Hi Folks,
Gordon and I are checking in from the beautiful Inkaterra Hotel at the gateway to Machu Picchu. Believe or not, we’re in the jungle! The hotel has 378 varieties of orchids on its grounds along with a tea plantation and hummingbirds galore.
This morning we woke up early and hiked up to Pinkuylluna, the Incan granaries above the town of Ollantaytambo. It was a steep but short hike that got the blood pumping and helped burn off some of the quinoa pudding we ate last night.
The view from inside the site was breathtaking.
Our next stop was across the valley, the Incan ruins of Ollantaytambo. During the Spanish invasion and the conquest of Peru, Ollantaytambo served as the last stronghold for Inca Manco Yupanqui, leader of the Inca resistance at the time.
I found an Incan bouldering wall at the top of the site. Looks like a V3.
We were amazed at the huge stones the Inca carved and brought to the top of this site.
Here’s another shot of Gordon thoroughly enjoying the tour. Don’t let that face fool you. He was really impressed 🙂 Tomorrow we are heading to Machu Picchu! Stay tuned for lots of photos.
-Mary
