I really didn't know what to expect from Peruvian food, and have been pleasantly surprised. They grow over 1000 different species of potatoes, some sweet, some creamy, some yellow, some just plain old starchy. Each grows best at a different altitude / climate zone. There are also multiple kinds of corn, squash, and beans, as well as a grain called quinoa, which is really high in protein and reportedly very good for you. It´s a vegetarian´s paradise really. No shortage of options for the meat eater either, including all the regular meats plus guinea pig and alpaca as well. Although the guinea pig does not appeal (poor little fuzzy hamsters!), I actually tried alpaca today - tastes just like pork! Then there are the yummy wood-fired pizzas, and delicious Inca Cola (which suspiciously resembles cream soda) to wash it all down. Apparently you have to be a bit careful about how you order though. Our group tonight thought we ordered a large pizza and 4 beers, but we ended up getting 1 large beer and 4 pizzas. Oops!
Today, our group of 15 took a mini-bus tour of the Sacred Valley, where I got my first peek at some Inca ruins. Their architecture was very cleverly designed to pay homage to the sun and stars while withstanding earthquakes, and they used some rather gigantic stones to build everything. I´m sure you geologists and engineers back home would find it all quite interesting. We are now in Ollantaytambo for one last night of hotel comfort before heading out on the Inca trail tomorrow. So, likely no posts for a few days...
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Ollantaytambo Hotels
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