Pisac

At 8am, I confirmed the bus station address with the front desk and they advised against hailing a cab in the street so called me an "official" one (taxis anywhere in Cusco (with the exception of the airport) cost the same - 3 soles (about $1) and no tip is expected. When I got to the bus station (I really wish I´d remembered to take a photo), I wasn´t sure I was in the right place - just a rough courtyard with more broken-down walls - but there were several men outside directing pedestrian traffic and they quickly took charge of me. I asked the collectivo driver again just to be sure. The bus was almost full (I thought) but I got a window seat at the very back without a problem. At first I was the only tourista but then we were five. Then more people piled on and starting filling the aisles. A young man helped people pile bikes on the roof and big parcels in the trunk. Then we were off. About 5 minutes later, we stopped again and more people squeezed in. It took about 1 hour to get to Pisac. The bus stopped about 5 times to let people off and take on more. It was market day in several communities along the way. I saw a lot of people working even though it is Sunday - women and children out with llamas and sheep, farmers ploughing fields with oxen, men ankle-deep in mud making clay bricks, storekeepers open as per usual. How I wished I could have asked the bus to stop for photos - there were some great shots to be had. But how to take them in a respectful way?

Pisac is located in the Sacred Valley so there were spectacular views along the way of the mountains sloping down to the Urubamba river. On the way back it was less crowded so I tried to take some photos. The road had a very steep drop off the side, not as bad as along the Amalfi Coast, thank goodness, but it was a bit nervous-making.

The vendors were just setting up when we arrived so it was a good time to walk through and get a sense of what was available without too much hassle. Prices were better than Cusco and it was worth it to go. I spent about 2 1/2 hours there and I am quite sure I did not bargain hard enough but was happy with what I got. The torusit buses started flowing in about 10am and then it got a bit busier. At one point I went around a corner and came upon the food market - I looked everywhere for guinea pigs but was unsuccessful. When researching the trip, I found some photos of guinea pigs at the market living in fancy wooden houses, much like doll houses, right next to the cooking pot. Actually I am kind of glad I didn´t - I´m not sure how I would have got them all back to Canada. I also met a cat who was very affectionate and who did not want me to put her down, but I had to go.

I saw a bano and of course, I have to check out every town´s facilities. If you want toilet paper, you have to pay for it before going in. Hmmm. Let´s just say I almost didn´t sit down. After I came out, the old caretaker came in with a hose and showered the floor. Then I had to pay him 50 centavos.

On the way out I came across a festival in the main square. There were several groups of young people dressed in different Inkan clothing enacting certain dances. It seems every day there is a festival or band playing on the town square.

There were a few taxis waiting at the bus stop looking for tourists to drive to the top of the mountain where there are beautiful ruins. If you go, I have heard it is important to direct the driver to take you to the second parking lot, the higher of the two so you can fully enjoy the ruins. The cab driver will return to pick you up. I think one full day in Pisac would be good. Most of the bus tours from Cusco let you off at the market for about 45 minutes and then rush up to the ruins for another 30 minutes and then onto about 3 other places, rather like the old bus tours, See 5 European countries in 8 days.

When we pulled in the Cusco bus "station", there was a man urinating into a stone pool directly in front of us. He didn´t seem bothered by us pulling up right by him. Then another man from our bus went there and proceeded to do the same. It was completely visible from the street.

I had to hail a cab this time as I had no one to call one for me. I got in one and he asked me to get out as he didn´t want to go my way. But another one saw me right away and took me back to the main square, which is two blocks from my hotel.