Blatts in Costa Rica: Blatts in Peru: The Faces of Ollyantaytambo

The new mayor of this tiny town was being sworn in in a grand festival as we entered the town square on New Year's Day. The indigenous Peruvians, the Quechua people came down from the hills to celebrate, drink fermented juices, and play a traditional bowling game in the plaza. Hundreds of Quechua dressed in embroidered ponchos, flowered hats, and hand-beaded headbands filled the square. The party lasted from noon until way past midnight, the sounds of the rock and traditional music, punctuated with fireworks, keeping us awake in our hostal on the town square.

Mind you, this was January 1. The night before, we were in Cusco, where we watched the nights sky explode over the Plaza de Las Armas, with more fireworks than I've ever seen in my lifetime. So many fireworks, in fact, that the sky became almost too milky to see them!

The next morning, we visited Ollaytatambo, the resting place of the Inca warriors. This place was held successfully against Pizarro's cousin, one in a long line of Spaniards to plunder the Inca territory. It is incredible to think about how the Incas managed to move these gigantic stones to the top of a mountain, and then carve them so perfectly that they fit together like a seamless jigsaw puzzle.

Me?

We hiked up the fine ruins to the Temple of the sun, where six enormous stones formed the temple wall. Miraculously, at the moment we were there, we saw this arco iris, a rainbow ring around the sun.

Quite spectacular! After hours of exploring the vaulting battlements of this fortress carved into the side of a mountain, we paused for another four dollar feast in a windowless eatery across from the market. We dined on soup and plates of rice, potatoes, and chicken. Then it was time to attack the ruins on the other side of the valley. Steve and Marina threw caution to the wind and climbed to dizzying heights like a pair of mountain goats on crack.