Zipped through Cusco airport and into our flashpacker cab to head down to the Sacred Valley as soon as we possibly could. Lower altitude, less people, more ruins... who wouldn´t! We didn´t even really know how great our hotel and the surroundings would be until we arrived but check out these views from our home in Urubamba for two nights. PIMP! I can promise you that the 8 weeks leading up to Kyla´s visit don´t come close to this kind of thing. So lucky to not only have my sister but also a taste of the good life SA has to offer! Top right is the view from our room. Maybe the gardener would come look at my backyard?
So from our homebase of Urubamba we drove to Ollantaytambo (40mins and yes there is a bus that costs a fraction of the price but when you have been on the road for 8wks and you can spend time with your sister and best friend in quiet conversation you jump at the chance. Prove me wrong. Oh PS I´m 35yrs old with a mortgage... I haven´t worked this hard to stand at bus stations my entire trip to save $20)... aaaannnnddd vent complete.
Ollantaytambo ruins were a fortress for the Incas and we could have learned a ton more if we´d accepted the offerings of many a guide willing to walk us around for a low low price but as I mentioned above we´ve been enjoying the opportunity to discover places together and between us we can´t ever seem to retain any real stats anyways so we passed and just wandered around and climbed the many steps that were on offer for the afternoon. The town of Ollantaytambo is adorable as well so we sat in the square for a while and absorbed the vibe until our driver picked us up. 
Loved the circulating waterways designed to run through the streets. Home for dinner (my first taste of Alpaca) and chocolate cake with coca mate tea before heading to bed knowing we had no set time to get up. What a dream!
The following day we hit the town of Pisac and before you even ask... yes we took a cab. The Pisac ruins include the largest cemetery in this region of the Inca empire... I am not even sure it´s called an empire but it is now. The Incas would place mummified bodies into tunnels in the hills to the left of their crops below. Incredible terraces wrapping around the landscape for miles. This was by far our favourite ruins and we kept the driver waiting longer than we´d planned as we explored the site way beyond where the path on the hill to the right shows.
Can you see Kyla doing a jump on the peak of this hill? This is how far we went and while I know you have no reference for how far this is let me tell you that there were once again many steps and steep cliffs and even a tunnel to go through to get here and we were thrilled to do it.
Funny that below is the town of Pisac and we could hear people playing futbol (soccer) on a field within view. I imagine there´s nothing more Kyla could have asked for at that point aside from having C, Ozzie, Max, Kate and Cal with us too. Since the landscape is so vast Kyla has taken to documenting the views etc on video vs photos since they can´t really capture it all. I´m sure she will be happy to share the footage for anyone interested in watching.
Pisac is also known for their markets (the largest in the area) so we of course took some time to wander the stalls and buy a few items to remember the adventure. I have no idea what the customs people are going to say to Kyla when she tries to get this much Llama and Alpaca home in the form of hats, make-up cases, sweaters and the like. 
Here´s B in the streets of Pisac. Inca flag flying above. Another terrific little town that, we agreed, we could see many people wanting to stay in for days. Sadly we only had these two days in the Sacred Valley but I think we managed to make the most of it without a doubt.
Here´s a token sister shot at Pisac ruins. Next stop Machu Picchu to see the most marketed ruins in all of South America. I can not believe we have to get up at 5.15am. This theme is really wearing on my nerve but that´s what a pair of sisters have to do to see so much in only 10days. I wouldn´t change it for any money in the world!Hope you are all well.
xox
b
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