Ahnalira
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Joined: 7/6/2002
From: where Magic is real
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Day 4 - Andean Majesty
 TIP 3 The guides will tell you to drink only bottled water... and they mean it.
I'll never know if it was because I forgot and brushed my teeth with tap water the night before or if I inadvertently took in some sacred river water while we were rafting or if something I ate was washed with tap water... all I know for sure I is woke up wishing I hadn't. First, I tried the complimentary oxygen in the hotel lobby in case it was altitude sickness.
It wasn't Trooper that I am , I took some nausea medicine and climbed in the bus hoping for a quick recovery by the time we arrived at our morning exploration destination. We drove up and up.. over the sacred valley.
We passed other travelers on the road.
Speaking of the road... it was very bumpy. By the time we reached our destination - The archeological site of Moray - I was not only still nauseaus - I had a burning pain in my spinal cord at the fracture sites from inflammation caused by all the bumps in the road. In a word, I was 'ferklempt' But the faeries of the Universe are everywhere, and today took the form of one our travel group; a doctor with a compassionate Soul and a great will to good. He gave me what I needed to take the edge off the nausea and an anti-inflammatory for my spinal cord. I stayed on the bus with a couple of other folks suffering from gastric distress and sent Alan off with the camera...
He told me when they came back that - as far as the local expert can tell - this pattern is in honor of Pachamama (Mother Goddess) and Ayni (balance in all ways)
You can tell by how small the people are, that this is huge, and rather far away. The group began the hike down..
and down...
and down... check out the stairs built with stones into the wall
until the reached the bottom. Marion, humming TADA!
Of course, then they had to climb back up... I have a feeling Alan wasn't the only thinking, "Wish I had one of those.."
Everyone returned to the bus, and we headed into the village for a picnic lunch and a wonderful folk dancing show.
It was time for me to surrender to the needs of my tender body so Alan and I caught a ride back to the Sol y Luna while the rest of the group went on to explore the salt mining terraces (yes, salt from the mountain ) and hike down to the village. This tour is a hiker's dream come true! Everyone joined us back at the resort afterward for an afternoon of enjoying resort amenities. There was horseback riding on gaited Paso Finos
Such beautiful Spirits!
There was also para-gliding, even more hiking for anyone who wanted, mountain biking, and a spa with several types of treatments For me, it was a massage and back to prone position - I had a back to mend in order to climb Macchu Picchu the next day I hear tell the cooking demonstration was fascinating, the pizza-making was delicious, and the Salsa dancing hysterical... yes, Ser Alan danced and how I wish I'd been there to get a picture of that! It was good to know the evening festivities were fun-filled for everyone. I enjoyed it all through Alan's eyes
Click here for Part 5 - Mysteries of Macchu Picchu
< Message edited by Ahnalira -- 10/19/2008 1:26:32 PM >
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Beauty and wonder everywhere I look. I am my dreams come true
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Sacred Valleys and Incan Cities Part 4 - Andean Majesty - 
