http://eatingatjoes.com/2015/04/02/trader-joes-giant-peruvian-inca-corn/
After an overnight bus from Copacabana, we arrived to the historic capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco at 5am in the morning!! After we checked into a hostel, not to waste any time, we went to get the ticket to Machu Picchu for the next day. We came across a tour that we can take today to the sacred valley, with an English speaking tour guide. As much as I enjoy exploring by myself, it is nice to not have to worry about the bus schedule as well as having someone explaining the history to you at the ruins.
Stop #1 - Pisac
Pisac is a Peruvian village in the sacred valley. The most impressive feature is the agricultural terrace on the steep hill side constructed by the Incas, which are still in use today. There are some souvenir and food stands where we stopped. We found these giant corn steamed on the cob, and we were very curious to try it! It wasn't as sweet as the smaller corn, but it was delicious, and I later found this snack in Trader Joe's!! (Picture on the right) The tour guide told us that they have more than 100 different corns and potatoes! I wonder what they all taste like lol.
Stop #2 - Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is a town that was built by the Incas around the mid 15th century, located at ~2800 meters. It is a royal estate of the Emperor Pachacuti, and you can still see a lot of the structures there, like the temples, the storage houses, and the terraces. It definitely took an effort to hike all the way up, but you can see the town from the top. The rainstorm was chasing us that day, and we were trying to hurry to the top before it started raining.
Stop#3 - Chinchero
We went to an adobe colonial church, which was built in the early 17th century. What is interesting about this place is that the church was built upon the foundations of an Inca temple. Deep into the church, you can still see the signature big stone blocks of Incan architecture.
It was a very historical day and it was amazing to see all those ruins from hundreds of years ago, and I can't wait to see Machu Picchu tomorrow!
