Since returning from Bolivia, life in Ollanta has been relatively relaxing (I guess anything can be considered relaxing, though, after you drive through roads with broken glass, boulders, and people rioting!). While it may seem like Claire and I have simply been hiking and taking in the sights of the Sacred Valley for the past two months (not entirely false), we have also been volunteering in a rural community, Pomatales, teaching English at the local elementary school. On the surface this may sound like a typical teaching experience, but the location of the school made it pretty unbelievable.

To get to Pomatales, we hopped in a Colectivo headed for Urubamba/Cusco. After about 8km, we were dropped at a small bridge for the town of Pachar. At this point, we sat and waited for one of the three teachers to come pick us up on a moto. Once on the moto, we drove about 30 minutes up through the Andes on unpaved roads to finally arrive in the tiny town of Pomatales. At first we thought our transit was a pain in the ass . . . then we started asking where our students lived and how they got to school.

Elisban, one of my sixth grade boys, walked everyday from the town of Soccma, which sits an hour and a half further up the mountains. Beltran, an adorable fourth grader, walked every day from the small town of Rayan, which is so high above Pomatales, it takes him three and a half hours to make the uphill hike back home every afternoon. I soon learned that the majority of the students of Pomatales make similar treks through the mountains every day, but they just think of it as their walk to school.

Unfortunately, because of the commute and various duties these young kids are expected to complete for their parents, many students did not attend school regularly. On market days especially, we were lucky if 25 of the total 40 students were present. Claire and I quickly stopped complaining about our commute and really anything else.

With our time in Ollanta coming to a close, last Monday we had to tell the teachers and students of Pomatales that Wednesday would be our last day. When we showed up on Wednesday, we walked into a “Despedidia,” or a good-bye party for us. All of the students lined up based on grade, and to start the party students came forward and recited poems in Quechua and castellano. After the recitations, each and every student individually came forward to thank us, give us flowers and hand-written cards, and give Claire and I both a big hug. Everything about this was heart warming and made me want to stay. It only got worse when the teachers began to ask the students if they wanted us to stay, to which the students responded by yelling and begging us to stay. Talk about pulling at your heart strings!

After we left Pomatales, touched by the fact that they threw us a goodbye party and gave us so many beautiful flowers, we ran into the mother of a sixth grade student, Luis. Luis’s mom told us that he had been very upset we didn’t have a proper goodbye party because there was no food. A week later, Luis and his mom came to Ollanta, and brought a full lunch to properly say goodbye. Such a great kid.

The funny part is the meal was cuy. Now, Claire and I have been doing whatever it takes to avoid eating the much-loved Peruvian delight that is guinea pig. In this situation, there was just no way out of it. We sat down and each ate half of a cuy. To be honest, it wasn’t half bad. Once you ignore the full rodent sitting on your plate – four little legs and all, similar to how a full fish would be served – it tasted like a strange mix of chicken and pork.

After the goodbye meal, Luis and his mom took us to ruins that are rumored to be the site of an ancient Inca church. My stomach may have felt a little weird by the end of the day, but spending this time with Luis and his mother, and seeing how grateful they were that Claire and I had come to help Pomatales was truly amazing.

Having finished teaching in Pomatales, with little time left in Ollanta, Claire and I decided to finally hike the very touristy Moray, Maras, Salineras trail. Almost all tours through the Sacred Valley make a stop at these three cities before arriving at Machu Picchu. The easy way to do the hike is to start at the Moray Terraces and hike downhill through the town of Maras to the Salineras Salt Pans.

Feeling young and athletic, we decided to hike uphill in the opposite direction and hike back down, 24km in total. The Salineras Salt Pans are just about a 30-minute hike from the road where you get dropped off in Colectivo. To enter the site it costs 7 soles. From here, it is an hour to the town of Maras, which we just walked through, and another hour to Moray Terraces. To enter Moray it will cost you another 10 soles, unless you are Claire and I who are desperately trying to hang on to our college days and entered as students for 5 soles.

Moray was absolutely unreal. The absurd precision and perfection of the circular terraces is mind blowing. I may or may not have left Moray Terraces with a newfound belief in aliens. I just don’t understand how the Incas or anyone other than aliens could have created such perfection. [Editor’s note: I totally agree. Ancient alien technology is/was definitely a thing.] Moray was definitely worth the price of admission, but if you are looking to save some money, I’d say you can skip the Salineras.

Aside from tear-jerking goodbyes and a newfound belief in aliens, I have been prepping for Bolivia. Hope you’ve all enjoyed Peru, and next time I check in I’ll be coming from somewhere (could be anywhere) in Bolivia!

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Well, I made it back from Bolivia alive. Probably strange to hear after I went on a trip to the much-visited and very touristy Lake Titicaca, but I can honestly say there were moments on the trip where I thought it could be the end for me. These life threatening moments all surfaced on the trip from Ollantaytambo to the small town of Juliaca which is on the route to Copacabana, Bolivia. Let’s just say there was a strike in Juliaca, and strikes are pretty intense here in Peru. Some of the lowlights included streets filled with shattered glass, boulders, and mounds of dirt, people screaming in the streets, and of course your run-of-the-mill grandma threatening to throw rocks through your car window. Overall a terrifying experience, but I left Juliaca with the very important life lesson that whatever you do, DO NOT drive through a Peruvian town that is on strike.

I also left Juliaca, which in and of itself can be considered a miracle. For those looking to travel to Lake Titicaca, there are numerous cheap (approx. $30) buses that run from Cusco to Puno – the big city on the Peruvian side of the Lake – or from Cusco to Copacabana, Bolivia. Assuming you won’t have the terrible luck of having to pass through a city on strike, the trip is actually quite easy. Even given the small issue that my life was on the line for a few hours, visiting Copacabana and Lake Titicaca was definitely worth it.

We arrived in Copacabana on Saturday afternoon and first dropped our stuff at a hostel. No need to book in advance, as Copacabana is a super touristy town with numerous hostels and hotels. Given Claire’s and my travel approach and the fact that we are living off our life savings, we chose a hostel for 35 Bolivianos (about $6!) which had WiFi, hot showers, and breakfast included. Phenomenal deal if you ask me. After dropping our stuff, we spent the rest of the day wandering around the town of Copacabana. Turns out Copacabana has all the same vibes as a small beach town in California. For anyone who has been to Santa Cruz, CA, Copacabana is very similar. The only difference is the minor detail that Copacabana is on Lake Titicaca: the largest navigable lake in the world, also at an extreme altitude. (Ed. note: The Google tells me it’s a whopping 12,507 feet. As Shaggy would say, ZOINKS.)

We started by doing the short hike called Calvario, to a point that overlooks the town of Copacabana and the lake. This hike passes 13 crosses, where you pay respect by placing a small rock at the base of each. While almost a beautiful, religious experience, the crosses and path are covered with graffiti. This takes away from the hike a bit, but the view from the lookout is incredible. You are both in the clouds and at a lake all at the same time. Eeps, confusing! From the lookout, we hiked down to the huge basilica church that dominates the town. This church takes up a full street square, and it’s bleach white color makes it stand out against the darker buildings surrounding it.

On Sunday we headed out to Isla Del Sol via a 2-hour boat ride which cost just 30 Bolivianos round trip. Again, great deal. There are a bunch of options for how to explore Isla Del Sol, but I definitely recommend hiking. The boat dropped us off on the northern dock where we were swarmed with tour guides offering to show us around the island. We denied the guide offers because we like to “forge our own path,” but the reality is we didn’t like the idea of paying. Good thing we didn’t pay, because to explore the sights of the northern area, including the Sacred Rock, Labyrinth, and Inca ruins, there is an entrance fee of 10 Soles.

Standing amongst the clouds looking below to the deep blue of Lake Titicaca was unreal. After taking in the natural beauty, we started out on the hike from this northern point to the southern dock. The hike follows a very well-marked path, and takes about 2.5 – 3 hours to complete. While you might break a sweat, this hike traverses the entire island, giving you a first hand look at every nook and cranny it has to offer. There are various stops along the hike where you are technically supposed to pay an entrance fee, but we managed to avoid all but the final one. Lucked out there. When you arrive at the southern dock you are greeted with numerous restaurants, which strangely all advertise pizza. I guess because tourists love pizza? We passed all these and ate at the local restaurant right on the water and had a full plate of rice and meat for 10 Soles. If you time the hike right as we somehow managed to do, we had just enough time to eat and then catch the boat back to Copacabana.

Because it was such a short trip and we’ve heard of some other great sights aside from Lake Titicaca, we decided to change our plans and return to Bolivia after two more weeks in Peru. Back to the “real” life in Ollanta for now, though!

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Welcome to the second installation of Alison Wanders, the new column on Of Revolt! Alison Nabatoff recently graduated from Princeton and has set off on an incredible journey through South America.

Hello again from Incan rock quarries and the Pisac Market!

In the past two weeks Claire and I have strayed a little from our typical days and weekends filled with hiking around the Sacred Valley, and have instead ventured to one of the more mainstream sights. This change might have to do with the fact that after our last hike we were absolutely physically and mentally exhausted. Thankfully, the difficulty didn’t take away from how incredible the hike actually was, leaving me wondering how the hell did the Incans did it.

This last hike, like many others, started in Ollantaytambo, and led to Las Canteras, which is an Incan rock quarry two hours uphill from town. The two quarries are where the Incans went to carve and ultimately carry the rocks that they used to build the town of Ollantaytambo. After having done the hike up and down, seen the unbelievable size of these rocks, and realized that this was all done thousands of years ago without modern technology, I might be starting to believe in aliens – I mean, I could barely walk at a leisurely pace there and back carrying a padded backpack containing my camera and water bottle.

While the rock quarry was eye-opening to the astonishing technologies and work of the Incan Empire, the real draw to this hike is definitely the small cave hidden within the quarry containing ancient Incan skeletons. On one hand it’s a little creepy . . . but on the other hand, there are very few places in the world you can find such an authentic, natural scene. Here, almost 800m above the town of Ollanta, lie these remains that you can get as close as you want to without paying an entrance fee, looking through a glass screen, or having crowds push for the best view (though to respect the site you are asked to not touch or move the bones. But who really wants to test their luck with the spirits of the Inca Empire anyway?). For the anthropologist in me, this was a dream. As for the mental and physical exhaustion, Claire and I decided to ignore all advice to camp at the top, and instead hiked up and back all in one day. Turns out the advice to camp and return the next day rested really should have been taken. Live and learn, friends, live and learn.

Changing our ways a bit, we decided to check out the world-famous Pisac artisan market. While the official market day for tourists is Sunday, we went on Saturday to look around town and stay the night. Given the status and popularity of the market, we assumed there would be some other things to do around town to occupy our Saturday. I’ll tell you right now, our assumption couldn’t have been more wrong. There are ruins that you can hike to, but they don’t offer day passes. Instead, you either have to pay 70 soles for a pass that allows entrance into 4 “Sacred Valley Sights,” or 130 soles for access to 10 tourist spots in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The problem was that the first expired within two days of purchase, and the latter within 10 days. For the traveler short on time who wants to see the main tourist attractions, this isn’t a bad deal, but for two girls who like to wander without a time table and are quickly learning the less-traveled, less popular paths are much more worthwhile, this wasn’t the way to go.

Instead, we drank a few Pisco Sours, the prided drink of Peru which is made up of the local liquor Pisco, lemon juice, sugar, and egg whites (strangely tasty), overlooking the much less popular Saturday market. By 5pm Pisac was a ghost town, replete with black cats, deserted stores, and a central plaza of abandoned market tables. Finding a place for dinner was a strangely impossible task, in which we had to walk four blocks out of town to a local chicken spot.

The next morning everyone came out of hiding and the plaza was completely packed with tents and tables that stretched down numerous side streets from the Plaza de Armas. After walking for a bit you begin to notice that almost all of the tables are selling the same products: scarves, bracelets, bags, local clothing, alpaca goods, ceramic works, and of course, silver jewelry. The main attraction at the Pisac market for me was the silver jewelry tents, where I made out with a beautiful coca leaf ring and a pachamama (mother earth) necklace. While both are beautiful, they were being sold by about 50 different shops, so the unique artisan aspect of Pisac was somewhat nonexistent in my opinion. Nonetheless, Pisac has been the first market I have been to where you can find such an abundance of jewelry.

Pisac is also one of the few markets where bartering occurred at extremes. For example, at the Urubamba and Ollanta market you may find a 50-cent difference after talking to the store owner; in Pisac, the ring I bought was originally priced at 90 soles and I made the final purchase at 50 soles. While some people may appreciate the art of bartering, I felt as if everyone was trying to scam me out of money. At one point I just wanted to scream, “what is the actual price of this because I’m willing to pay.” Maybe I just need a lesson in patience though, who knows. Overall, Pisac has both pros and cons, and while I don’t recommend going for two days, checking out the market for an hour or so is definitely worth it.

If not to buy merchandise, it’s worth a trip to stop and try the storied empanadas. Made in huge, dated ovens, I bought three empanadas, vegetable, chicken and cheese, for 10 soles, and wanted an endless supply once I finished. There are tons of different places to buy empanadas, so stop in anywhere and then walk around eating an empanada to look like a local and get some street cred. I leave you with a warning though – you will get addicted. If you think you can pass on the empanadas or simply fear the addiction, the Urubamba market is much more authentic and avoids the touristy feel. Urubamba sits between Cusco and Ollantaytambo, and every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday boasts a huge market that spreads over five blocks and is where locals go to do their purchasing. While it doesn’t have the jewelry, it is worth a trip for those who are looking for a taste of a true Sacred Valley market. Here the people wearing traditional garb aren’t looking to take a picture for money as is the case in Pisac, but instead are simply grocery shopping or enjoying a meal.

In the next two weeks I will be moving into an apartment and venturing to Bolivia for a few days to visit Lake Titicaca, so stay tuned!

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Hello, ye readers! Today is exciting because I get to introduce you to Alison. Alison is a recent graduate who, instead of buckling down and getting a job, ran off into the wilds of Peru to, you know, hike, eat chocolate, and hang around. Woman after my own heart, she is. 

Alison will be contributing about twice a month here on Of Revolt, and I’m stoked to see her photos and read her tales of journeying across South America. Here’s the first installation – enjoy!

Hola amigos! My name is Alison Nabatoff and I will be stopping in time and again as a guest writer here on Of Revolt. I was raised in a suburb of Washington, DC, and this past spring graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Anthropology. While many of my fellow Princeton grads took the first train to Wall Street after graduation, I had a slightly different destination. Whether it was my strong desire to travel and explore the real world outside what is known as the “Princeton Bubble,” or my acquisition of a degree in a field that employers don’t find particularly practical, I’ve decided to travel through South America for the next eight months with my friend Claire. Though Claire and I may not have any marketable talents and are pretty much unemployable, we make great travel buddies (maybe I’ll add that to my resume when I get home in 8 months).

First things first, for those looking to take a trip to South America, flights can be incredibly expensive. Since I am a recent college grad traveling the world for eight months on my life savings, an expensive ticket wasn’t in the cards. After some intense research I came across TACA/Avianca airlines which had flights that were about half the price of the competitors. While the prices are very dependent on when you choose to travel, I was able to buy a one-way ticket to Cusco, Peru for $450 as opposed to $900. I should also note that that not only were there no checked baggage fees, but there were also full-fledged dinners, blankets, pillows, and even free alcohol! Lets just say I am now a walking spokesperson for TACA/Avianca.

After arriving in Cusco, Claire and I started our adventure by traveling to the small town of Ollantaytambo, which is in the Sacred Valley of Peru. Many travelers may have heard of Ollantaytambo, or Ollanta as the locals call it, because you must pass through the town to catch the train to Machu Picchu. Anyone seen the movie Cars? Ollanta mirrors that town in the movie. If you haven’t seen Cars, this probably makes no sense, so go watch it, it’s a great movie.

Anyway, we took what is called a “colectivo” which is the most popular and by far cheapest means of travel in Peru. Unfortunately, since our attire and totally clueless facial expressions screamed tourist, we were charged about double the actual price for transport from Cusco to Ollanta. Learning the costs of various things like market food, transportation, and clothing takes a bit of time, but we have adopted the motto of “live and learn,” which we revert to every time we are ripped off.

While there are some struggles when it comes to transportation, once you arrive in Ollanta you are immediately surrounded by beautiful Ancient Incan culture. The town itself sits in a valley with the Incan fortress on one side, and ruins of a storage facility on the opposite mountainside. While guarded by these two marvelously maintained sites, much of the town within the valley is also built using old Incan structures and rock walls. Beyond incredible Incan architecture and ruins, the nature within the sacred valley is, for lack of a better word, majestic. The rolling Andes mountains stretch to the horizon in all directions and the sky is a pure blue that is unmatched in the States. Incredibly enough, you can drive about two hours up the mountains from Ollanta and be in a glacier, and then descend down for two hours to a town called Santa Teresa and be in the jungle. In no more than 5 hours you will have worn long sleeves and pants, a winter coat with a hat and gloves, and a bathing suit. Let’s just say the packing for a trip like this, which many more adventurous travelers take as the way to Machu Picchu, is quite a challenge.

Claire and I have found the best way to take advantage of the absolutely incredible history and geography of the Sacred Valley is to hike. There are countless hikes at varying degrees of difficulty, almost all of which promise a combination of mountains, glaciers, lagoons, Incan ruins, ancient terraces, and much more. If I were to tell you there were multiple photo moments that would be grossly understating it. I usually return with hundreds of pictures, documenting each and every moment of the hike because there really isn’t a view that doesn’t deserve capturing. The photos you see here are from the hikes I have been on thus far, all of which started in the town center of Ollantaytambo.

Since I will be stationed here in Ollantaytambo for the next two months, there is much more to come about this peaceful town. Before signing off though, I have to take a moment to draw attention to La Esquina, a small cafe located within the town square, or “Plaza de Armas.” La Esquina features a menu somewhat catered to tourists passing through to Machu Picchu, which includes a peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwich, falafel sandwich, a combination salad bowl, and most importantly some incredible deserts. As a food lover, I don’t think it gets much better than the falafel sandwich with the warm chocolate bread to finish the meal off.

Until next time!

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From city life to its stunning coastline, the southeast Irish city of Waterford has plenty to offer its array of visitors from all over the world. By basing yourself at the Waterford Travelodge, you have access to all of the delights that both the city and its outskirts have, and there are plenty.

As the oldest city in Ireland, it’s no wonder that Waterford has its share of history and culture, while also providing tourists and locals alike ample modern amenities, including some stunning restaurants, boutiques and pubs to immerse yourself in.

Copper Coast Geopark
Situated between Tramore and Dungarven, the Copper Coast European Geopark is home to 25km (approx. 15.5 miles) of breathtaking coastline, which would be the perfect place to start an exploration of your trip of the southeast coast.

Waterford Museum of Treasures
Located at the Granary, the Waterford Museum of Treasures is home to some beautiful antiquities and rare artifacts that, with the help of state-of-the-art technologies, are brought to life with interactive and audio-visual elements so that visitors can truly appreciate the exhibits in all their glory.

Waterford Crystal Visitor Centre
This center is probably one of the most famous attractions of Waterford, and includes a brand new complex that is home to the largest collection of Waterford Crystal in the world as well as a retail store where you can purchase your own piece of crystal.

Comeragh Mountains
Home to a rather varied expanse of landscape, the Comeragh Mountains are perfect for the adventurous type. Whether walking and hiking is your forte or you have access to a mountain bike, the vistas and panoramas that are waiting are simply incredible.

The Viking Quarter
It’s no secret that Waterford is awash with history dating back to the Viking times. In fact, you can enjoy over 1,000 years of history – from Vikings to Victorians – within just a few paces. Take a walking tour of the area if you would like to take in as much as possible, stopping by sights such as Reginald’s Tower, Greyfriars, and Bishops Palace.

Visit Waterford this autumn and you’ll be able to flawlessly mix medieval and modern attractions to achieve an unforgettable, well-rounded break. 
Photography Credits: The Library of Congress, c. 1890-1900 // Guest post by Catherine Lavinia in coordination with Travelodge Ireland. Thanks so much for contributing to Of Revolt, Catherine!

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