Ollantaytambo diva cooks up change
Tue, June 26, 2007
The cool thing about traveling in Peru the Adventure Divas way is that, while you do some of the “touristy” things that you wouldn’t want to miss, you get to burrow into the culture in extraordinary ways through the divas you meet. For example, we were in this gorgeous little town below the Sacred Valley of the Incas and on the way to Machu Picchu called Ollantaytambo. To get there we bicycled across much of the valley – which is high, over 10,000 feet - then hiked down through an ancient Salt Mine to the much lower river valley where we got a ride to our charming (and by that time, welcome!) digs for the night. The next day we lunched with our first and only non-Peruvian diva, Sonia Newhouse.
Tue, June 19, 2007
HQ -
We’re just back from our two weeks in Peru! Shaking off jet-lag and already nostalgic. Met five fabulous “divas,” reveled in a couple of meals at 5-star restuarants in Lima, spent 3 days exploring the Amazon jungle (somehow, with nary mosquito bite), a day luxuriating at Macchu Picchu, a day on the “alto plano,” bicycling 27 kilometers over a stunning Andean landscape (ok this was tough for some of us!), three days in Cusco learning about and marveling at the Inca culture, riding horses - to archeological sites and being blessed in a Shaman ceremony, two days in the weaver village of Chinchero as guests of the fabulous Paulino and family . . . well, it all sounds exhausting but, in fact, “thrilling” and “enlightening” would be better adjectives. “Fun,” would be another one. More later on the “divas” we met - all of whom are creative women who have harnessed their passions in the interest of their Peruvian communities. Also, more insider info from all of us who took the tour. Big thanks to our partner Crooked Trails. Who’s up for the 2008 Peru DivaTour?! I’m in.
