on the way between Cuzco and Pisac there is a place where you can learn about llama "farming" in the Andes and see the different varieties of "wool" producing animals they raise here. They have vicuna, llama, alpaca - the softest of the handicrafts we saw was the baby alpaca. The place is sort of an open air museum with weaving and dying demonstrations and a shop along with herds of the animals they raise to shear and then spin "wool" from.
before shearing above and below after shearing- LOL- they look so naked...
the producers - above and below the product- LOL
they also had on display some of the varieties of corn and potatoes grown here and we stopped into a bakery where options included cuy (guinea pig) for lunch - having tried it in 1999 I didn't feel the need to indulge again- LOL
from the Sacred Valley we headed back to Cuzco (stopping along the way for a photo of us at a scenic overlook) and checked into our marvelous hotel where our room was fabulous - among the best beds I have ever slept in!
the view from our room-
Later we had dinner at a place overlooking the plaza in Cuzco and after a wonderful meal of pisco sours in various "flavors" and ceviche of various kinds we walked home and went to bed - up early tomorrow for our big train trip into Machu Picchu.
that finishes our first day on the trip.... obviously lots more to come- stay tuned...
