June 24: Ollantaytambo - Pisac - Cusco

After breakfast we visited the lovely town and its imposing Inca fortress. In 1537, the Incas were able to repel the Spaniards from here. The Spanish conquistadores were in pursuit of the rebel Inca Manco Inca. He had been the Spaniard's puppet after the death of Atahualpa, but he finally revolted against the conquerors. After a battle at the fortress of Sacsayhuaman outside Cusco, the Inca leader and his followers retreated to the Ollantaytambo fortress, which the Spaniards could not penetrate.
It is quite a climb from the town to the top of the fortress. As you get closer to the top, the Inca stonework becomes more impressive. Once you reach the very top, you have views of the valley stretching out in two directions. A young boy dressed in a traditional cloak, sitting on a low stone wall, offered to sing a song to us in Quechua. We obliged him, and gave him a couple of soles for his efforts.
At 10:30 Abram showed up in his taxi to take us back to Cusco. On the way, we stopped at the Sunday market in Pisac. This weekly market is written up in most guidebooks as a "do not miss" attraction. It is impressive in size and in the variety of items for sell - from pots and pans to potatoes to handicrafts. We all bought these lovely gourds with scenes carved into them. We were introduced to the standard bargaining that goes on in all Peruvian markets. When Betsy hestitated for just a moment in selecting a piece to purchase, one woman looked her in the eye, said with a sigh, "Amiga!" and quickly dropped the price by 5 soles.
After the market we told Abram that we'd like to see the Pisac ruins above the town. The road climbs steeply and reaches a small parking lot that connects to a trail that takes you up to the ruins. We hired a young man, Ruben, to guide us through the ruins. As we walked up the trail, he pulled out his wooden flute and played for us - a nice touch. Again, our steep walk to the top was rewarded by fantastic views in all directions.
The ride back to Cusco was via a different route than the one we had taken before - very scenic. About an hour after leaving Pisac, we arrived at the outskirts of the city, driving past other Inca ruins, then past the Sacsayhuaman fortess where the Inti Raymi festival was just ending. When we saw the crowds and the traffic, we were glad that we skipped the festival in favor of a nice afternoon in the Sacred Valley.
That night we ate dinner at a little restaurant Nuna Raymi. This restaurant was so good and the staff so friendly that we would return there the next night for drinks and then again our final night in Cusco for dinner. The owners are young South Americans who've had restaurant training in the U.S. and speak excellent English. The food was so good and so moderately priced! Jim and Betsy had the trout in parchment and I had a lovely filet mignon. Appetizers consisted of taqueños (little pastry rolls filled with local cheese and served with avocado) and a yummy Peruvian-style tabouli. After dinner we went back to the hotel and had tea in the cozy, candle-lit cafe, with a cheery fire in the corner fireplace to warm us.

Below: Views of Ollantaytambo - town and fortress.