were rejuvenated with some quiet time and fellowship with some like-minded new friends.
The Sacred Valley
The first night we got to lay out under the stars under thick alpaca blankets and gaze at the amazing galaxy God has created for us. The Milky Way was crystal clear. As we laid there, someone in the village started playing a bamboo flute. Lightning from behind the mountains lit the sky a few times and we saw a shooting star. It was beautiful!
The next day we made the trip into Ollantaytambo to see the magnificent ruins.
The Ollantaytambo Ruins
After a wonderful lunch at a local organic restaurant (that gives 100% of their proceeds to a group that cares for the women and children of the highland villages – I was glad to see places like this because we’ve seen there is a huge need for help), we started our hike up to the ruins.
Excited to start the hike!
The steps were so very steep! Olivia climbed up the first two long stretches of stairs – she was very determined – and counted each step for a while… We met up with our friends from the B&B at the top of the stairs and they took our picture for us.
Family pic at the ruins!
Cliff loved finding places to “sit!” and kept inviting Olivia to sit with him.
“Sit”ting at the ruins
It was very cute. Olivia was promised a brownie after the long stretch of stairs (now that I think of it, maybe that’s where her determination was coming from….) She shared a little with her roly-poly, “Roly”, who was being kept in an old Trader Joe’s mint tin, and then decided he also needed to eat some dirt.
Feeding Roly some brownie
Roly didn’t make it the whole trip. She had a little funeral a ways later, which consisted of a moment of silence, an apology that went something like, “I’m sorry Roly.” and then she squished him into oblivion.
Funeral for Roly Poly
The ruins were absolutely incredible.
Huge stones and doorway
Trying to imagine how the Inka people cut out these perfectly squared stones and got them on the side of this mountain was just mind boggling!
Sitting on huge carved stones
The view of the valley wasn’t too shabby either.
Checking out the view
View over Ollantaytambo from the ruins
We got another quick family picture, thanks to a kind tourist.
In the ruins
Cliff really liked climbing these steps, then just perched himself on the side, content to look around and soak in the view.
Climbing the ruins
Sitting on the steps
The rooms in these ruins let you almost see what life could have been like thousands of years ago on this mountainside.
Checking out a room
Playing in the ruins
At the top of the ruins
On the way down we had a long hike down more steep steps, and I was thankful for good tennis shoes, and an ergo for Cliff.
Hiking down
When we got to the bottom of the ruins, the littles found the most fascinating thing of the day…pigeons!
Chasing the pigeons
Oh, and water.
Fascinated by the small waterfall
It’s the little things, people. It was a great hike – and sure had us excited to see Macchu Picchu the next day!
Passports & Mismatched Socks 