2024 Ida B Wells Peru Cultural Journey

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Blog 4

We started the day with breakfast at the hotel, and set out at 8:30 for Ollantaytambo by bus. We learned all about the religious significance of the ruins, and tried to catch our breath from all of the stairs. After admiring the view, we headed back down and wandered around the local market for a few minutes to find souvenirs and shade. Soon enough we were headed to the train station, and catching the train to Aguas Calientes, the base town of Machu Picchu. The train ride was beautiful, with views of snowcapped mountains and rivers running alongside the tracks. Once we arrived, the rest of the day was spent exploring yet another market, and resting up before our long day in Machu Picchu.

The  day after we went on a HUGE adventure. The long awaited moment finally came and we had the chance to see one of the seven wonders on the world, Machu Picchu. We woke up before dawn to catch the 30 minute bus ride up the hill and arrived ready to explore. The view was breathtaking. We learned about the history of the Inca ruins and how the site most likely was a sort of hotel or vacation area for priests and astronomers! Due to its perfect location for astronomical study,  people came from all over the country to learn about the wonders of the sky. After our tour, we started the part of our day that was not as exciting but still important. We drove down the hill and got lunch at a local restaurant before catching our train back into Ollantaytambo. We were greeted by our friendly bus driver upon arrival and then drove for 2 hours back into Cusco. We ordered Pizza and called it a night, preparing for our flight tomorrow morning.
Athena and Mia D.

Blog 3

We woke up on Friday refreshed and ready to explore after our long day of travel the day before. Breakfast was at the hotel, and after that we quickly set off on the bus. The first thing we did was tour a historical site called Sacsayhuamán, where we learned about the Quecha people and the strategies they used to deliver messages and build structures, all while enjoying beautiful views of Cusco. After that, we took a quick bus ride to Manos De La Communidad, a co-op that farms llamas, alpacas and Vicuña’s for their wool. There, we got to pet these adorable animals and learned about the creation and sale of Peruvian garments. Did you know that one kilo of Vicuna wool costs $399-600! We took a quick stop at the gift shop to buy some souvenirs, and got on our way to lunch.

After lunch we had walked towards a area in the busy streets of Cusco to a dance studio; the studio was hidden and unable to seen by the normal eye, hidden by 2 wooden doors, there we had been introduced to dancing in which most of us had been nervous at first, slowly we had warmed up learning the basic steps of bachata and how to get use to the rhythm. Eventually, we had to pick a partner and learn 4 different dance moves of bachata, all differently named by their corresponding numbers. After we had went around in a circle similar to a clock dancing with different partners, then we had designated partners in which we learned a new move which was a combo, although difficult the experiencia of the difficulty made it much more fun in a challenging manor. After the dance we said our goodbyes we had went shopping around Cusco, the market had a vibe of fluency as everyone had a place to be and a place to stay.  After a couple hundred soles spent later, we had moved on to our dinner which gave us delicious food. A chicken salad dish and Chicha Morada, we had a young girl sing while a man played the harp. As the relaxing night came to end then came some more shopping around the area which concluding our night before heading back to the hotel, ready for the next day.

David and Garland

Blog 2

Today was a day to immerse in the culture. We started the day with a long bus ride to Pisaq. Our group toured this wondrous archeological site for an hour and a half. Though the elevation was its own challenge, our group was able to still have an unforgettable experience. Did you know that the kids that live in the mountains around Pisaq intentionally walk home slowly to avoid chores?  That fun fact made our group laugh. Next, we went to lunch with some puppies who also wanted a bite. Our group couldn’t resist their puppy eyes and gave them a little snack.
After that, we headed to two different markets for a scavenger hunt. In the markets, we were split off into groups to complete the challenges. The tasks at hand encouraged each group to immerse themselves in the local and touristic culture and try their hand at speaking Spanish with the locals. Some of the challenges included taking a photo with a local, trying on traditional garments, and trying the area’s best cuisine. Each group had an amazing focus for all of ten minutes before we got sidetracked. In the end, although nobody was able to fully complete the challenges, we returned to our hotel with several bags of souvenirs that were picked up along the way. After an entertaining market experience, we returned to our hotel for dinner and some final free time.
– Emma and Sammi

Blog 1: Portland to Cusco 

After arriving at the Portland airport, we flew to Cusco by way of Dallas, Miami, and Lima. It was a long day, but we got through it. We got to Lima around 4-5 in the morning, and had breakfast there, while waiting for our plane to Cusco. In Lima, we all got through customs and domestic security with no issues, but it was a little overwhelming sometimes when we were functioning on not much sleep. However, we didn’t lose anyone and we made all our connections. Upon getting to Cusco, it took my breath away, literally, and figuratively. At over 11,000 ft, the thin air had us taking it slow for our first day.
For the rest of the day, we toured some of the surrounding city. We toured a quechuan temple that was inside a Spanish church. We learned about the impossible stone working of the quechua, their knowledge of astronomy, and the importance of the solstices. After that, we went to the plaza de armas and exchanged currency, while taking in the historical buildings and sites nearby. We then went to dinner and enjoyed a multi course experience of flavor. We then went back to the hotel, and had a meeting about the upcoming trip, expectations, etc. We then chose group leaders for tomorrow who happen to be us and went to bed.
Sam and Daniel
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