We had a fresh breakfast filled with local fruits at the Hotel Pakaritampu nestled at the foot of mountains where we stayed after our return from Machu Picchu.  What a great feeling of peace I felt as I walked around and breathed in the cool morning air.

This hotel is in the town of Ollantaytambo a village in the Sacred Valley where the train station to get to Machu Picchu is located.

There were restaurants, shops and homes all within walking distance. According to Patricia, our guide, some locals still live in homes built over 500 years ago.  The juxtaposition of ancient and modern life was so striking. The locals very much continue living with the values and customs from many generations while welcoming tourists who want to learn more about the history of the area and the people.

We walked on paths the Incas once walked on.  We wandered around streets, a fortress, and several markets.

Saw more cute dogs and cute cuy (guinea pigs).

We had lunch at a family-run restaurant in the middle of town called Apu Veronica.  It looked provincial but I had my most delicious meal in Peru here. I ordered a chicharon which in Peru is a braised and fried pork.  It was so delicious!    We saw cuy on the stove ready to be served, but we weren’t ready to order that yet.

After lunch during some free time, we browsed shops and bought some Peruvian candy to bring home.  We found a laundry service just up the road from our hotel and I think it was only around $3 for around 2.5 pounds.

That evening, we went back to El Albergue for dinner and ordered cuy and had some wine. We shut the restaurant down as we had our amazing pasta, drank wine, and reflected on this amazing trip to Peru.  Living Hilo Style in Peru.