11.6.2015 - today we got up early and had to be at the isa office at 6 am for our 8.05 flight to cusco! we walked there, then left for the airport, got our tickets and went through security. so easy for domestic flights, minus me having a stupid bottle opener so i got screened, of course. the plane was tiny, like a little toy, to be honest. nice flight, however. landing in cusco was easy. it was really cold in the airport (which was packed with companies trying to sell their products like tours and souvenirs) but not so cold outside. we got some coca candies, which help tremendously with the altitude, and got on the bus to leave for our hotel in aguas clients. 

after a little ways of driving, got to a house type that makes handmade alpaca materials in the town of chinchero. we watched them refine the wool, then dye it with natural products, then make it into a table spread. which can take anywhere from 30-60 days. they were amazing,  extremely beautiful. we had time to buy things, so of course i had to buy a table spread, and some other alpaca things. also, this picture was the happiest moment of my life. i fed and got a picture with an alpaca. my life is now complete.

we left to go through the sacred valley. it was amazing! spectacular, breathtaking, all of the above. i have been all over the states, to all corners of the mountains, deserts, lakes, everything, but this was still breathtaking! there were glaciers, incan terraces, beautiful rolling hills, sharp mountains. we drove down the valley to urubamba, to eat. we drove through the town, which is growing because of tourism, so there was lots of shops and restaurants and even a stadium. we pulled into a gated lot and saw an amazing old style building.  we ate there, buffet style. so good, lots of veggies, rice, desserts and even alpaca. after dinner (i ate 7 plates. 7. huge. plates.) we walked out back to see the valley, which was amazing. it looked a lot like red rock arizona, and there was even a llama, alpaca, and vuqueña. we took pictures with the three for a while, which the vuqueña was a little shit, so mean. after a while, we got back in the bus and got to try chincha, which is an alcoholic drink made of corn. there were two kinds: regular chincha, which was bitter and gross, and the chincha fresa (strawberry), which was great, sweet with just the right amount of alcohol. after the chincha, we left for the train station in ollantaytambo. 

we got to the train station after a little bit, after driving through tiny (more like minuscule) streets and alleys. we got our tickets, and got into the station and into line. after a short wait, we boarded the train. the train was nice, bumpy buy nice, and very scenic!

in the middle of the ride, the back door opened and an attendant and one of the guys from our group walked in. the guy (who, the next day said he doesn't remember anything because he was black out drunk from the bottles of wine he bought at lunch) from our group (whom i never liked, he parties far too much and smokes and constantly talks about himself and is just basically a self-centered party animal) walk in and he starts bitching right away about the attendant who accidentally spilled his drink. these were his words: "that fucking ass-hole spilled a drink on me so i raised hell and got kicked out." how much of an immature child can you be? lets be honest. first, it was an accident; you did not need to react like that. second, do not disrespect the natives like that. just because you are a privileged man, does not give you the right to be a dick to everyone you want to. third, you are in a foreign country and got kicked off you own train car. congratulations, you are the real winner here. i am sorry, i have no respect for people like that. 

anyway, we got to aguas calientes late at night, so it was dark and we took our stuff straight to our rooms. really nice, amazing beds and showers. we went to the market and bought some things then went back to heat to bed for machu picchu the following morning. this. is. it. 

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