Jun
19
A review of Monday, June 14, 2010
My favorite part the past few days: 17 OU students, two OU professors, a tour guide and two workers from a textile factory riding up a mountain in a cattle truck on narrow, dusty roads chasing cows, sheep and whatever in our way. Oh, and picking up other tourists and indigenous people on the way.
It was especially fun because I sat on the top of the cattle truck on the way there and back, so I saw different views. What a fun 2-hour ride!
I played with the children at the Patacancha textile factory, particularly a 3-year-old girl who was very happy and giggly.
There were about five children with their mothers at the textile factory, which consists of huts. The only man in the factory spoke Quechua and Spanish. He helped prepare the spool so the women could make products out of it.
We returned to Ollantaytambo town. Most of us ate at a restaurant called Blue Puppy. I had shrimp quesadilla, one of the few Mexican food options I have seen here in Peru.
After a hike, a bus ride and a train ride, we made it to Machu Picchu town. Then we divided up into two groups, walked to our hotels and rested for the big day.
Today was very exciting!
My favorite part the past few days: 17 OU students, two OU professors, a tour guide and two workers from a textile factory riding up a mountain in a cattle truck on narrow, dusty roads chasing cows, sheep and whatever in our way. Oh, and picking up other tourists and indigenous people on the way.
It was especially fun because I sat on the top of the cattle truck on the way there and back, so I saw different views. What a fun 2-hour ride!
The director of the textile factory, Emma, is from Great Britain. She’s in her 20s, and she was helpful and welcoming.
I had a great time learning about Patacancha town and the textile factory. Patacancha, consisting of 473 members, is in the mountains of Ollantaytambo town.
There were about five children with their mothers at the textile factory, which consists of huts. The only man in the factory spoke Quechua and Spanish. He helped prepare the spool so the women could make products out of it. I played with the children, particularly a 3-year-old girl who was very happy and giggly.
The women showed us how to dye the wool and how to make different textiles. We later had the opportunity to buy their products.
The non-profit organization that runs the textile factory prepared bagged lunches for us, and the Andean women cooked us potatoes. I gave one of my sandwiches to the 3-year-old girl, and she quickly ate it. I gave an apple to a younger boy. I took a bite of the potato and found a worm in it. I didn’t eat any potatoes after that.
The area doesn’t have indoor plumbing, so our restrooms consisted of bushes. My small bladder forced me to use the “natural restrooms” twice, but I had traveling companions to accompany me…talk about bonding.
We walked further up the mountains and had a great view of Patacancha town and saw the school and soccer field.
We returned to Ollantaytambo town. Most of us ate at a restaurant called Blue Puppy. I had shrimp quesadilla, one of the few Mexican food options I have seen here in Peru, and later mailed six postcards.
Each stamp costs 5.50 soles (about $2). I printed about 40 address labels for postcards before leaving for the trip, but I won’t be mailing that many after finding out how much each stamp costs. The man told me it takes about 10 days to get to the United States.
We took the luggage we would need for the next few days and hiked to the bus station that would take us to the train station for Machu Picchu. After a hike, a bus ride and a train ride, we made it to Machu Picchu town. Then we divided up into two hotels, walked to our hotels and rested for the big day.
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