A crack of dawn flight brought us to the Sacred Valley of the Incas for our first taste of the ruins. In Cuzco we visited Qorikancha, or the Golden Courtyard, where we saw some of the finest Inca architecture. The trapezoid stones were cut perfectly, no mortar necessary. The way the openings lined up from room to room created a dramatic effect. OK, it’s not Versailles, but it is very cool!
One of my favorite stops was Ollantaytambo, an extremely interesting fortress and temple. Most importantly it has high steep terraces that were lush after the rainy season. I´ve always been fascinated by the “terraces” of the ruins, but I never fully understood their practical importance for agriculture in the area. Amazing! We also went to Moray near the village of Maras, which was all about terracing. The Incas turned three huge deep holes in the earth into concentric circles of terraces for agricultural experiments. Each terrace has a different micro-climate. Brilliant people.
Alright enough about the cool Incans. Our group is made up of 22 people—20 retirees, a 14 year old traveling with her grand parents, and moi. Everyone is a hoot and they are amazing travelers. They’ve been everywhere! The support for our strategic invasion of Peru takes a cast of thousands. Our tour director, Victor, who lives in Lima, will be with us our entire journey. We also have city guides for each area and countless drivers and logistics coordinators. Apparently it takes a village. We stay in lavish hotels and eat fabulous meals with precision timing. Victor has already noticed my passion for wine, and is beginning to make fun of me. Our guide Sergio is emphatic that alcohol is a major part of Andean celebrations. So far, so good in the Sacred Valley!
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