So basically breakfast and then we went on a hike by some train tracks. Scenery was gorgeous and stunning as usual. Blue ink represents today (2017). As I'm going through these pictures, I realize how much narration I have missed on during my journaling then. Also, this was a few years ago and it's a great way to jog my memory.
These first set of pictures are the hike up to the garden that I talk about here. As I look at these pictures, I'm wowed by it all.
Somehow, you know that you're traveling and experiencing something new. This is definitely not the USA. And that's not a bad thing!
Back to the pictures. It's not just the railway tracks. It's the pretty bridge also.
As I'm looking at these pictures, I remember the train going by and I remember trying to capture that picture.
Why I didn't write about it earlier, I don't know. Off topic, I just want to state that it's hard to share pictures on blogger. I'm doing my best. I'm working with size and formats. Please be patient with me.
I guess white space is OK because I have more pictures and a picture speaks a thousand words, so there goes my thousand words!
I had to share some pictures with myself in them or you might claim that I wasn't really there and that I stole these pictures for a blog. Why would I do that? I guess some strange people do, so I had to put myself in some of these.
Although, now that I think about it, I fear that a lot of the pictures I have taken recently on my recent trips, have been without me. Well, you just have to trust me that these are my pictures and my trip, whether I'm in them or not.
I don't know why but I like to take pictures of signs either with directions or just a memory of where we were. So I guess we were following directions to The Gardens of Mandor Waterfall!
Walked through a garden with a lot of neat orchids etc. and got to see this waterfall. Was a small one but looked nice nevertheless.Yes. That note in black prink was the original post.
As you can see, these are picture of the hike in the gardens with the exotic flowers. I'm not a botanist to tell you what flowers we saw and didn't, but I'm hoping these pictures will help. Of course, you can see the hiking path in some of these.
Is it a pineapple? I have to say yes. I'm trying to think if I would get pictures of pineapples if I were to travel now. I don't know. But it's nice to know that pineapples grow down there.
The hike continued.OH. I have to mention about the picture on the left. I remember bending down and drinking that water. I don't think our tour guide was too thrilled with that. He said that birds and animals poop in it. Sure! But I was told that the waters in the streams are naturally filtered through the process of water flow and the algae. The water was tasty! Random memory...
As I was going through these pictures, I realize that I wore my hat on almost all of them, so I thought I would share one without my hat or sunglasses. Of the topic, but I lost the sunglasses I wore on a completely different hike near my home. Every time I see a picture with my sunglasses in them, I am reminded of that.
There it is. The water fall we hiked to. It was still worth it to me. There's just something
peaceful about a waterfall, no matter how small. I didn't get in the water. I don't think we carried our towels and stuff. Just went for a stroll to discover this.
I must say that the walk back was interesting.
As I look at the pictures and this post, I cannot believe the beetle didn't make it on the post about the walk back. Well, I have the picture, so I must share it. I just think that beetle was so cool. No. I did not eat it. On a dare, I might have!
I know I haven't mentioned dogs yet, but I'd be amiss if I didn't as there were dogs everywhere. With my intense phobia, I've still managed to walk and ignore the dogs but today before the waterfall hike as were were going to pay for our tickets, the woman's (owner) dog kept coming towards me. I came so close that I did jump and get out of the way. Boris got mad. He said, *Never do that!* I tried to plead with him that the dog was to close, but Boris said doing that will make a dog attack me. And Boris assured me that he was right there with me. OK. So that happened. On our way back as we walked by the railway, I noticed these 2 women tourists and a dog was walking by them. Since we were walking faster, we almost caught up to them and the dog.
They stopped at the local fruit vendor and that's where we stopped too. I got my first taste of Passion Fruit. LOVED it. Little slimy but sweet with consistency. Couldn't eat the seeds so we swallowed it, of course. I being a fruit junkie bought 2 more passion fruits and carried them in my hand. As we walked away, the dog decided to walk near us and of course, decided to walk more near me. And of course, I was freaking out and finally Boris said, *Put those fruits in your pockets. He thinks you are going to feed him.*
I did as I was told, but dog continued to walk by us. Salman and Boris decided to walk between me and the dog and tried to keep the dog away from me. I continued to walk faster. I wasn't walking with Boris or Salman, but I figured they'd meet up with me eventually and they did. When they did catch up with me, there was no dog. I think I asked Boris what happened to the dog and he came up with the preposterous story that he and Salman threw the dog into the nearby river or something like that. I think other than the dog part of the day, everything else was great.
Then back to the hotel, back on train.As I was going through my pictures, I found this video from the return journey on the train.
On the train was interesting. They had this man wear a tiger mask and dance with a stick and they had a fashion show where the steward/ess changed and walked down the train aisle to display clothing that can be purchased. Then back to Ollantaytambo to pick up luggage, in car to Cusco.I do remember stopping at the pottery factory but I don't remember taking these videos. I think they are neat. For those of you who have done pottery, you may appreciate it more. It didn't work out completely when she showed us, but hey, you learn that even someone with a lot of experience has trouble at times.
Here are the videos and pictures from the pottery factory. The rest of this blog post is as is. I don't even know why I'm making commentary but I think it's better than just throwing a whole bunch of pictures at you.
And then back to Cusco. Boris took us for some roast chicken. It's Peruvian as it's roasted in a wooden oven. Something about the flavor. I loved it anyways and Boris and Salman commented *What does she not like?*
Back to hotel. We met Luke sitting at the reception that evening and he was in Peru for 2 months. He'd already been there for a month. He showed us pictures of where he went. He showed us the caterpillar/butterfly rock. And then the entrance to a temple I cannot remember the name. He said he slept outside the gate and those nights his dreams were very strange. I asked him why strange. He said one night he dreamed he sued Yahoo! And other dreams, he had conversations with his dead friends/relatives. We went up to our room shortly after but Salman went out again to exchange money. Apparently Luke joined him. Salman said his 1 minute analysis of Luke was that Luke was getting over a long term relationship and this was his way of getting away. Well, I thought it was strange someone had the time/finances to be able to take 2 months off just to travel irrespective of one's personal situation.
I started packing, rearranging to see what else to buy if I could buy anything. I've spent $200 already!
Thank you for reading. I know I haven't posted about Machu Picchu for a while. It's on my draft. I basically have finished Day 5 now. I think I have 3 more days of my Machu Picchu trip. Will try to get it all done. I am trying to be more regular with this blog. Also, I want to do vlogs as I've mentioned before. So, we'll see how all this goes.
I know this one is long because of all the pictures and the videos, but do you like it?
Take care,
TTR
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