Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
April 16-23, 2011
We were supposed to go to Orlando. Researching a week-long trip to Florida, I decided to check prices to Peru on a whim. When I realized that the difference wasn’t that big, I convinced J to at least consider a change in location.
Although it wasn’t J’s idea of a vacation spot, Peru was a top destination for me- I’d wanted to visit from the moment I saw Machu Picchu on the TV in my teens. I was ecstatic when J agreed to spend a week exploring Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.
I planned the trip utilizing travel websites like TripAdvisor and guidebooks from the library. I was able to reserve tickets for PeruRail online and started corresponding with private tour guides through email. We got the necessary vaccinations and prescriptions for altitude sickness and food poisoning. Our first-aid kit consisted of band-aids, bug spray, skin ointment and Pepto-Bismol. This would be our first time traveling to another continent but I was armed with the tools I needed to plan for any contingency.
Day 1- Traveling from Lima to Cusco and into the Sacred Valley and Ollantaytambo, Peru
Although I usually have a detailed itinerary for every trip, I quickly learned that this wasn’t the type of journey for a regimented schedule. We arrived in Lima, Peru around 11:pm- we thought we had about 5 hours to kill before we could check into our flight to Cusco but couldn’t find it on the out-going flight list. Our fears were confirmed hours later when rumors of a 5 hour delay made their way down the line at check-in. It seemed silly to go to a hotel for such a short time when we had only a few hours to wait, but after spending nearly 12 hours in the Lima airport, we regretted not having a place to take a shower or stretch out to sleep. Instead we sat on the floor, leaning against our backpacks, trying in vain to get a little bit of comfort. I was jealous of the trekkers that had their sleeping pads.
The delay had its upside- we met several interesting travelers while waiting in the Lima airport. A man and his wife from Salt Lake City were preparing to start the trek to Machu Picchu on Tuesday. A girl from Mississippi was planning to spend a few months in Peru learning Spanish. We enjoyed lamenting about the situation and sharing our plans. Finally, we boarded our flight to Cusco at around 10:30am.
After all the travel bumps and delays, we were ecstatic to see our driver standing in front of the Cusco Airport. He quickly got us settled in the car and artfully weaved in and out of airport traffic, honking his horn at every pedestrian that got near. Even though he’d waited for hours, he was happy to point out the sights as we made our way out of Cusco. J and I looked out the windows with wide eyes taking in the city and watched the scenery change as we descended into the Sacred Valley.
The higher altitudes didn’t seem to be much of an issue but we could instantly feel the difference in elevation when we started up the stairway that led to our hotel in Ollantaytambo, Peru, at 9,100 feet above sea level. Hostal Iskay ($40/night) is built on original Inca terraces and walls, has tranquil gardens, fountains and stunning views of the Ollantaytambo ruins. Set away from the main square, the hotel offers a lot of privacy. We enjoyed a quiet and comfortable stay.
After a much needed nap, we set out in the late afternoon to see Ollantaytambo. The sun sets early in the Urubamba River Valley and it was dark by the time we made our way through cobblestone streets toward the main square. We happened upon Puka Rumi restaurant, a place that had been recommended by our hotel. 
We entered through a courtyard and found the interior of the restaurant cozy and intimate with no more than 8 tables, each lit by candlelight. This is where I had my first Pisco sour, a wonderful drink that tastes like a Peruvian margarita. After a delicious dinner of steak with red pepper sauce and pizza with artichokes, mushrooms and onions, we walked back to our hotel and fell asleep to the sound of river water rushing outside our window.
Day 2- Sacred Valley Via Ferrata & Zip Lining
We woke up early for one of our most anticipated events of the entire trip- rock climbing and zip lining with Sacred Valley Via Ferrata & Zip Lining (265 soles per person). We enjoyed a breakfast buffet at El Hautacay (included with our room), a small restaurant and shop next to our hotel. Areo, the owner of the adventure company, picked us up in the lobby of the hotel and treated us like old friends from the start, asking us about our home and telling us more about the Sacred Valley. 
The mountain we were climbing, Kunog, was only 10 minutes outside of Ollantaytambo and we were soon suited up and ready to go. Areo introduced us to Marco and Alex, our guides for the day, and gave us a talk on safety, demonstrating how to use the gear. Soon we were making our way up a short path to start the climb.
There was a moment at the beginning when I wondered if I’d gotten myself in over my head but the higher I climbed and more confident I was using the safety equipment, the more relaxed I felt. The view grew more spectacular the higher we went. Via ferrata is a safety system combined with a series of metal handholds installed on the rock face in the most difficult areas 
making climbing easier for beginners while still providing a challenge. Although it was a strenuous climb, it is not an activity that anyone in normal health cannot complete. The scariest part of the 400 meter climb was crossing the 20 meter cable bridge- with shaky legs it is hard to even get started. But I followed Marco’s instructions and was soon inching my way across a cable bridge stretched over the jagged edges of the rocks below.
We’d climbed to the top; now we were going to zip line
down. J and I had zip lined before but
had always been in a canopy of trees.
These zip lines were out in the open, stretching from mountain to
mountain, each measuring 400 to 500 meters long and getting up to super speeds-
what an exhilarating ride! The combined
experience of climbing to the top of the mountain and zipping down was one of
the highlights of our entire trip.
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring
Ollantaytambo. We had sandwiches for
lunch at the Hearts Cafe located on the main square. I had another Pisco Sour and Josh tried
Cusquena Dark, the Peruvian national beer brand. We sat outside and watched the activity in
the middle of town then strolled through traditional Inca settlements, along
streets with canals of rushing water running down the middle, going into little
shops and walking around the artisan market outside the entrance to the
ruins.
Safety was never a concern while we were in Peru. There is an obvious police presence
throughout the areas that are popular with tourists. Venders are polite and not at all pushy
although I did have one unique bargaining experience- I asked a young girl the
price of an item and when she replied ’20 soles’ another merchant chimed in
‘No, charge her 25!’
Day 3- Machu Picchu
I found it hard to sleep the night before we went to Machu
Picchu. We rose early for the first
train out of Ollantaytambo- PeruRail Expedition (about $70 pp roundtrip). We got a taxi, just for the experience of
riding in an enclosed motorcycle, for the short ride to the train station on
the outskirts of Ollantaytambo. We
purchased sandwiches and a brownie to take for lunch at Cafe Mayo on the train
station platform. The entire train experience was delightful- I enjoyed
chatting with our seatmates, a group of teachers from the Washington, DC
area. Snacks came in the cutest little
PeruRail brown paper bags. It was all
topped by magnificent views of the rushing Urubamba River, snow capped Andes
Mountains, lush jungle foliage and ancient ruins scattered throughout the 1.5
hour journey.
We arrived in Aguas Calientes, walked to the Centro Cultura
to purchase our tickets for Machu Picchu ($46/pp) and to the buses for the ride
up the mountain ($14/pp roundtrip). I
was expecting rickety school bus type vehicles- they were actually Mercedes
tour buses with wide comfortable seating.
As we wound our way up, I took in the fantastic views of the surrounding
mountain peaks. The woman sitting beside
me commented that the mountains in this area reminded her of China, her home
country.
We finally arrived at Machu Picchu and secured our special
Machu Picchu passport stamp. Instead of
entering the complex right away, we took a winding uphill path to a spot that
overlooks much of the ruins. My first view
of Machu Picchu (at 8,000 feet) was the city coming in and out of a foggy haze-
the image perfectly projected the magical aura that surrounds this mysterious
place.
From there we decided to hike along the Inca Trail to Inti
Punku, or the Sun Gate (at 9,000 feet). Walking
along the Inca Trail was a unique experience- we made our way along the
cobblestone road laid by the Incas hundreds of years ago. Wild orchids and other flowers grow amongst
huge rock formations. The ruins would
intermittently come out from behind the fog until finally appearing in full
view when the haze cleared mid-morning. As
an avid hiker, I enjoyed every minute of it.
But I’ll be honest- it was pretty hot and steamy, the trail had many
stairs, was uneven and slippery. We witnessed
people turn around saying the terrain, the heights, the heat were too
much. It was probably on this hour-long
uphill hike that J started planning his rebellion. By the time we made it back to the main
complex, J declared that he refused to walk up another hill or climb another
flight up steps.
For the rest of the visit, we took everything a little bit
more slowly. We passed through the Main
Gate, which was the original access gate to the city complex, and started
exploring the ruins. There were new and
unique discoveries around every twist and turn.
We came upon several creatures living within the city walls- lizards,
birds, mountain viscacha, a member of the chinchilla family and, of course,
llamas which roam freely through the area.
Running water still flows through the complex utilizing a series of
canals and fountains that run along the passageways. A quiet and shady area away from the crowds
can be found in the Sunken Plaza. As I
made my way through the dwellings that used to house the royal family as well
as the commoners, I tried to imagine the way it might have been to live as an
Inca in the time that Machu Picchu was populated.
When we’d made our way through the Machu Picchu complex
(utilizing a self-guided tour from Moon Handbooks ‘Cusco & Machu Picchu’),
we headed back down the mountain to Aguas Calientes for dinner. We chose a table next to the rushing Urubamba
River at Toto’s House Restaurant and enjoyed Pisco Sours and Cusquena to unwind
after our action-packed day. I still
crave the distinctive flavors of their quinoa chowder, a tomato-based soup with
grain, lots of veggies and a poached egg on top.
Riding the train on our way back to Ollantaytambo, I realized
that Machu Picchu is a lot like an amusement park- while it was incredible and
inspiring it was also crowded and hot and involved a whole a lot of
walking. It cost 1 sole to use the
bathroom; fortunately, the cost included toilet paper. Still, visiting Machu Picchu was a dream come
true and exploring the ancient city is one of the most stirring and
extraordinary experiences I’ve ever had.
Day 4- Traveling to Cusco
We spent our last morning in Ollantaytambo relaxing in the
town square, strolling along the city streets and buying gifts for friends and
family. Looking back, I wish I’d bought
more in the Sacred Valley- the markets and prices were much better than what I
found later in Cusco.
I promised J we’d go at a more relaxed pace and he was happy
to hear the next few sights were accessible by car and little hiking. Our adventure started by paying three soles
to cross a creaking bridge, then maneuvering up a long and winding dirt path
which took us through rolling countryside, deeper and deeper into unknown
territory. Finally, I saw a parking lot
with a few buses, cars and a group of corralled horses. We were at our first stop- the circular
terraces known as Moray. Visually, the
curving lines of Moray’s structure are quite pleasing. But beliefs about its use, contending that it
is anything from an ancient agricultural laboratory to the center of a
spiritual force field, add to the mystifying allure of this extraordinary
place.
After Moray we made our way to the Salinas de Maras, a
series of terraces constructed by ancient Incas and still used to mine salt
today. Our driver chuckled when J
explained that his achy legs are the reason we chose not to walk down into the
valley to investigate the operation a little more closely. The art in the small chapel on sight was a
lovely surprise. Over and over we were
moved by the religious art we encountered on our trip.
We took in many sights from the back seat as we drove
through the Sacred Valley toward Cusco- courtyards full of handmade clay
bricks, rusted but intricate iron gates, harvests of corn laying out in the sun
to dry and political signs everywhere.
Many of the tour guides, drivers and locals we spoke with were happy to
explain Peruvian political structure, history and their opinion of past, current
and potential leaders.
The moment we pulled up to our hotel in Cusco, Andenes Al
Cielo ($80/night), we were blown away by the appearance and quality of service. We walked through a central courtyard as the
manager showed us to our room, opening up the balcony and encouraging us to
have a fire built. Our room, with
towering beamed ceilings, arched alcoves and an iron chandelier, was elegant
but comfortable. We were thrilled to
spend the rest of our time in Peru in such a luxurious setting.
We set out to explore Cusco (at 11,000 feet), walking just a
few blocks from our hotel in the San Blas area to the central plaza. As we made our way through the alleyways of
Inca stone we passed tourists, locals, venders, beggars and a man dressed as
the Inca warrior king. We walked around
the Plaza de Armas, the main square, taking in the striking views of the Cusco
Cathedral and Iglesia de la Compania, the churches that dominate the
space.
After reading a few menus, we decided on Sumaq Grill, a
restaurant with open views of the entire square. The only occurrence of bad weather on the
entire trip, a hail storm passed through the city as we sat and enjoyed our
drinks. We dined on queso frito, alpaca
steak, chicken stuffed with Peruvian cheese and vegetables, various potato
dishes, passion fruit panna cotta and a complementary chocolate mousse- the
server must have overheard us going back and forth over our dessert selection. With great service and scrumptious food, it
was one of the best meals we had in Peru.
After dinner we bought a few bottles of South American wine, one
Peruvian white and an Argentinean red, and settled into our room to enjoy a
night in front of the fire.
Day 5- Cusco
After breakfast, we headed up to the rooftop deck to enjoy a
morning cup of coca tea and the views of the city before going out on foot. We explored the Cusco area at a leisurely
pace, stopping frequently to relax in various plazas such as the calm and quiet
Plazoleta Nazarenas or the Plaza Regocijo where J and I had a conversation with
a delightful elderly Quechua woman. We
visited the Pre-Colombian Art Museum (MAP- $7/pp), a museum dedicated to
presenting artifacts as ancient works of art with a collection of masks,
jewelry and ceramics.
We were drawn back to the Sumaq Grille for a second time so
J could try their cuy (guinea pig), which is prepared in a wood-burning oven in
the middle of the restaurant. When the
Peruvian delicacy arrived, we were a little taken aback. We were looking at the fully intact body of
roasted guinea pig, teeth and all. After
taking a picture, the server cut the cuy into more manageable pieces. With very little meat to pick off the bone, the
actual act of eating a guinea pig is quite tedious, although we enjoyed being
able to try a traditional Andean entrée.
That afternoon the Cathedral opened its massive doors and we
were able to take in the remarkable vast area full of baroque artwork, gilded
alters and tourists in awe of such beauty.
As I do in every church we visit in our travels, I spent a moment saying
a prayer. I had unknowingly planned our trip for the week before Easter and we
had the good fortune of experiencing local traditions and observations
surrounding the holiday. We arrived on
Palm Sunday morning and passed a large procession carrying palms out of a
cathedral and through the streets of Cusco.
While in Ollantaytambo we witnessed a group preparing a life-sized
statue of Jesus in the courtyard of the church.
We spent much of our time in Lima on Good Friday as part of a huge crowd
congregated in the historical center of the city parading from one church to
the next. It was quite moving to be able
to experience Easter as it is celebrated in another culture.
We went to Incanto, an Italian restaurant with Peruvian
influences, for our last dinner in Cusco.
It is easy to see why it is one of the highest rated restaurants in the
city- the minimalist decor shows off the original Inca walls, diners can watch
chefs in the kitchen through a wall of windows and the menu features exciting
dishes like saffron scallop risotto and the four-mushroom pasta.
We finished the evening with a few drinks in Jack’s Cafe, a
small pub and restaurant down the street from our hotel. Although there was a line out the door for
dinner, we were able to get seats at the bar right away and enjoyed Pisco Sours
and Cusquena while checking out the assortment of beautiful desserts in the
case sitting on the far end of the counter.
Day 6- Lima
Our flight from Cusco to Lima arrived at 1:30pm and our
flight back to the states left at 12:40am- we had a little time to kill. We arranged a tour of the city with Edward
from Lima Cabs. He received rave reviews
on TripAdvisor and lived up to his reputation.
He drove us through the city, explaining the history while taking us in
notable buildings like a famous hotel and a ship merchant’s home. We joined a massive crowd of people
celebrating Good Friday by moving through the main square Plaza Mayor, from
church to church, saying a quick prayer or hearing an entire mass in each.
In the late afternoon we moved to the Miraflores district,
visited the Love Park, the famous Kissing sculpture and watched parasailers
prepare for flight. We stopped at
Larcomar, a shopping mall built on the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. On a whim we decided to eat at Bembos, a Peruvian
fast food place with burgers, hot dogs, beer and Inca Cola, a sweet
banana-flavored soda. From there we made
our way down to the bottom of the cliff where we sat at the ocean’s edge and
watched the sun set into the water.
While the entire tour had been delightful, the highlight of
our time in Lima was visiting the Magic Water Circuit Water Park, a fountain
garden featuring different displays including a show put to music with entrancing
laser and lighting effects. Pink, green
and orange lights illuminated the cascading water and made the fountains glow. The park was packed with multi-generational
families, children dancing in fountains and couples strolling hand-in-hand, all
delighting in the brilliant combination of liquid and light. After a whirlwind tour of Lima, I nearly fell asleep
as Edward drove us to the airport to catch our flight back home.
It is hard to wrap up a blog entry about visiting Machu
Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Cusco and Lima, Peru. I have thousands of memories- the girl at the
Lima airport that passed on her book of crime brainteasers to me, Edward
commenting that Lima has the most disappointing soccer team in all of South
America (as diehard Cleveland fans, we understand his pain), J and Marco
practicing their second languages together, correcting each other’s pronunciation
while learning about one another. J came
way out of his travel comfort zone to make my dream come true and while we saw
many marvelous sights, it is realizing this dream with J that made the trip so
special.
Ohio Day Trip- 
Frequently waiting until after we’d turned one way to indicate that we should have headed the other direction, he also preferred the scenic route vs. the path more taken. Luckily we quite enjoyed the roundabout way which took us through beautiful green countryside dotted with brightly painted red barns. We erupted in laughter when the road went even more rural and changed from paved to gravel but the thought that Tom was leading us along an access road into a strip mine was definitely in the back of my mind.
As a storm raged on we each tried several samples at the Tasting Bar, bought glasses or bottles of our favorites and sat in a corner booth to enjoy our wine. Silver Moon understands the female wine drinker’s desire to shop and includes a large gift shop to browse seasonal gifts, wine accessories and funny magnets. At one point the power went out- everyone continued to drink wine, browse the shop and enjoy the afternoon. The electricity was quickly restored, we made our final wine and gift purchases and enjoyed a picnic snack of cheese, crackers and fruit in the minivan before moving on to our next destination.
fruit and berry wines and includes an Amish Country Store where deli meat, cheese, preserves, chocolates and other items complimentary to wine can be purchased. Probably the most commercially well-known winery on our tour it was very crowded. We saw a group of girlfriends that we’d chatted with earlier at Silver Moon. 
We continued to run into them at various wineries throughout the day joking and laughing each time we saw each other. They were obviously another group of girlfriends that just liked to have a fun time!
From Breitenbach we headed toward the Broad Run Cheese Factory & Swiss Heritage Winery (6011 Old Route 39 NW), which is basically right across the street. An assortment of cheese and dips to sample sat on the wine tasting counter. Divided into a tasting room, cheese & meat deli and gift shop, there are bountiful shopportunities. To add to the fun, on our way out we stopped to take pictures with the cheesy character cut-outs that I adore so much.
Housed in an old one-room school house, the winery features live music either inside or at the pond-side stage. 
As always, we evaluated which wineries were our favorites on the ride home. Not surprisingly, everyone had a different personal favorite. The wineries each have their own personality and something unique appealed to us. I, personally, am looking forward to visiting all of them again. But aside from the wine, food and shopping, we had a blast just driving around the charming countryside. What I enjoyed most about the afternoon is that I never stopped laughing.
The Capital Theatre (1390 W. 65th Street) shows independent movies, documentaries and foreign films on three screens. The building was originally built in 1921 and was vacant for two decades before reopening as a movie house with concessions as well as beer and wine sales- my kind of movie theatre!
We’d decided to take a roundabout way to enjoy the scenery and small villages along the rural route which winds through farm land and Amish Country. We were sure we’d find a restaurant along the way and had a feeling when we pulled into the small town of Nashville, Ohio, that there’d be a good place to grab some lunch. The Buckeye Deli was that place. We chose a booth by the front window, ordered some garlic bread and shared a bacon pizza in the local hang-out. Back by the bathrooms pictures hang of men, women and children proudly displaying the bucks they bagged that year. Local sports memorabilia covers the walls. The Buckeye Deli is a comfortable place with a fun personality and pizza that hits the spot.
Our next stop was an attraction that we’d been meaning to visit for quite some time. I first learned of Schnormeier Gardens years ago while researching a biking trip to the area. 
Hocking Hills is a wonderful place to enjoy outdoor recreation. Miles of hiking trails, repelling areas, ATV courses, zip line tours, canoeing, horseback riding and many other activities make it a marvelous spot for adventurers. Instead of staying in a cabin like we usually do, we booked a room at the Baymont Inn in Athens, Ohio. As always our only requirements are a pool and hot tub- after a long day of physical activity, it is nice to unwind in an aquatic setting. We met a few other Warrior Dash participants while relaxing in the whirlpool that night. They had completed the race on the first day of the competition and filled us in on the course, offered encouragement and made us feel a bit more prepared for what was ahead the next day.
