Fui a Peru! It had been on my Bucket List to visit Peru and this year I was finally able to check it off! From Lima I flew to Cusco to explore the Peruvian countryside including the Sacred Valley before making a stop in the town of Pisac and the Ollantaytambo fortress. The diversity and magnanimity of Peru’s landscape was unlike anything I have seen before. I visited many towns and villages built into mountains (+12,000 feet above sea level). It was a workout to even get to some of these destinations but it was worth it because once I got there I was exposed to bustling, musical, and vibrant local communities.
Machu Picchu was my last stop. There I visited the Sun Stone, the Sun Temple, and the Room of 3 Windows. I had the opportunity to learn about how the Incas ceremoniously mummified their deceased in the fetal position, how their blankets were originally crafted with human hair, that Quechua-the native language of the Incas- is being reintroduced into local schools in Peru, and the difference between a llama and an alpaca! Did any of these surprise you too?
Peru was a vibrant and stunning country with a fascinating history that I was grateful to experience.
-D.H.