To Urubamaba

Travelling day today with a few stops. Oxygen levels checked. Has yours improved?

First stop an alpaca textile community. Most of the people in this area raise alpaca , shear, dye and weave the wool into textiles.

Wow some of the wall hangings are beautiful. Can you see some at your place? They are super expensive.

You could get a jumper or dress…they are a little more in our price range. No , nothing appeals, you can’t see yourself in this for a special occasion?

Let’s go feed the animals. They have sheep, two types of alpacas, llamas. Guanaco and Vicuña.

They all seem happy muddling together but they are fussy about which piece of grass they want.

Between the mountains there is a valley known as the Sacred Valley. It is called this because a river flows through it ( significant for the Incas) and it was incredibly fertile. It was and is the food bowl for Cusco and the surrounding areas.

Crops cover the valley floor and the sides are terraced for more.

Lunchtime. We are visiting one of the village communities for a traditional lunch. You can have one of those yummy Guinea pigs on a stick if you want. I think I will pass.

My potato dish was just fine. It is odd how all dishes are served with one of 4000 varieties of potato and rice.

Wow look at the hotel. It is an old monastery complete with a chapel.

Ready for some retail therapy? Let’s go for a walk to the town.

Many houses in Peru look unfinished. This is because your taxes on the property if it is unfinished are greatly reduced. Inside may be pristine but outside?

The church is definitely Spanish style but the decoration reflects the Inca past.

The cochineal bug provides the dye for the alpaca clothes. They can make 40 different colours from them and they are all permanent. Looks like rain. Let’s head back.