Day 11: Ollantaytambo

Lots of hungover heads this morning. With departure time for our next journey at 11:00 there was just enough time to get a cup of hot chocolate and catch up on some correspondence before heading into the heart of the mountain region before the impending trek through the Andes.

En route to Ollantaytambo, we stopped briefly at a weaving co-op where women of an indigenous community demonstrated how they use natural materials to make their woven products.

Around lunchtime we reached a tiny town with narrow streets that the bus could barely pass. The buildings painted a sunny yellow, the streets paved with cobbles, and on all sides steep mountain peaks and the impressive remains of previous Inca people's. So quaint and so beautiful this town of only 4,000 inhabitants was to be my favourite town visited on the trip so far.

To prepare for the trek, some of us decided to skip lunch and head straight up the hill to see some of the impressive stone structures built into the mountain sides above. To get there, we walked through narrow, cobbled linear alleys where channels of water rushed alongside, creating a soothing soundscape that complimented the surrounding sights and pleasant warmth of the afternoon.

As we climbed the views got more and more impressive. We reached the ruins (took many a photo) and felt a sense of achievement.

We returned to the town a few short hours later and sought out a place for lunch/dinner (linner? dunch?) with a nice view - an easy task. For the first time on the trip, I felt a bit unwell, and was conscious that I needed to be fighting fit for the Lares Trek which would start the next morning. The plan was to take it easy... what's it they say about best laid plans?

Not wanting to be unsociable I agreed to join the group after dinner to see some of the events that were happening in the centre of town that night. Shan and I made the short walk up the hill to the central plaza where there was a stage set up, lots of food stands of barbecued meats, popcorn, and drinks. Large tree stumps strategically placed in the corners of the square were slowly burning, releasing a beautiful smokey smell and warmth into the air. We were standing in the middle of the square, looking for the rest of the group among the moderate crowds that had gathered, when all of a sudden, a parade started passing us - people dressed head to toe in gold animal costumes pulled a trolley with a burning effigy inside! This was followed by streams of dancers in various colourful costumes as well as townspeople linking arms and dancing through the crowd, some holding religious pictures or artefacts. A large gold crucifix decorated with volumes of red flowers was carefully carried through the crowd and around the square eventually finding its place in front of what I can only assume, as the architecture didn't indicate as such, was the principle church in the town. There, masses of people had gathered. Some in the stands that had been erected in front: all waiting patiently for something... Shan and I relocated to get a better view. As we watched, the festival atmosphere took on a more somber mood. A large group of men wearing white woollen face masks (symbolising the mountain spirits) stood in front of the statue, a sort of guard of honour. A chant started and the statue was slowly lifted and gently, swaying in time with the chanting was presented to the crowd on four sides of the square. Periodically the statue would be lowered towards the crowd, when all would in unison bless themselves. It was quite a spectacle to behold. Then, as if a switch was flicked the somber mood changed back to party mode and bam! Fireworks filled the sky!!! Tonnes of them! Each bigger and bolder and louder and higher that the last! A little overwhelmed by the magic of it all, Shan and I hugged, laughing at how unbelievably unexpected this all was! Once the fireworks ended and the crowd started to disperse, slightly dazed and completely elated we wandered back to the centre of the square, where we found the rest of our group. On stage a band was starting, and the atmosphere turned into an all out street party! Queue three hours of dancing in the cold night air, and winding up so hot that we ended up dancing around our layers of coats that had to be piled on the ground. Los Conquistadors kept us entertained with salsa music until we had to call it a night for the sake of the three day mountain trek ahead.

Accommodation: Las Orquideas
Weather: hot and sunny during the day - at last, shorts weather; and cold, multi-layered clothes weather.... until the dancing of course.