Out of the Jungle and into the Andes
This is a rather lengthy entry so I invite you to grab some tea or coffee, perhaps a little munch of sorts and accompany me on this journey through Peru :)
Following my 3 month stint in the jungle, I decided to take some time to decompress and explore Cusco and it’s neighboring areas. I had visited these areas 10 years prior with my sister at the age of 17 but I thought that at the age of 27 I’ll look upon these experiences from a completely different lens.
Before I even left Trinidad, I felt the calling to visit the Andes but neglected to accommodate for this while packing my bag…I seemed to think that bringing socks, a pair of sneakers and a cardigan would be adequate (I clearly thought this through). When I arrived in Cusco, night was about to fall and being dressed in a pair of leggings, a loose vest and some birkenstock’s, coupled with now being at 3,4000 meters high, your girl was cold. From the hot and humid Amazon jungle to the majestically high Andes mountains, the change was real. Luckily, I don’t have problems with altitude sickness, so I at least had that going for me.
On stepping foot outside of the airport, my motive was to locate my hostel, then see if I can find somewhere that was open where I could purchase a thick jacket/coat. I got into a taxi, provided the address for my hostel and was on my way. We pulled up at a square near Plaza de Armas (they seem to have a lot of these in Peru) and the taxi guy said that the hostel was around here, although I was not seeing any signs, I had google maps on my phone so I typed in the address and started to shuffle uphill with my rather large duffle bag and back pack (full of jungle essentials). My hostel was a little ways up the hill, past another square, and tucked in a corner of a tiny alley way, and let me just say - the incline and having to tote my not-so-light bags….oof.
Any who, I made it to the hostel with some panting and a little sweat (at least I was warm now), put my bags down and settled my things. I figured I needed to make movements quickly as I didn’t want things to close and then get stuck being cold (I tend to run cold, so anything below 25 Celsius - I’m cold). With google maps and translate in my pocket, and the little bit of Spanish I picked up while at the center, I was off in search of a warming apparatus. I found a store nearby and was able to get a nice thick bubbly jacket (which became my ultimate savior during this trip).
After successfully attaining a warm jacket and some food in my belly (still adhering to the Ayahuasca diet), I made my way back to my hostel to unwind for the night. I went to the little courtyard to smoke a Mapacho and drink some Coca tea - since it is in abundance in and around Cusco to aid travelers and their altitude sickness woes. While I don’t suffer from altitude sickness, I genuinely like Coca and soon discovered that chewing the leaves helped keep me warm (win!). While chilling out and looking through travel books to figure out what I was going to do, another lady came to have a smoke and some tea as well. We struck up a conversation and chatted for some time. I learned that she was from Brazil, also traveling solo and had also just arrived earlier that day and was going to take her trip day-by-day.
The next morning, after a yummy breakfast of fresh yogurt and some berries, I had a knock on my door - the same chick I met the night before, asking me if I wanted to join her on a bus tour around Sacred Valley. I thought that was really nice of her to invite me and judging by our chats the night before, she seemed super chill and funny, so I happily accepted her invitation as the tour was hitting several spots that I had in mind that I wanted to visit. She told me to gather my things because we had to leave in 15 minutes to meet the bus - sweet!
Before I continue, I LOVE to learn and love to share the information I learn on my travels, so this journal entry will not just be me sharing thoughts and experiences, but rather a good bit of information as well :) This would also help unpack some detail on the sites I visited.
To give a little de-briefing on the Inca Empire, they reined the west coast of South America (roughly from Ecuador to Chile) between the 15th and 16th centuries, with the epicenter being in Cusco. The word “Cusco” translates to the “Navel of the Earth” in Quechua. Today, Cusco is a unique combination of the ancient Inca city, colonial additions from the Spanish conquistadors, and modern buildings - it’s an idiosyncratic fusion of different eras and cultures all in one. The Incas laid out the city in the form of a puma (one of their highly revered animals along with the Condor and Snake), with the fortress of Sacsayhuaman as the head, the plaza of Huacaypata as the navel, and the intersecting Huatanay and Tullumayo rivers as the tail. When the Spanish arrived, they destroyed many of the Incan temples, buildings and other structures, and the remaining walls were used as foundations for churches and buildings. When you walk around the city you’ll see remaining Inca walls with more recent buildings built on top of them. The walls were built without mortar and fit in the most incredible juxtapositions where you can’t even fit a piece of paper in between.
In Incan mythology, there are several different legends regarding their origins and the different gods. To give you a very watered down and simplified version; the Inca people were created by the god Viracocha (who was the creator of all that is) from the waters of Lake Titicaca. Inti, the sun god and Viracocha’s son, is believed to be the ancestor of the Incas, thus formulating the center of the Inca religion and mythology to be the worship of the sun. Inti and his wife, Pachamama, the Earth goddess, were regarded as benevolent deities, and in modern times, Pachamama is still very much worshipped and embedded within the culture.
The Inca miraculously made abundantly cultivable some of the most inhospitable places. They overcame high altitudes, dramatic shifts in weather and temperature, and incredibly steep mountains to create an agricultural system that produced enough to dominate trade and feed the empire. A staple signature innovation of the Inca Empire was that of the terraces, which were elegantly and meticulously carved along the face of some of the steepest mountains I’ve ever seen. The terraces were able to level the land, conserve rainwater so that it could keep the land moist for up to 6 months and the walls of the terraces made erosion and landslides almost impossible. Additionally, the terraces assisted in keeping the earth at a sustained temperature, mitigating the drastic temperature fluctuations that occur between day & night - the stones used in the walls would absorb the heat during the day and release it at night. The Inca also sustained complex irrigation systems that enabled them to grow their staple foods - corn, potato, quinoa, coca, and much more.
Ok, so back to the bus tour - Our first stop was at the Incan agricultural terraces near Pisac. In the following photos, you can see how the terraces cascade down the side of the mountain and clearly, still standing. Also got a couple shots of the local damsels selling typical memorabilia goodies - bags, hats, scarfs dawning the label “Peru” and “Cusco” and accompanied by the traditional vibrant patterns. Other things you’d commonly find are bracelets, bits of jewelry, crystals, and copious amounts of llama and alpaca stuffed toy thingies (no idea what to refer to them as).
Another thing you’d find throughout all these sites are people selling Andean corn - you know the one with the kernels as big as the top of your thumb? Man, that corn with some of their local cheese quickly became a favorite of mine (post-Ayahuasca diet that is). The corn was literally starchy like a potato - if you’re able to devour a whole one, I consider that an accomplishment.
Pisac
Next up was Pisac Market. A market famous for its goodies and picturesque scenes - everything is visually vibrant with a multitude of colors and patterns. It is one of the most famous markets in the Cusco region as indigenous Quechua communities from neighboring highlands come together to stock up on produce and sell goods.
A large section of the market is dedicated to tourists with tourist-oriented souvenirs where one can find textiles, ponchos, hats, scarfs, gloves, Andean instruments and ceramics, jewelry galore and a whole range of alpaca products. And let’s not forget, their hot cocoa. Seriously though…the cocoa in the region is AMAZING - coming from a die-hard chocoholic here, so trust me.
On our way to Ollantaytambo, we stopped at a quaint little spot nestled in valley that is hugged by massive mountains to have some lunch. Now, I’m not one to take photos of food but the display of the different corns caught my eye because of the variations in the shapes, size and color - peep the pic below.
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is the only Inca town that is still inhabited and was the former royal estate of the Incan emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region. Because Ollantaytambo was a royal estate, the terraces and farming were done with a higher degree of refinement and sophistication than in other areas. The huge steep terraces make up the main (and effective) fortress also served as a temple and at the top, a ceremonial site. The fortress ended up being a major advantage to the Incas in the battle against the Spanish conquistadors. From high above in the terraces, the Incas managed to (briefly) defeat the Spanish and caused them to withdraw.
The stones used to build Ollantaytambo was quarried from the mountainside some 6km away, above the opposite bank of the Rio Urubamba. To transport these huge stone blocks was no easy feat, yet the Incas had an innovative technique that involved moving the massive blocks across the river; moving the blocks to the riverside then diverting the entire river channel around them.
As one climbs the stairs of the fortress, you begin to fathom just how large the structure is. Reaching the top of the fortress, you have a spectacular view of the Sacred Valley, lending an idea as to how the Incas were able to advantage the Spanish during the battle.
At the top, there is the Sun Temple (although never fully completed) that consists of 6 monolithic stones - each of these stones weighs about 50 tonnes and was brought from the quarry in Urubamba. The Temple of the Sun acted as a calendar for the Incas and had significant purpose during the soltaces.
From the terraces, looking out across the valley, there are ruins of the Inca store houses (4th image below). These store houses were used to store crops that were used to feed the whole town. To the left of the store houses there’s a distinct face etched in the mountain - this is the face of Viracocha, one of their deities that the Incas believed was the creator of everything. Viracocha’s physical appearance was depicted with lighter skin and facial hair, which resembled the Spanish, so when the Spanish first invaded, the Inca mistook them for their creator deity.
Temple of the Sun at Ollantaytambo
Although never completed, it is a wall of 6 megalithic stones that really strikes you with their grandiosity. To think that they quarried these stones, toted them from 6km away then had to get them up and on top the fortress is mind-boggling.
Chinchero
Next on the tour was a long and most scenic drive to visit Chinchero.
Chinchero is a small Andean village that sits at 3762m above sea level (higher than Cusco) and believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. The village is surrounded by the Cordillera Vilcabamba mountain range and the snowcapped peak of Salcantay. The village houses are of the adobe style (made from mud bricks) and in the main plaza, there is an adobe colonial church which dates back to the early 17th century. The church was built upon the foundations of an Inca temple or palace, and the ceilings and walls are covered in beautiful floral and religious designs.
We arrived just before the sun started to set, so I did not get photos of inside the church due to how dark it was and lacking a tripod but the outside and surrounding scenery was stunning. The sun quickly began to set, which casted a most dreamy scene of colors cascading over the mountains and valley.
Cusco
After this day, my friend and I parted ways (briefly) as she went to partake in some Ayahuasca ceremonies in the Sacred Valley. I enrolled myself in the San Blas school of Spanish, where I spent a solid week in Cusco attending classes. Classes ran for about 4/5hours from morning to early/mid afternoon so I’d normally have afternoons free to myself, which is where I’d spend my time exploring about the city.
It’s not uncommon to see women and children dressed in their traditional garb with an alpaca or llama at their side and/or a baby one in hand. Of course, a typical tourist trap to encourage travelers to take photos with them for a small fee - I actually saw a foreigner trying to get a cute photo with 2 ladies and their alpaca only to be spat in the face by the alpaca - clearly the alpaca wasn’t amused but as an on-looker, I surely was.
I snapped a few shots of these ladies with their llamas and alpacas because I was so enamored with the traditional dress and the fact that now it was genuinely was a typical scene around the Plaza de Armas (thanks to all the tourists and travelers).
I’d also love to marvel at the variations in architecture - growing up in the Caribbean, I can really appreciate the colonial style but to see it contrasting Inca ruins hit differently. The stark contrast in the difference between the two is crazy - from both a historical standpoint and aesthetically. I’d walk around touching all the Inca stones envisioning the lives of those who touched those stones as they built their walls and temples…it’s kind of surreal.
What fascinates me about Peru is how interwoven their spiritual and conscious-altering practices are, which derived from earlier times and managed to survive the Spanish conquest up to the present date. A common thing in the Andes are Coca divination ceremonies, as well as San Pedro (Huachuma) ceremonies, both of which are practices from a distant past that has traveled in time with the Andean people.
In the San Pedro market, there’s a shaman-market section - kind of like the one in Belen market in Iquitos but different in it’s own ways. Instead of finding powdered Banisteriopsis vine, there are massive stalks of the San Pedro cactus. One can also find copious amounts of Agua de Florida, rose water and many other tinctures used in shamanic or sacred practices. Littered throughout the entire market are bags of all sizes of Coca leaves, Coca candies, gum, you name it and there’s a Coca version of it there. I stocked up on some Coca leaves as I enjoyed working with the plant in the jungle and thought I’d like to experience it in the Andes. In different places I would visit, I’d also leave 3 Coca leaves as a token of gratitude to Pachamama.
Aside from the plant medicines in the market, it also has a plethora of tourist goodies, a fruit & veg section, a section to buy meats and trout, and then the eatery, where you can get seriously cheap local food in massive quantities.
One of the days after my Spanish classes, I decided to visit the Cocoa Museum…if you know me, you’d know how much of a treat this was - figuratively and LITERALLY. All the chocolate I’ve had whilst in Peru was most incredible - the flavor of the cocoa was so rich and seemed to have so many different subtle flavors to it, so visiting the Cocoa museum was an absolute MUST! And when I tell you, it did not disappoint. All sorts of artesian chocolates, from white, milk and different percentages of dark chocolate, chocolate with quinoa in it, chocolate with pepper in it, AND chocolate with Coca in it… good grief, lord help me. With all the chocolate on display, they had samples… so you can image the amount of time I actually spent inside of here sampling different chocolates and of course, stocking up on chocolates both for myself and for family back home. Needless to say, I left the museum thoroughly content and with an obscene stash of chocolate.
The only documentation I have of this particular outing is of the outside entrance for I was way too distracted once I got inside - a camera can’t pick up the tastes and smells and those were the senses that was dominating me at that point in time. Although, the image of the museum entrance below gives another example of Inca stone work with modernity encroaching in on it.
Sacsayhuaman
Sacsayhuaman, which when sounded out sounds like “Sexay woman”, is a fortress that lies on the northern part of Cusco, the former capital of the Incas. It was constructed during the reign of Pachacuti (during the 15th century) and is an identifiable testimony towards the Inca’s exceptional stone masonry and the architecture. The Incas had an exceptional way of blending their structures harmoniously into the natural landscape and ensuring that their constructions were resilient to earthquake damage. And, in a region that is prone to earthquakes, time has proven their efficiency as over the course of several hundred years, their structures remain standing with remarkably minimum damage.
It is said that the huge and megalithic stone blocks, the largest one weighing up to 128 tonnes, were quarried and shaped using nothing but harder stones and bronze tools. Marks can be seen on the stones that would be indicative that they were most likely pounded into shape instead of being cut. The stone blocks were moved and placed by using ropes, logs, poles, earthen ramps and levers. You can see that some of the stone blocks still have the nodes and indentations on them, which were used to help the stones be gripped and moved into place. To then finish the surface, grinding stones and sand was used to smooth it out. What baffles me is the fine cutting and setting of the blocks - it was so precise that mortar was not necessary yet they interlock and remain in place! And how did they manage to get it so straight?
While Sacsayhuaman was a fortress, it was rarely needed as such since the Incas did not encounter invasions from enemies, and instead, it served as a complex that included temples - such as the one dedicate to the sun god Inti, and was also used as a location for ceremonial purposes. Sacsayhuaman is also a major Inca storage base where food, textiles, ceramics, tools, metals, arms and armor was kept.
Today, Sacsayhuaman is not only a popular visitor spot but also used to reenact certain Inca-inspired ceremonies.
Below:
A photo of myself in front of the rocks, to help give you a sense of their dimensions
Views overlooking the city of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman at sunset.
Aguas Calientes - Gateway to Machu Picchu
My travel friend and I organized to overnight in Agues Calientes on route to Machu Picchu - which tends to be the pinnacle of people’s trips to Cusco. And while Machu Picchu is indeed an incredible marvel, I think the whole of Peru is just as outstanding - the way the landscape transforms from desert, to high Andean snowcapped mountains and to the jungle is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The journey to Agues Calientes is beautiful as well, as with all of them - the transition from high some-what barren mountains to the elevated rainforest is so beautiful. To witness how the landscape and foliage transforms is always something that I find to be visually fascinating.
Aguas Calientes is a small town located in the Urubamba river valley. It is most well known as the gateway to Machu Picchu and for it’s thermal baths, otherwise, there really isn’t much to do here. Although, it is beautiful as the town is hugged by lush tropical mountains.
We arrived in Agues Calientes in the late afternoon, found our hostel and went walking about. Of course we found the big “Machu Picchu” sign and had to take a cliché touristic photo with it, followed by popping into a cafe for some yummy hot chocolate. After our visit to Machu Picchu, we had some time to kill so we went to scope out the thermal baths and took a dip. I felt like I’ve been perpetually cold while in the Andes so the HOT water was great…until I had to get out that is…
Machu Picchu
Things had changed a bit since I visited the region in 2007 - instead of Machu Picchu being open to the public all day long, there were now 2 time-slots available for tours - one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, which was adopted to conserve the site. Since we chose the morning time slot, we were up before dawn had broken so that we can catch the bus up to Machu Picchu.
So Machu Picchu, one of the most enigmatic places on earth, one of the Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important archeological sites in the world. Situated at 2,430m above sea level and embedded within a dramatic landscape at the point in which the Peruvian Andes merges the Amazon Jungle, Machu Picchu easily boasts one of the greatest architectural and land-use achievements, and is the most significant legacy of the Inca civilization. Completely invisible from below and totally self-contained, the ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and approximately 150 houses, that are all remarkably well preserved. It demonstrates the landscape engineering skills of the Incas as the site’s buildings, walls, and terraces reclaim and hold the steep mountain’s rugged terrain. The several-hundred stone terraces were enough to feed the population, preserved soil, limited erosion, enabled agriculture, and served as part of an extensive water distribution system that was watered by natural springs. And study this - they accomplished this feat without any iron, steel, or wheels….The structures of Machu Picchu were carved from the gray granite from the mountain top, with many of the stone blocks weighing 50 tonnes or more, and again, so precisely sculpted and fitted with such exactitude that a piece of paper cannot penetrate.
Machu Picchu is nestled on top a high, steep ridge completely engulfed by a dramatic mountain landscape surrounding it with the Urubamba River winding around some 610 meters below. It is suspected that it was built as a sacred place where the residents worshiped the 4 elements, animals and other entities, Inti, their sun god, and the stars - it was a place where the Incas can worship and pay homage to their gods. Despite Machu Picchu being a place of sacred worship, that was not its sole use, it was also used as a royal retreat for the emperor, Pachacuti and his family.
Due to its location, it had an ideal climate to grow a variety of plants and crops, among these were the Coca plant, which was an important staple in the Inca’s diet as well as for religious and ceremonial purposes.
Machu Picchu is known as the “City in the Clouds”, and acted as an astronomical observatory, as its location also provides an unrestricted view of astronomical events. In Machu Picchu, there is the Sun Temple, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Intihuatana, which comprise of some of the structures that the Incas build in order to observe the cosmos. During the solstices and equinoxes, and when viewed from specific locations within Machu Picchu, the rising and setting of the sun aligns with significant mountains within the Incan mythology. The sacred structures that align with these cosmic events takes on a higher degree of sacrality because it combines the Earth and the Heavens.
As a fortress, Machu Picchu positioning on the mountain was designed to be inaccessible so that it can protect the residents from potential invaders. This proved to be successful since the Spanish never found Machu Picchu and its re-discovery was in 1911 by archeologist Hiram Bingham.
The following image depicts some jagged rocks contrasting some Inca stone work; our guide explained that this is what Machu Picchu mountain originally looked like before the Incas transformed it.
Below: Temple of the 3 Windows
Rainbow Mountain
The first time I visited Cusco and the Sacred Valley back in 2008, Rainbow Mountain had not yet been discovered. We were told that its discovery was actually due to some hikers in more recent years. Before its discovery Rainbow mountain was covered under ice and snow but due to climate changes, the geological wonder was revealed and the area became more accessible to hikers and explorers alike.
Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, which translates as “colored mountain” in Quechua, and sits at 5,200 meters above sea level - an altitude that’s just over half of Mount Everest.
Going to Rainbow Mountain was a mission, but a fun one. We had to meet the bus at 3am to start the journey. The bus ride, as always, was most scenic and sketchy with the one-way, winding roads accompanied by steep drop offs on the side, but still beautiful as you see the dynamism of the landscape. We reached the “base level'“ and opted to make the trod to go up on horseback - we were not prepared to adept to hiking in that altitude. Since it was early in the morning, everything was still covered in snow from the night, but as we made our ascent, little by little, some of the snow started to melt, which revealed the myriad of colors in the mountains and valleys surrounding.
The rainbow coloration is due to the environmental conditions and mineral deposits of the region in Ausangate. The red sedimentary layers are from oxidized iron; the brown to yellowish tones derive from goethite or oxidized limestone; the bright yellow is from iron sulfide; and the green color is the product of chlorite.
Cue in touristy pic below, followed with a shot of one of the valleys from which we came:
Ausangate
Next on our day-by-day travel agenda, my travel buddy met someone who offered to take us on an overnight trip to Ausangate mountain to stay with a Quechua family. I thought that this would be really awesome - getting to stay with a family and learn how they live so high up in the Andes mountains, as their ancestors did before them.
We arrived late afternoon, which gave us just enough time to get acquainted with the family, and go for a (very) brief walk around the area. The Ausangate mountain peak sits at 6,384 meters above sea level, so where we were situated, wasn’t too far off - so the air was thin.
As the hours passed, the Quechua family started to warm up with my friend and I, which enabled me to take some portraits of them. When it comes to photographing people, I can be very timid as I don’t want to make people feel uncomfortable or infringe on their personal space - it changes the essence of the photographs. I prefer to have time with people so we can get to know each other and feel comfortable with one another. In this case, conversations were somewhat limited, since the family only spoke Quechua, but with the help of our translator we were able to break some barriers. I noticed how the family became more comfortable with us, and with their permission, I brought out my camera to take some photographs of them as they went about their daily routines.
The following images below start with the mother; the second image is a shot my friend took of me huddled by the mud oven that uses alpaca & llama waste to burn since it is too high for trees to grow (hence my pointing) and a cup of Coca tea since it helped to keep me warm. The third image is of the grandmother giggling due to me being playful with her to make her feel more comfortable.
After the above image was taken, the grandmother brought out a whole bunch of textiles and clothes that she had been working on, in hopes of a sale, which both my friend and I contributed to as we thought these souvenirs would be nice with the background story that would accompany it. I told the translator to thank her how and tell her beautiful her work was and with that, she ushered for me to follow her into a room. Inside this room, she had more textiles & clothes, most of which were in the process of being made. She started talking rather excitedly and the translator explained that she was eager to describe and show me how she made their clothing and the things she would sell.
Llamas and Alpacas are their livelihoods for everything - from providing poo for the fire, to clothing, meat, and even the tools for crafting their creations. The tools used to hold the strings in place and weave the patterns were llama & alpaca bones - everything basically gets used from these animals for their way of life. In order to make the patterns for the textiles and clothes; the pattern was weaved using the bones, then pulled down into place to meet the previously set pattern - it’s kind of hard to describe, so forgive my non detailed description.
That night in Ausangate was probably the coldest night I had ever experienced…
My friend and I went to bed with umpteen layers on, a sock hat, gloves, plus numerous blankets but were still feeling the chill - I think I stayed in fetal position, pretty much the whole night. At around 3am I woke up because I had to wee…after trying to hold off for 10 minutes and mentally prep myself to leave my nest, I braved my way outside to use the bathroom - most cold but rewarding wee, ever. I had NEVER seen the night sky the way I did in Ausangate. I’ve been in the deep jungle, away from any light pollution but this was markedly different. I felt so close to the heavens, it was as if I can reach up and glide my hands through the Milky Way. The amount of stars was absolutely breath taking! I think I stood there shivering and shaking for almost 10 minutes, just completely stunned by awe. It crossed my mind to grab my camera but it felt like one of those moments that was just for you - a moment to savor and cherish. The beauty of the mountains hugging the glistening sky was insurmountable…I have no words to describe the monumental grandeur of the scene in front of and surrounding me.
Any who, the next morning we were up early and greeted with a very hearty breakfast that was lovingly prepared by the family. We had plans to get moving early because we were going to spend the day roaming around Ausangate on horseback. The sights were incredibly! The mountain and rock formations were blow mind - to think about how the Andes mountains came to be and seeing it in front of you…man! There were also a bunch of lakes all over that were astonishing shades of blue - the whole scene was a visual feast for your eyes!
Along the way, we stopped to chill out and take in the scenes and came across a couple - if I remember correctly, it was a husband and wife. She told us that she apparently walks a total of something like 60km a day around the area!! She also expressed that she lived not too far away from where we were currently situated and as she spoke, she unveiled a bag with a bunch of bracelet & anklet type things. As we were all chatting (again, through the help of the translator), I asked if she and her husband would mind if I photographed them - they were both comfortable and the husband proceeded to sprawl out on the grass, generously allowing me to take a “candid” shot. My friend and I both bought something from her - I bought an anklet, which I wear on my right ankle (and it’s still there some 3 years later as I write this).
So, I’ll wrap it up here. Think I’ve blabbed on enough and made an obscenely long post but I hope that you enjoyed this journey with me and learned a few things about Peru along the way.
Much love,
Ana