Nil had arranged for us to go to Ollantaytambo. This also happens to be his home town. Ollantaytambo has been continuously inhabited since the 13th century.
We first visited the ruins of Ollantaytambo with Nil and our local guide Yoni. The massive terraces over look the city. Ollantaytambo is significant because it is one of the few places where the Incans defeated the Spanish. Marco Inca lead a rebellion in 1536, his Incan army defeated the conquistadors. It did t last long the Spanish eventually came back with an army 4 Times as large to defeat Marco Inca. Interesting, thesis defeat may have dissuaded the Spanish from exploring further up the valley. That may be one of the reasons the Spanish never discover Machu Pichu.
A panorama of the site.
St. Hubert’s in front of the steep terraces of Ollantaytambo
These are pre Incan ruins on the hill opposite Ollantaytambo. The Incans were smart enough to understand the value of previous civilizations works and incorporate them as appropriate.
Steps up the steep terraces. Watch your step KT.
The terraces of Ollantaytambo and Katie. On our way to the sun 🌞 temple.
Incomplete doorway to the Sun 🌞 temple. Notice how intricately these stones are carved and fit together. This level of detail was seen when building temples.
The nubs in the foreground were used to help move the stones and would eventually be polished down to a smooth face. This wall is also inclined at 6 degrees which helps in maintaining structural integrity in the face of earthquakes. Did the Incans have the help of 👽?
St Hubert’s students, Nil, Yoni and a random stray dog at the Sun 🌞 temple.
The walls of the 🌞 temple. Light would strike here specifically on the Peruvian winter solstice, June 21st. Notice the thin strips of rock between the larger slaps these where designed to work as expansion joints as the rock was heated and cool.
It should be noted that these huge stones came from a quarry 6 miles away and the Incans needed to divert the river in order to get each stone from the quarry to the temple.
Looking down the terraces at Ollantaytambo.
The terraces of Ollantaytambo
The terraces and Farfagnuge backpacks. I do not understand the need for this picture but hey we are in 🇵🇪
Katie and I in the water temple at Ollantaytambo
From the temple we visited local shops and walked the narrow streets of Ollantaytambo.
The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo
Sa
A Peruvian man carrying a ridiculous amount of eggs.
He must have an instapot.
A narrow street in Ollantaytambo with its water channel.
St. Hubert’s at Nil’s 🏡.
Nil and his daughter at home
Nil showing the pale northerners how to apply aloe to soothe their sunburns.
#trylisteningtoyourparentsonceinawhile
Peruvian corn and queso cheese at the Ollantaytambo market.
Nil divide the students up into groups of 4. The students then had to spend 25 solas and get food for a group picnic. It was so much watching the figure out what they should buy and then having to interact with the market is Spanish. There were some struggle but he food was purchased and everyone was nourished.
A soccer game broke out with a couple of little local boys. Scott H. with no regard for his own safety played goalie against KT’s team.
From Ollantaytambo we head to Textile Center in Chichero. It is a nonprofit organization with 2 main goals: 1) to maintain and teach traditional Incan/Peruvian weaving customs and 2) great an economically viable option for the women of the Sacred Valley. The lady who runs the Co-op is clearly in charge and what she says goes.
The women spinning wool into thread.
Katie and Megan with their swaddled baby dolls
#proofoflife
Peruvian women using a back strap loom
St Hubert’s in handmade Peruvian ponchos and hats.
We aren’t smiling until we get some guinea pig
Katie and I rocking ponchos. Where is Bill Walton?
At the textile mill, I really want an baby alpaca blanket. It was so warm and soft. We don’t really need another blanket so I called Kari to check. She told me it need to match our couch. This annoyed me and made me a little 😡. In the end, I didn’t get a blanket we didn’t need, so our marriage worked perfectly. I was 😡 for about 1 hour.
Our next stop was Salinas. These are hundreds of saltwater pans feed by a natural spring and a series of run of channels. Water is run in allowed to evaporate leaving behind the salt which is collected and sold. The pans are typically made of clay and pounded flat and tight to make it easier to remove the salt. We are visiting during the rainy season so some pools are fill with spring water, some with rain water and some are under maintenance. From the Salt pans we hiked down to th road to catch our ride to the hotel.
The salt pans. Salinas
The salt water spring coming from the mountain that supplies the pans.
Katie says “ Stop being so salty dad.”
B&W art house picture of the salt pans
ollected salt
Harvested salt
The girls at the Salt pans
#proofoflife
Still smiling. A little wet but not too bad
Across this bridge we can catch a ride to the hotel for dinner and cervezas.
We hiked for about 30 minutes insome light drizzle down to th road for the Salinas. We finished by crossing the Rio Urubamba to get to our ride home.
Still smiling. A little wet but not too bad
Across this bridge we can catch a ride to the hotel for dinner and cervezas.
Buenas Noches
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