PERU--December 2012

My 12-day trip to Peru was over-the-top fabulous!  After traveling solo for 3 months in Ecuador in the fall of 2011, I decided that this time I wanted companionship.  So I signed up for a tour/retreat through Willka T’ika, a retreat center in Peru’s Sacred Valley that a friend highly recommended.  I loved every minute of it.

First stop--Cuzco.   My first impression was how tourist-oriented it seemed, particularly compared to Cuenca.  My second impression was how evident the Inca heritage is.  Wherever you walk, you pass buildings that have been constructed on top of huge Inca foundations.

Cuzco--Plaza de Armas

Inca walls in Cuzco

Such a mystery how these gigantic stones were quarried, transported, cut and fit into place.  I’m convinced they used a technology that we no longer know about.

Puma Paw--Sacsayhumán

Giant stones at Sacsayhumán, just outside Cuzco

Kissing llamas, Sacsayhumán

 Our little group of 11 visited seven Inca sites in all.  Here are some of my favorite photos, some taken by a fellow traveler, Marita Nell, from South Africa.

Inca cave high above the Urubamba River

Inca terracing, Moray

Market scene

Pisac ruins

As you can see, I was there during the rainy season.  This meant that Machu Picchu was shrouded in clouds and we were treated to a rainbow at the end of our visit.  It also meant that the hillsides were a brilliant green.

My fabulous guide Camila and me

Rainbow below the ruins

Most of the time we stayed at Willka T’ika, a retreat center in the Sacred Valley near the town of Urubamba.  The owner, Carol Cumes, has created a magical space with seven “chakra” gardens,  with flowers of all colors of the rainbow, two yoga studios and luxurious rooms.

 

One of the highlights of the trip was to a Quechua school set high in the mountains.  This is one of the four schools sponsored by Carol, the owner of Willka T’ika.  We arrived in time for their Christmas fiesta and were treated to song and dance, as well as a snack of boiled potatoes.

A special focus of the trip was learning about Quechua culture and spirituality.   We met with several indigenous healers who led us in traditional ceremonies.  It was a perfect way for me to spend Solstice 2012!