Don't Feed the Sheep!

Throughout our trip we've seen lots of farm animals - in the countryside, in small towns, on the sides of roads, etc. Yesterday we had the opportunity to make friends with a couple of sheep (ovejas). While hiking at Tipon (an archaeological site/ruins) we came across two sheep. Aren't they cute?

I immediately wanted a picture with them and began looking for a way to get up to the next terrace. I was pleased with myself when I reached the next terrace and went to greet the sheep. They were a little skittish. Being the resourceful travelers we are, we decide to entice them with some snacks in order to get a great picture. Here we are in the shameful act... we fed them peanuts and crackers. 

Turns out they loved them! So much so that they wanted more. We figured we should probably chill out and not give them more food than necessary, besides we had already gotten our pictures. So we tossed them a couple of crackers and climbed to the next terrace to sit down and have a snack ourselves. We used some Purell and began to munch on our snacks. 

Less than five minutes had gone by and something caught our attention to our right - the sheep. At the end of one of the terraces, the same one we were sitting and dining on, there stood the two sheep. They looked at us for a minute, heads cocked to one side and let out a long "BAAAHHH" and began charging toward us. We're laughing and shocked and wondering how these dang sheep found us. They reached us and started begging for more. This time we put away the snacks and decided that we would have to get farther away from these sheep. We climb two terraces this time. The steps we used each time were widely spaced rocks - not true steps, so we knew that the sheep could not climb them. We also step back farther away from the edge so the sheep cannot see us. As we are ascending, I'm looking down and the sheep are already looking for a way to get to us, bleating the whole time, as if to say, "Come back with our peanuts" or "We know how to find you!" 

We pause for a few seconds, waiting, trying to figure out where we should head next to loose these clever little creatures. Eric suggests we head to the right and we take a few steps only to run into these two sheep - AGAIN! They say, "BAAAHHH, BAAAHHH" and charge at us again. This time we have to break the bad news. We really can't keep feeding them. We put the snacks away two terraces ago and we weren't about to bring them back out. They sniff us and follow us and beg for more snacks. We really feel like jerks by this point. We can't really get them to stop following us, but we decide not to run anymore - they truly thought it was a game! 

They dejectedly follow us around begging here and there, but clearly see the end of this relationship approaching. Their pace slows and they show less and less interest in us. 

"Thanks for nothing!" 

"We're through!"

So we learned a valuable lesson in why you shouldn't feed wild animals yesterday. We've repented and vow not to let it happen again. Sorry for the messy break-up little guys.... and then another family walks by and in the distance we hear, "BAAAAHHH!" 

Unique Cultural Traits

During our time in Peru, we've been able to learn about a couple of different "cultural quirks". I wanted to share them here with you.

There have been times when we were riding in our taxi (in Cusco and the Sacred Valley) and we noticed these long poles (almost like bamboo) with a plastic red bag or flag on the end. I first noticed this in Ollantaytambo, but we saw it over and over again one day on one of our taxi rides through the countryside. Eric asked our taxi driver and he explained that it is a sign that "Chicha" is available or for sale. Chicha is a fermented drink typically made of corn or grain that is most commonly alcoholic. There is a variety called chicha morada made from purple corn that is non-alcoholic. Now that we know what the signal is, it seems that there are houses and shops all over the place offering the drink. Sometimes there is hardly a house or shop standing, but there is still a red bag on the end of a pole.

The other interesting thing I noticed in Ollanta was what I initially thought were cows (vacas) on the roof of many of the houses. Then I noticed that some of them had other items along with the cows. So I asked Winn, the hostess of our B & B what they meant. It turns out that they are torros (bulls) and sometimes there are other items accompanying them - crosses and ladders most commonly. Winn explained that when they first opened their B & B they had a ceremony when they put the torros on the roof. In one they put Pisco and in the other cerveza (beer). This sort of "house blessing" ceremony is said to make the household strong, whether that means financial gain or fertility, or is simply a good luck charm. It is said that it is a blending of spiritual beliefs - both native and Catholic/Christian. After speaking to Winn about it I did some research online and found that the ladder is to ensure that the inhabitants can make their way to heaven after death. There is a great deal of information online about what each of these items can/do symbolize. It was a neat thing to learn about. Just one of the fun things about travel - learning about other cultural traditions! 

Pisac

Yesterday was great, we slept in a bit and headed to the Pisac Sunday market for the better part of the day. The Sunday market at Pisac is supposedly one of the great highlights of the Sacred Valley as it draws hundreds of vendors from all over the Cuzco area to sell to locals and tourists alike. 

We were able to snag a taxi for 35 soles (roughly $12) to take us to the city, which is about 45 minutes one way. I'll try to take some pictures of Taxis tomorrow, this one was probably the most rickety we've had so far. Nearly all of the cars here are from Japan. I don't think that I've seen one US-made vehicle. Nearly all of the Taxis are either Toyota Corollas or little Daewoo go-karts basically. Yesterday, we were in a go-kart that had tape holding parts of the door together. It was great fun. 

Anyway, we arrived at the market without problems. The market was HUGE, it must have taken up a 4 x 4 city-block space, with a few buildings in between. Honestly, it was overwhelming. We walked around for about 45 minutes, constantly getting asked if we wanted to buy something. It's weird, they ALWAYS ask Amy if she wants something, not me. It took a while, but I finally managed to get my feet wet with bartering. I wanted to get Amy some gourds that were painted like owls... the lady asked for 80 soles (about $28) for 3 gourds and I was able to get her down to 50 ($18), but I still don't think I got that great of a deal. We bought a few other odds and ends, but nothing terribly exciting until the end. 

We had lunch at a little cafe behind the market, Amy ordered the chicken plate, I ordered the steak plate. Mine looked/tasted like salisbury steak and came with fresh potato fries, veggies, and rice. Amy's came with the same. It was quite good. During our meal we had decided that we weren't any good at bartering and we were going to head back to the hotel. 

On our way out, Amy saw some really cool masks at a brick and mortar shop where we bought three very cool masks to take home, no bartering necessary (they were cheaper than at the market.)

Pisac

Pisac Ruins - shaped like a Condor

Pisac

Beautiful garden courtyard in Pisac

Beautiful garden courtyard in Pisac

Beautiful garden courtyard in Pisac

Pisac Markets

Pisac Markets

Pisac Markets

Pisac Markets

MP & WP - Amy's Take

Our recent adventure to Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu, however grueling, is an adventure neither of us would trade for anything. It really was a cornerstone of our trip and we both were captivated by the size and beauty of it. When we arrived in the morning it reminded me of ruins and sites in Ireland, with the dense fog enveloping everything. You'll find travel books and guides talk about the mystery of the place and how sacred or hallowed it feels. I have to say when you arrive first thing in the morning it does hold that sense of wonder, mystery and grandeur. As the day wears on, the sun burns off the fog, the clouds lift and the tourist buses roll through, it does lose some of this. At least it did for me. I still can't believe we saw Machu Picchu though; what an incredible experience!

As for Wayna Picchu... there is a lot of misinformation that we encountered and I can't help but feel that we were misled. Perhaps part of this is our own fault for not doing thorough research. I'll echo Eric's earlier post - anything we read before did not prepare us for this part of our day's adventure. Lonely Planet says the tour is not "technically difficult" and takes a mere 30 - 90 minutes. It says that the trail is well-maintained and there are many hand rails along the way. The only warning it gives in our tour book is that it can be slippery and steep when wet. Well Lonely Planet, I can't help but feel that you left too many things unstated between the lines of your vague description. Even after the hike we felt accomplished and victorious. It wasn't until we started visiting with others after the hike that the reality of everything set in - perhaps the adrenaline helped to cloud our judgment?

So I decided to do some post-hike research, mostly spurred on by the reaction of so many who thought we were nuts for going to the summit. Here is some misinformation, in my humble opinion, solely based on our experience with Wayna Picchu.

Apparently a few people die each year while hiking Wayna Picchu, including well-seasoned expert guides. There is absolutely nothing at the top to secure you from taking a wrong step. Sure, you can die any number of ways, maybe you'd rather do it while pursuing something you love. However, this was something I honestly didn't realize or consider before our little expedition. Apparently one of the trickiest parts is coming back down the initial summit, through the terraces, etc. to get back to the main return path. The stairs are super steep, lack much depth (think a few inches at most), and have no railing or any place to hold on. We saw people crab walk down, or put their weight back on their butts and go stair by stair. We also saw many do the side step method, which is what we did. Something to keep in mind is that it is easy to loose balance when you are so very high up, your body is fatigued, you are short on oxygen, and it is very easy to get disoriented or dizzy from the elevation (even if you do not suffer from vertigo or aren't afraid of heights).

"Wayna Picchu is not a technically difficult climb." I'm no hiking expert, I'll admit that up front. I have been on hiking trips, but they've always been planned by others. You don't have to make your own footholds, there is a fairly clearly marked path (so you know where you're going) and there are occasional hand rails, which you wouldn't have whilst hiking other places. If that is what is meant by not technically difficult, then okay. What that communicates to the average (non-expert) hiker is something quite different, though.

"As long as you are a fit individual and exercise regularly, it should pose no problem." This one makes me laugh, actually. For our trip I did an extensive amount of walking to get ready. I didn't have issues at any of the other ruins we visited, despite the hundreds upon hundreds of steps we climbed. I think what this should say is that you need to do more than walk or run on a regular basis in preparation for Wayna Picchu. I think if you did a stairmaster or elliptical several times a week, or just did lots of squats and leg prep before, you'd be a lot better off, in additional to cardio workouts.  We saw many "fit" looking people having a rough go of it, as well. We saw very few (if any?) that just hopped along with no problems. The problem is that you hit a point where it is straight up... literally. It would be much easier to have a ladder I think at some points. There were several times we went to scurrying up on all fours. There were a few times that Eric had to give me a boost from behind to make it up.

"I saw a woman nursing her child the whole way up, smiling along the way, blah, blah, blah...." This one made me especially angry. I just don't believe it. First of all, as someone about to enter parenthood, why would you take your children to the summit? I would never feel comfortable letting my kids "play" on the top of Wayna Picchu. Do you understand how absurd that sounds? So even after we get past that part... there are landings through the first part of the path that would allow you to step off and nurse your child. Logistically I'm not sure how one continues to climb (needing to use your hands?) while nursing a baby. Ridiculous...

When we exited the Wayna Picchu control gate, there were several people already lined up and waiting to enter for the 10:00am time-slot. Several of them asked if we had just finished and how it really was. In hindsight I truly hope that we did not rain on their parade. We had the benefit of the first-hand experience we had just finished. However, we did tell them that it is not as rosy as it is made to sound. I told them that I was nearly 7 months pregnant and that if I had known how difficult it was, then I would not have done it. I asked Eric half-way up, what if I go into labor right here? And perhaps therein lies my biggest problem with it... had there been accurate information about the hike provided beforehand, I could have made a more educated decision for Baby and I. I would have been furious/upset/disappointed in myself if anything had happened. It made me feel irresponsible and guilty afterward, despite everything going fairly smoothly.

Would I do it again? Probably not. However, I'm grateful for the experience. We would have opted for a different hike, one less difficult, but with just as many enjoyable views. I'm so incredibly grateful for Eric who held my hand and encouraged me the whole way. I might have given up otherwise.

All that said, we had a great time overall, especially at Machu Picchu. I'd go again in a heartbeat, given the chance. I'm so glad I got to experience it with Eric and Baby K, too. Certainly memories I won't soon forget! Here are some of my favorite shots from the day...

See the hikers on the trail?

The switch-back road you take by bus to get to MP

This was my llama friend