Following my trip through Lima, I spent a few days in the Sacred Valley City of Ollantaytambo. This quaint little city acs as a buffer for travel going from the more populated city of Cusco to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo as it is the entrance city to Machu Picchu. Though I only spent 3 days in Ollantaytambo, I had an amazingly relaxing time. The hostel I stayed at, Hostel Andenes, had one of the best breakfasts in all of Peru and their hostel service was 5 star hotel level. The hostel was located right next to the main Plaza de Armas in Ollantaytambo and was only a 15 minute walk from the train station where I hitched a ride on my second day to Aguas Calientes.
Lomo Saltado, Peruvian Dish
Entrance to the city of Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo has somehow retained its ancient cobblestone streets and aqueducts with water running down the channels in the middle of the street. I walked down Avienda Ferrocarril where I found tons of restaurants and shops. I got dinner each night for around 10 soles ($ 3.50) and the meals never disappointed. As I walked around Ollantaytambo I realized that the tourist nature that seems to overtake this city is actually what keeps it thriving. In the mornings, Peruvians arrive from all over the surrounding Sacred Valley cities such as Urubama, Moray, and Poroy to set up shop and get ready for work. Women with woven blankets, scarves, handmade alpaca and llama garments trot around town in the dark morning to get ready for the days festivities.
Farmers hop off their buses and onto trains which stop at various cities on the way to Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is known for its post-hiking massages for tourists who are worn out after their long hikes around Machu Picchu. It is also famous for its natural thermal springs, from which it derives its name.
The most mesmerizing experience I think I had in Ollantaytambo was on my walk to the train station yesterday morning, preparing to embark on my Machu Picchu journey. As I walked down Avienda Ferrocarril, I first noticed the dead silence of the city early in the morning. With my Hydroflask in one hand and my brown bag breakfast (courtesy of Hostal Andenes), I walked down the street with my heart beating fast knowing that in a few hours I would be witnessing one of the world's greatest wonders.
About halfway down the street, I looked up at the black sky and saw almost every start that you could imagine. The sky appeared as a dark, deep blue that you would only think of as being the color of the ocean at its deepest pits. Scattered across the sky were the clearest white lights I'd ever seen. At that moment, all the excitement I had seemed to dim down and I became as calm as the city around me was.
- Nicole
Me, the morning of my Machu Picchu Trek
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