Ollantaytambo

Up to meet Sean &Monika in the plaza for 08:00. We're off to see some Inca ruins and we catch a taxi to the bus station for 3 sols (50p). Sean &Monika being good wholesome people got up early and had already had breakfast. I, on the other hand, having a stomach of steel grab cake and pastries from the bus station. I also grab a glass of what can only be described as hot milky apple sauce! Yummy! Sean &Monika wouldn't touch it because the glass gets washed in local water. Whatever! I put my new talent into effect on the bus and pass out, only to be woken by Sean when we reach a bus station and need to switch buses. How dare they disturb my much needed beauty sleep!

The village centre of Ollantaytambo, although still quaint looking, has succumbed to day trip tourism with plenty of cafes, restaurants and craft stalls. I get a feeling all the sights will be the same. It was nice that Sean &Monika, even though they've seen the mighty Machu Picchu, still had an interest in these lesser Inca ruins. The ruins mainly consisted of a series of large agricultural terraces rising up to more traditional housing ruins above.

After admiring the giant boulder bricks we head back to the village square for lunch. It takes a while (much to Monikas annoyance) as Sean is the look out for a cheap vegetarian restaurant with an inventive menu. As most gaffs just do meat n rice, it's a tall order! We find somewhere that'll do, order a beer and some sandwiches and watch the waitress leave, only to return some 5 minutes later with a shopping bag of bread, beer and sandwich ingredients! Just In Time Shopping and Cooking! Sean &I had spotted more ruins of an old church looking thing up the side of the opposing mountain and drag Monika up with us for a closer look.

On the way home the first bus was the usual local packed minibus complete with indiscriminate breast feeding. The second was a more respectable coach. I was picking at my tasteless super size corn and cheese (bought for 2 sols from kids at the bus station) when the girl next to me blurts out the name of the mountain we're passing. Only when I turn to talk to her so I notice that I'm sitting next to a slim attractive, well to do, spectacle wearing Peruvian girl. Her English was good, conversation was only difficult due to my poor pronunciation. She often answered a completely different question to the one I asked! It turned out she's a member of a climbing club and had climbed (with ropes and all) most of the mountains in the area. Cool! She also taught primary school kids computers in the morning and was training to be a lawyer in the evening. Fearing her to be too good to be true Sean jumps in and tries to arrange a social meeting between us all as means of getting me a date. It's too good to be true. She's flying to Lima at the weekend to attend a climbing convention. Being one of the most experienced female climbers in the area the convention was even paying for her flight! Sigh.

Posted by Steve Eynon