Everyone who visits Machu Picchu will encounter Ollantaytambo, but many will probably miss it. Ollantaytambo is most famous as being the end of the road between Cusco and Machu Picchu, making it the closest town to Machu Picchu where you can catch the train. When we booked our trip, we assumed Ollantaytambo was simply a jump off point to Machu Picchu and planned only to stop there for enough time to transfer from our bus or taxi to the train to Aguas Calientes. Luckily for us, we arrived a few hours earlier than expected and were able to see this wonderful town.
Pisaq (Pisac) - Market Day in Peru
We were initially interested in visiting Pisaq because it is famous for having a splendid Sunday market, where local people travel from communities across the region to trade. After visiting many days in many countries I had certain expectations about what the market itself would be like. I expected to find a fair amount local produce, a few people selling meat, and considering that this was a town frequented by tourists as a side trip for Machu Picchu, a lot of crafts.
Huayna Picchu (Wayna Picchu) - Hike above Machu Picchu, Peru
When you look at photos of Machu Picchu you often see a large steep lump of granite in the background. At a glance, it just looks like a rock that perhaps only rock climbers could reach the top of. However, that rock is actually Huayna Picchu (or Wayna Picchu) meaning "Young Peak" in Quechua is a sacred mountain for the Incas. In fact, even though you cannot see it in photos, there are ancient terraces on the face of it and even a few buildings. And yes, that is amazing and even when you see it you still can't believe that someone could accomplish it. Oh, and did I mention how steep it is?
To and From Aguas Calientes
How do you enjoy a town that is really little more than a tourist stop? Keep looking up. If you want a great place to stay a few nights near Machu Piccu, Aguas Calientes really isn't it, you are much better off in Ollantaytambo, a surprisingly amazing town.
My travel companion and I arrived in Aguas Calientes Peru at about 11pm via the 20:35 Backpacker train from Ollantaytambo. The train stops right in the center of town on the main street, which is actually the train tracks. We got off the train, walked about 50 feet and saw our hostal,the Hostal Machu Piccu.
Mar Vista Green Gardens
The West LA Surfrider Foundation has a really great initiative to help raise awareness about urban runoff, the number 1 source of water pollution in our oceans. Their activism includes educating Angelenos on how much water is wasted growing non-native species in their yards. This weekend in Mar Vista you can take tours of gardens already doing their part to save water and keep our oceans clean by using native plants in our landscaping. Some of these gardens look really amazing.
