Ollantaytambo, toward Macchu Piccu.

I got my final ride to by normal transport to Ollantaytambo, a ride in a jam-packed little bus, and then, upon arrival, I got out and had lunch and coffee and spent some time chatting about travel with a Russian. That story will come some other time. For now, here are a few sights of the village, almost to Macchu Piccu.

Not for any practical reason anymore, but I do like to look at schools to see what I, not to mention students, are missing. For those camped out in city parks and other public places in America, people complaining that their $35,000.00 student loans for graduate studies in Puppetering are hurting them, I look at people in a nowhere village in Peru who are happy to take some night school training to maybe improve their lives and the lives of their community members in a more practical and possibly finer fashion. But that's just me.

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When I'm not complaining about spoiled American hippies, I go go lunch. I found this lovely place close to the bus stop, as it were, a big open area by the market where I spent some time chatting up the locals. They seem pretty happy with things, as was I while I was at Ollantay. Lunch wasn't free like it is for hippies sleeping in the park in America, but I didn't pay as high a price as this fellow.

The lady swinging the axe who served my lunch was quite nice. Thanks to her and the cow here, I had some good soup.

But I didn't go all the way to Ollantaytambo to have lunch. I went there to catch a train to Macchu Piccu, the only way to get there without walking. In town, this is pretty close to Main Street. It looks far nicer on the outside that what one encounters inside.

Another view of Main Street.

I looked up at the hillsides when I arrived, and there I saw what I think amounts to the Inca version of a retirement settlement for guys with bad knees.

If you click on the image you should see a settlement on the mountain side. This is but one of many seen from the town plaza. Here's a closer view.

I was still suffering from cramps due to elevation sickness, but my knee is so badly damaged now that I probably couldn't have made the hike anyway, so let us for now be happy with a picture.

I'll return in the next post with a bit more about Ollantaytambo and my train ride to Aguas Calientes, onward to Macchu Piccu. Till then, here's a Liderman, Manuel, a fellow who wandered around the riverside with me, pointing out ruins across the way, telling me a bit about his life, and looking pretty pleased with life, which he and I are happy to share here.

Hello, Manuel!