Friday, November 20, 2020

Ollantaytambo Ruins, Moray, Maras & Urubamba River Valley, Peru - 2011

Ollantaytambo Ruins, Moray, Maras & Urubamba river valley

This morning we were met by our guide Lucio who was taking us to Ollantaytambo ruins for a guided tour. Greg was exceptionally sick today (chills, dizzy, GI issues) and our guide was very long winded. He stood and talked for about 15 minutes or more before we even started to tour the ruins. Greg had to sit down and he stayed behind while I toured with the guide. We had this same guide several times on the trip and he spent more time talking and showing us pictures in his notebook than actually exploring the sites. Plus, he repeated many of the same things each day. After that were drive to Moray & Maras. 

Moray has circular terraces that look like an amphitheater, but were really micro climates for growing different types of crops. Maras is salt mines and very interesting.  

We were taken to a nice place for lunch that was buffet style. Here we tried an Alpaca stew and Cow’s Hoove soup. (plus other local dishes as well) All of the food was good and the setting was lovely and we sat outside while a guy performed playing a wooden flute. 

Along the drive were many donkeys with long dreadlocks. Many of the animals had this long matted fur. Impossible to get photos of them from the car. 

Then it was back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We had dinner at Puka Rumi and it was fantastic. Peru is the land of potatoes. Over 2,000 different kinds. (who knew?) We had local dishes with mounds of yummy mashed potatoes that were bright yellow. Very good garlic bread here as well. 

we went back to visit the alpacas before our tour started

Ollantaytambo Ruins





Ollantaytambo from above 
looks like a face







Greg 























cute little pig on the drive to  Moray

our driver got out to unlock the other gate so we could cross the bridge
middle of the bridge
scenic drive





Urumbamba River




Moray
you can walk down to them and walk on them, but we skipped that since Greg wasn't feeling that good








back in the car driving to Maras Salt Mines

she was washing clothes
they blocked the road

town of Maras
little boy in a tire shop


we stopped at a viewpoint above the mines











after driving down as far as we could we walked the rest of the way down










store up the hill



where the water flows in





drive to lunch


lunch






inside of restaurant - but everything was outside on such a beautiful day 

Quechuan services - blurry shot taken at night
dinner 




Tomorrow, we travel to Machu Picchu!

Moray & Maras & Ollantaytambo Ruins https://photos.app.goo.gl/8HeWe5YiUzdtiiz69
















































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