Packing for Adventure

Our first real stop in Peru was the Sacred Valley. After flying into Lima, we spent the night at an airport hotel. The following morning we boarded another flight from Lima to Cusco, where we were met by the local travel agency Condor Travel. They got our bags and took us in a car from the airport, through Cusco, to the Sacred Valley.

*A note about tipping: When we landed in Cusco, we hadn’t had a chance to break our newly exchanged bills yet. I wasn’t expecting the driver to take our bags (or to tip), but when he thrust his hand out insistently, all I had were large bills. He ended up with a very generous tip. Lesson learned: always keep small change handy in Peru for tipping.

Where We Stayed:

We stayed at a wonderfully beautiful hotel called Sonesta Posadas Del Inca Yucay. We didn’t really have time to explore or do anything as we arrived late afternoon and would be heading to Machu Picchu the next morning. But this hotel was definitely the nicest one we stayed at on the whole trip.

As we were heading to one of the hotel restaurants, we passed a little market area where there were a handful of Peruvians selling their goods. Chris bought a handmade sweater made from alpaca. The restaurant we ate at was, of course, a pizzeria. Our waiter told us she knew what specific family we bought the sweater from based on the knitting pattern. Apparently different families use different patterns, and they are recognizable enough to identify the family it came from.

Notice in the picture I am drinking Coca-Cola and Chris is drinking a yellow drink. The yellow drink is Inca Cola. Chris was excited to try Peru’s own soda, but it was his first and last sip. Apparently it’s an acquired taste!

Why is it Sacred?

This area was one of the most important and revered areas of the Inca Empire.

• Fertile Land – the valley is nourished by the Urubamba River and had some of the most fertile soil in the Andes. Food means survival and in turn, power. The valley was treasured for its ability to feed not only the locals, but the empire.
• Spiritual Significance – The Urubamba River was symbolically linked to the Milky Way and the valley was seen as a gift from the gods.
• Royal and Religious Use – in addition to being excellent farmland, it was also a retreat for the Inca nobility. They built temples, palaces, and ceremonial centers in places like Ollantaytambo.
• Gateway to Machu Picchu – the Sacred Valley was part of the pilgrimage route leading toward Machu Picchu, a sacred ceremonial site.

Our stop in the Sacred Valley was short and sweet. It gave us the rest and calm we needed to prepare for the reason we came to Peru: Machu Picchu.

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