Ollantaytambo

The best way to get to Ollantaytambo from Cuzco is minivan. I made it to the minivan station at 3pm. Bad idea. School had just gotten out. The ayudante squeezes me and 40 giggling, groaning school kids into the van. It was a tight fit for the next half hour till the kids emptied out and I found a seat.

The landscape around here is mountainous dotted with small shrubs, rock slides, Incan ruins and dusty switchbacks trailing off into the distance. Eventually this valley, the Sacred Valley, takes you to Macchu Pichu. Since the late 70's villages in this valley have become towns and towns have become little cities thanks to tourism dollars.

Ollantaytambo, my town till August 25th, is the last stop on the train before Macchu Pichu and boasts its own beautiful ruins. Geographically important to the Incans because it's easy to defend and has plentiful rich agricultural land. Good reasons still, the ruins and agricultural land are propelling the Ollantaytinos into the 21st century. Many tourists stop here and many townsfolk have businesses catering to them. Woodfired pizza ovens? Italian espresso machines? Is this San Francisco?

Getting to town and settling into my family and life here for the next two months is exciting. I cannot wait to get to the hospital and get to work.