Above the Clouds — Ten Days in Peru

Days 1–2

Getting There

Sept 11–12 · Tampa → Miami → Lima

The first flight got delayed, then delayed again, and I finally landed in Miami around 10:30 at night. The second flight was late too, but I made it to Lima around 5 AM, got through immigration, and walked across the street to the hotel.

I slept until noon, showered, and went looking for coffee. I sat in the hotel restaurant long enough to get hungry and ended up ordering lunch: langostinos Olaya. Worth the splurge.

Day 3

Above the Clouds

Sept 13 · Lima → Cusco → Sacred Valley

Up at 5:55, breakfast, then a walk over to the airport for the flight to Cusco. That flight was stunning. Once we climbed above the cloud layer, there was just a solid sheet of bumpy white with snow-capped Andes poking up through it. I've never seen anything like it.

We landed in Cusco and drove about an hour toward the Sacred Valley, stopping at a lake with the Andes behind it.

Lunch was a corn-based soup with a quail egg (a first for me) and salt-cooked trout. Both were delicious. Afterward I wandered around and found a donkey who asked me to take his picture. Then a couple more donkeys.

Driving through Ollantaytambo felt authentic. It felt like people cared about other things than everything looking perfect. It made me think about what's important to Americans versus what's important to people in other countries. I'm generalizing, but Americans reach for wealth, success, and notoriety. I didn't get that vibe here. I got more of a "there are more important things than looking perfect and having nice things."

The hotel is more like a resort, surrounded by huge mountains in the Sacred Valley. Dinner was ceviche, and it was so different from what I've had at home: large chunks of fish, lime, two kinds of corn, and I think that's it. Fresh, clean, and simple. Patrick ordered alpaca for the table so we could try it. It tasted like a pork chop and had the same texture. I wasn't impressed, but I'm glad I tried it.

Day 4

Ollantaytambo

Sept 14 · Sacred Valley

I got a little work done in the morning, then we did a guided visit to the Ollantaytambo Fortress: stone terraces, ceremonial centers, and views across the whole valley.

The stonework is incredible up close, walls and doorways that have been standing for more than 500 years.

The town itself still sits on original Inca foundations, with cobblestone streets running through it. So beautiful.

The water channels running down the middle of the streets are Inca too, and they still carry water today.

Then we were welcomed into the home of Rosetta, who showed us how she spins yarn by hand, the same way it's been done in these mountains for generations. Her home was filled with her weavings, each one full of color and pattern. It was such a generous thing, to open her door to a group of strangers and share her craft with us, and I'm so grateful she did.

And of course there were alpacas, the live kind this time.

It's spring in Peru in September, so even the trees were in bloom.

That evening a local family in Urubamba, friends of our guide Alvin, opened their home to all of us for dinner. The food was delicious, and afterward their young daughter performed a traditional dance for us. It was a very special evening.

Day 5

Moray, Misminay & Maras

Sept 15 · Sacred Valley

The morning was at Moray, rings of Inca terraces stepped down into the ground that worked as an agricultural laboratory.

Lunch with the Misminay community was an introduction to rural Andean life, and it was a special experience. They performed a traditional ceremony and blessed the meal.

Coca leaves are part of almost every Andean offering.

Then we made salsa their way, grinding fresh ingredients between rocks, and sat down to eat.

I also had a close-up moment with a sheep, and the whole thing was just a great experience.

In the afternoon we went to the Maras salt pools, thousands of pans stepped down the mountainside. I didn't have the energy to walk all the way down, so I got a couple of shots from the top.

I stayed up late for my first-ever night sky photos. Michael, our photo lead, walked me through the settings and explained what each one does. It was a cool chance to learn.

Day 6

Machu Picchu, Round One

Sept 16 · Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes

We took the Vistadome train through the Urubamba gorge, and I loved it.

Then we went straight up to Machu Picchu and spent about four hours on Circuit 2, taking pictures while Alvin told us stories. It was a beautiful day with no rain.

A few of the buildings have been restored with thatched roofs, so you can see how they would have looked.

Even the tiny wildflowers growing between the stones were worth a photo.

Afterward we headed back down to town for dinner.

Day 7

Machu Picchu, Round Two

Sept 17 · Aguas Calientes → Cusco

We went back at 7 AM for Circuit 3, which takes you through the rooms and has more history and more stories. It rained the whole time, but that turned out to be a gift. We got to see the irrigation system actually working, which was extremely cool. Then, while we were standing in the Citadel, a full, vibrant rainbow showed up.

The whole group got to see it, so of course we took a group photo.

On the train back to Ollantaytambo we got upgraded to first class and then invited up to the front car, where there was live music, drinks, and dancing. Sitting there, I thought about how lucky I was to have this experience, and how much Dad would have loved that moment. For the first time on the trip, I got a little emotional.

After that came the long two-hour ride to Cusco.

Days 8–9

Cusco, From the Hotel

Sept 18–19 · Cusco

I woke up feeling terrible and stayed back while the group went out. I took a shower, worked a bit, napped, had some delicious chicken soup, and caught up on documenting the trip. The next day went mostly the same way. Not the Cusco I planned, but sometimes the trip decides for you.

I did manage one Peruvian classic before we left Cusco: cuy, roasted guinea pig, for lunch on the 19th.

Days 10–11

A Full Day in Lima

Sept 20–21 · Cusco → Lima → Tampa

One last flight back to Lima and a full day in the city before heading home. We started in Miraflores with the ocean view from El Parque del Amor, then walked through El Olivar, the old olive grove in San Isidro. After lunch it was the Larco Museum, then historic downtown: the Cathedral with Pizarro's tomb, and the catacombs under San Francisco Church.

Then a red-eye to Miami and home to Tampa in the morning.

With Gratitude

This trip was organized by Open Sky Expeditions, a boutique travel company that designs small-group photo journeys, and I can't recommend them enough. Every detail was handled, so all I had to do was show up and look around.

Thank you to Patrick Campbell, our tour manager, who kept everything running smoothly and made sure we tried everything (yes, even the alpaca). And to Michael Downey, our photo pro, who patiently walked me through the settings for my very first night sky shots.

And then there's Alvin Vergara, our local guide, who deserves a whole paragraph of his own. Born in Cusco and raised in the Peruvian rainforest, Alvin has been guiding for more than twenty years, and it shows. He's handsome, charming, and the best storyteller I've ever followed through a ruin. His stories brought Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu to life, and his friends in Urubamba opened their home to our whole group for one of the most special nights of the trip. Alvin, you made this trip. Gracias, amigo.

If Peru is on your list, go with Open Sky: openskyexpeditions.com · info@openskyexpeditions.com · 1-844-OPENSKY