Where we are living in Peru

Moving in day, our casita in Pisac

We are living in a tiny 2-room adobe cottage on the edge of town. 

The Andes Mountains

Typical adobe brick house in Sacred Valley, Peru

Known to South Americans as "la Cordillera de los Andes",  or simply "la Cordillera",  the Andes Mountains comprise the longest, as well as the second highest mountain range on Earth (the Himalaya is #1 of course). It is a grand, extremely diverse range, forming the continental divide along the entire western edge of the South American continent.  Extending some 5000 miles north to south through more than 60 degrees of latitude,  from tropical to temperate to subpolar,  from the lush Caribbean to the storm-battered island of Tierra del Fuego, the Andes boast an incredible landscape diversity that defies generalization. 

Living in the Sacred Valley of Peru

We have based ourselves in the small town of Pisac, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.  A mile-deep gorge carved by the Urubamba River, the Sacred Valley, and Pisac especially, has been an important agricultural center since Inca times. Its fertile, well-watered farmland still produces large amounts of food, primarily corn, beans, squash. There are extensive Inca ruins on the mountainsides above Pisac, and modern day farmers still make use of the lowest terraces and their irrigation system (see below).  

Tropical Highland Climate

Though our latitude is just 12˚ South of the Equator, the climate is pleasantly Spring-like, on account of the 9000 feet of elevation.  It's not unbearably hot during the day, and mornings and evenings are quite cool and crisp. Alpaca sweaters are abundant and not expensive, perfect attire for the cool, damp weather.  We arrived in September, near the end of the dry season. Now, in October, the rainy season has begun, and farmers are busy planting corn. Still, there are beautiful sunny days and gorgeous clouds and rainbows between showery periods. 

Rainbow over Pisac, Peru

Traditional Springtime (October) corn planting in an indigenous "comunidad" above Pisac, Peru

Sunday Market in Pisac

Indigenous girl with lamb at Pisac market, Peru

Raising llamas, alpacas, and also sheep, the local people masterfully weave, embroider, and proudly wear beautiful, brightly colored clothing. Pisac is famous for its large Sunday Market, where you can find all sorts of artesanía (hand made goods), as well as crystals, jewelry, and musical instruments. A large proportion of the people speak Quechua ("kech-wa") as their first language, and you hear it in the market interspersed with Spanish. Serena took this photo of a local girl in her "Sunday best".