Magical Destinations

Travel must commence by September 30th, 2012 (excluding Adventures by Disney bookings, which can be booked through 2013.).

This offer applies to new bookings only with a value of $2000 or more(excluding airfare) 

• These offers cannot be combined with other promotional offers from Disney Destinations.

There are so many places in the world to see, and within those destinations there is a plethora of things to do. If you are looking for a truly unique experience for your upcoming vacation, read on...

 Many years ago I had the opportunity to spend time barging for a few days on the Thames River near Oxford, England.  That old barge did not have many ammenities.  The sleeping accommodations were tight, there was no cooking onboard, and not much of a deck to hang out on, but I was hooked.  I loved the slow pace and  watching the beautiful countryside go by. The captain allowed me to steer the barge and help with the canal locks. On our first day we tied up at a spot in the middle of nowhere and disembarked right onto the back lawn of a pub that was over 100 years old. Lunch was sheperds pie and some warm ale ( the pie was good the ale was not) There were bicycles onboard that we were allowed to use to ride on the footpath that was   next to the canal.  My traveling companions and I had a leisurely ride from one town to the next where we met our barge and got back onboard and traversed the next part of the river. This was back in the early nineties, my how things have changed! 

Today, barging is a vastly popular vacation style in Europe, expecially in France.  The barges are like floating hotels with appealing accommodations. One of the barges is owned by the Orient Express whose high standards are well known. They have full kitchens that serve gourmet meals (which are included), alcohol and wine bars,outdoor sun decks and a full crew to see to your every need.  They stop in a variety of places and the shore excursions are all part of the price.  They can house anywhere from 6 or 8 people on up to 40 person barges.  You can rent out an entire barge ( some of the 8 person barges are not that expensive) They are great for a family, a group of girlfiends, a few couples traveling together.  They provide a much more intimate vacation than big, or small. ship cruising. The barges stop in a variety of towns even some that have famous wineries.  At each stop you will disembark do some sightseeing and then get backonboard the barge and float to your next destination.  If you stop in a town with a winery you most likely will view the winery and have a tasting session.  Depending on which canal route you take there are a variety of things to do and see.

This summer there is a trip on one of the ultra deluxe barges  that is perfect for oenophiles. It boasts all 33 Grand Cru wines of France will be tasted by each guest! You will be floating all through the picturesque Burgundy regions, meeting winemakers at hosted dinners aboard; exploring wine caves and vineyards; and visiting such historic towns as Beaune and Dijon for sightseeing and shopping. Every day, another selection of Grand Cru vintages will be presented, culminating in the most famous of them all: La Romanee Conti!

Barge cruises usually only last one week, so consider a few days in Paris before the trip and maybe a few in southern France after the trip are in order.  If you are interested in really seeing the country from a different perspective perhaps a barging trip is for you.

If you have any questions or would like further information contact your LBAC Travel Dream Vacation Maker to help you make all your vacation dreams come true!

I always advise my clients to book any vacation that they are contemplating as early as possible.  The reason for doing this is you always will get the best availability  and usually the best pricing.  Plus I monitor pricing, so if the price decreases and the vendor allows it  I will get the discount get applied.  Thus when a client comes to me less then a month before the April break, one of the most expensive times of the year to travel, I usually advise them availability and pricing may not be the best, but let's see what we can do.   So just like the shoemaker whose children have no shoes, so goes it in my family with regard to a vacation for April break. 

 This morning my husband said to me "Honey, what should we do for this April break?"  I immediately answer, "Paint the back bedroom."  "No, No" he says "I mean what should we do for a vacation"  Oh Boy, I am thinking to myself, when I asked him in October, November, December and January (stopped asking by February) " Honey, what should we do for April break?", each time he responded , "I don't think we can get away in April this year."  OK, I am always interested in going on vacation so I ask, "What's the budget?"  "Under $2500." he immediately responds.  "Are you taking this vacation by yourself or are Juli and I coming with you?  $2500 is not much to go on."  His response was  "Don't be ridiculous, of course we are all going!"  OK, so I ask a few more qualifying questions.  "Do you want to leave the great state of NY?"  he laughs and proceeds to tell me he wants to go somewhere hot, prefferably a Caribbean island, with white sand and turquoise waters. Somewhere we have not been before, between 5 and 7 nights.  It does not have to be an all inclusive resort and we can leave anytime April 4th or later. Oceanviews and non stop air are prefferable, but not a requirement.  "Don't overthink this, I am sure you will find something" were his parting words to me. One thing that I know and he doesn't is that my daughters passport expired in March. I did not get it renewed because I knew we were not going away in April. So that immediately leaves out all those gorgeous Caribbean islands whose airfare alone would blow his budget.  I am down to looking for pricing and availability in Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, Florida and California. 


 We have been to the Virgin islands before but he and my daughter love both St Thomas and St John, so they are a definite possibility.  They also both love Puerto Rico.  Between airfare and hotel we could actually get to St. Thomas and Puerto Rico, but if we wanted to eat during the week that would be a problem.....Hmmm, what to do?  I know, what about a short cruise?  We all LOVE cruising, plus food, entertainment, and  basic beverages are included.  After a quick check to see what is available I come up with Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas.  She does a 4 night itinerary with stops in Nassau, Bahamas, Key West Fl. and  Royal Caribbean's private island of Coco Cay.  So a little flexibility on his part is in order.  We have been to Nassau and Key West, we will not have an oceanview or balcony stateroom, and we need to drive and not fly down. On the flip side, we enjoy those ports of call, the weather is usually gorgeous this time of year, the seas are stunning and will hopefully be calm, it is 5 days and 4 nights on a beautiful ship, entertainment and meals are included, and we are within budget (actually quite a bit under!) .  Is this acceptable to my other half?  It is!


 So we ARE going away for April break.  I stayed within budget, it might not have been the exact experience he was looking for but it had enough of the elements "my client" required to book it. Not bad for last minute.   There are still vacations out there for April 2012 and a Dream Vacation Maker at LBAC Travel  will help  find the right one for you, so give us a call at 631 648 8032.

Today was our final day in Peru, the plan was catch a one hour morning flight to Lima, have a final lunch with the group at one of the oldest homes in Lima, do a quick walk around the main square,  check into our hotel and then my roomie Kathryn and I were going to head to the beach for a few hours (and of course do a little shopping on the way back!) before our late night flight back to JFK.

                                                     A Hidden Mickey in Peru!!!

Things started out well on our final morning, our bags were placed outside the door of the hotel room and magically wisked away, next time we will see them is in our hotel room in Lima.  We got to the Cusco airport and it was time to say goodbye to our van drivers.  Abel, who was the driver in our Mercedes van, could have drove in the Lemans Grand Prixe!  He was fabulous, he negotiated hairpin turns, drove up and down mountainous dirt roads with no guard rails, passed cars at lightening speeds, and always kept us entertained with Andean panpipe hits of the 60's and 70's.  He also was one of the most courteous drivers I have ever  met in all my travels and always kept us safe.  As with all things Disney, Chris and Ernesto, our guides, already had our airline boarding passes available for us, so all we had left to do was pass thru security.  Unfortunately our flight was delayed, first for 1 hour, then for 2 hours and finally after more then 3 hours we boarded our flight to Lima.  Immediately upon landing we were escorted to a big bus that held our entire group and off we went to downtown Lima for our final luncheon.Our luncheon was held at the House of Aliaga.

 This house was constructed in 1535 on a pre-Columbian sanctuary. It is still inhabited by the descendants of the first proprietor, Jerónimo de Aliaga, standard-bearer and exchequer for Francisco Pizarro. This home is the oldest mansion of the city and faces the government palace.


We were treated to music, coctails, mocktails and hor's douevres in the foyer.  We then were able to take a quick self guided tour of some of the public rooms in the mansion.  There was alot of ornate woodwork and grand entryways, heavy mouldings, beautiful carved chests, stunning artwork and finally a 2 story courtyard, which is where we ate lunch.


Coffee, and my final cup of coca tea, was in the drawing room where Chris and Ernesto asked us to share some final thoughts on our Peruvian Adventure. Words such as amazing, adventure of a lifetime, fantastic, fabulous, were all thrown about.  One of my fellow travel agents summed it up so perfectly " I have been on many trips around the globe, nothing compares, or even comes close to this adventure. Thank you Disney for showing us Peru in such a magical way."  That statement really resonated with me.  I was in a room of all travel agents, travel writers, food writers - people who are all well traveled and we each felt the same way.  We did not have time to go to the beach it was getting late and after a very brief stroll around the central plaza we headed to our hotel to freshen up (yes a room is reserved for the night , even if your flight does not leave the next day.  The entire group was leaving that evening but it was great to be able to have a hotel room even for a short time. We tried to say our goodbyes in the hotel, in the bus, in the Lima airport and at JFK - but we didn't have time to connect with everyone. The great thing is that many of us are now connected on facebook and via email.  We have shared photos on a shutterfly account set up just for the trip, plus our guides took a ton of photos along the way and we will soon be receiving in the mail a disk with their photos on it.  We have been keeping in touch and some of us will even get to see each other on Disney's newest ship in the fleet, the Fantasy, at the end of March. We started out a group of strangers and quickly became friends who have wonderful memories of this shared experience.

 If you are considering taking a trip of a lifetime, having a shared experience with your family or friends and making marvelous memories the best way to do it is with an Adventure By Disney! Call your LBAC Travel Dream Vacation Maker to make this a reality.

Post Script:  I am posting this blog page almost 3 weeks after my return from this amazing trip to this beautiful country. I continue to talk about my trip daily and sometimes multiple times each day - it had that much of an impact on me.  I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a vacation so much.  I chalk it up to the outstanding tour company I traveled with, the beauty of Peru, the fabulous archaeological sites, and the new friends I made.  I recently finished the book  Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adams. It was recomended by my fellow traveler Tom. I am so glad I waited until I returned from my trip to read it because it was like re-living my grand adventure.  I have been thinking quite a bit about returning to Peru, perhaps next summer, to attempt hiking the Inca Trail.  I hope my family is up for that adventure! 

Safe and happy travels my friends.

The beautiful city of Cusco ( previously spelled Cuzco and soon to be Qosqo - which is the native quechua spelling of the city) was formerly the Incan capital and is currently Peru's historical capital. Today we are taking a quick 15 minute ride from our hotel in Cusco to the Incan archaeological site of Sacsayhuamán (it is pronounced like Sexy Woman) .  While Macchu Picchu is revered for its beautiful location and splendid views, Sacsayhuamán is admired  for the remarkable architectural engineering skills that were needed for its creation. 


The complex is similar to many other Inca constructions, made of large polished dry-stone walls, each boulder carefully cut to fit together tightly without mortar.  The stones are so closely spaced that a single piece of paper will not fit between many of the stones. This precision, combined with the rounded corners of the blocks, the variety of their interlocking shapes, and the way the walls lean inward, is thought to have helped the ruins survive devastating earthquakes in Cuzco.  What is so unbelieveable about this site though is that some of the boulders are as large as a car! 

So what was Sacsayhuamán? According to our guides it was a temple.  Sacsayhuaman has a very special design with walls that zigzag.  This design is rather uncommon and is similar to some castles in Europe, Spanish invaders believed that Sacsayhuaman was a fortress. The locals say the Sacsayhuaman Temple was dedicated to the Andean God Illapa (the Ray or Lightning), which was very important to the agriculture rituals; this deity is the true reason of the zig zag lightening bolt shape of the Sacsayhuaman.  It really is a sight to behold!

It was still early in the day and we took a quick 5 minute ride to our next destination, which was a labrynth used by the Incas for certain rituals that was carved into the rocks.  Harvey, our local guide, told us that in the center of the labrynth was a chamber that was perhaps used to prepare bodies for the next life.  He showed us the altar that was used for this ritual, when we touched it it was very cold (like a morgue).  We also noted the shape of the opening to exit the center chamber it was shaped like a llamas head!

We headed back to Cusco where we had the afternoon to explore.  My roommate, Kathryn and I decided to go wherever our feet took us.  Here is where we went:
                                  Through the gates of city, to San Pedro's market.

In the market we saw:
 I was not sure what festival the masks were used for, but I though they were interesting, and not too much money either.


The very fresh homemade chicken soup looked yummy, but Kathryn reminded me I was just starting to feel better and it might not be a good idea to partake in the local lunch.

Loved the fruits, vegetable and grains....

The breads were as big as platters and were only about $2 US dollars

Peeling some potatoes for the chicken soup - I still had my eye on it, my stomache was starting to grumble at this point, and Kathryn reminded me again why I should not eat it.......
I took many more pictures in the market, there were beef hearts for sale, pigs, camel lips (not sure what those were used for) lambs heads, frogs, chickens etc.  But I thought that dead animals was not a sight most people would be interested in seeing in a travel blog!  We finally left the market, without any purchases but with some very good memories.  As we were walking back to the hotel, we spotted this woman selling her potatoes


She must have had 10 different types in her bag, she even had some purple ones! 

The architecture in Cusco is a cross between Spanish colonial, moorish and Incan, but one thing is for sure there are some of the largest and most beautiful doors I have ever seen in this city.

We were starving by the time we were heading back to the hotel, it must have been seeing all that food at the marketplace, so when we go to the center of town we stopped for some pizza, for a New Yorker who is used to great pizza, it wasn't too bad! 

We were reenergized after our meal and  decided to do some last minute shopping as we were leaving in the morning for our flight to Lima and then home.  Lo and behold, I found a store specializing in religous art!   Guess what is now hanging in my living room!



Tonight in our last evening meal together as a group, the reality of going home is setting in.  We had a private dinner at the hotel this evening in their beautiful dining room.  We had a fantastic time playing the white elephant game, I wound up with a beautiful pair of alpaca socks ( thanks Bonnie!) that my daughter confiscated immediately upon my arrival home.  We said our goodbyes - the first of many - to our local guide Harvey.  Time for one last drink with the group in the hotel bar and then pack for the trip home.

I was sorry to see our time at Sol Y Luna come to an end but I was eager to do some major shopping as well as to go to the city of Cusco, capital of the Incan empire. This morning as we were just about to board our "chariots" for the ride to Pisac Marketplace, our guide Chris handed each of us 10 peruvian soles (about $4 US dollars) and told us to do our best bargaining and purchase something for our white elephant gift exchange that we would be having at tomorrow nights dinner. I love a challenge!

It was not that long a ride to Pisac marketplace, which was a riot of color!  We had 1 1/2 hours and I had some money burning a hole in my pocket.  There was all sorts of textiles, sweaters, silver jewelery, alpaca rugs, artwork, etc.  The market was fairly big so I needed a strategy to get most of it in.  I also knew from my discussions with our guides that bargaining was the best way to get a good price.  As soon as we stopped I was off and ready to go.  I had a mental note of who I had to buy for and what I was thinking of purchasing. Many of the stalls had the same things that we had been seeing at previous stops, so I was prepared. First up was a t-shirt for the hubby with the logo of Peru on it.  Thanks to my fellow adventurer Jen she already negotiated a price of $9 US dollars so I rode her coat tails and got the same deal.  I purchased an alpaca shawl for my mom, a Christmas ornament for the white elephant exchange, leggings for my daughter and some cute llama key chains for girls at the office. My favorite find of the day was a lovely piece of artwork, a watercolor of some llamas, that I purchased for Liz, my friend and boss at LBAC Travel.  On the way back to the bus some gorgeous religious artwork done in oils caught my eye. I absolutely love religious artwork. The deep colors, lots of gold embellishment, heavy gilded frames.I loved each and every one of them, but I could not think of how I was going to get them back to the US.  So after after much contemplation I had to let it go and board the bus.  UGH!  I think I should have bought one.  Maybe I will see them in Cusco.


Our next stop was the Awana Kancha Camelids Center, this is what all the kids (Big and small!)  have been waiting to see - The Llama, Alpaca and Vicuna Farm!  As we entered the farm  we were each given a large bunch of  green grasses to feed the animals.  There were a few different pens, each holding Llamas or Alpaca.  the Vicunas were not penned but roamed freely on the hill top above the center, they do not do well with other animals or penned up. It was great fun trying to feed the animals except when one very agressive llama pushed his way in front of the llama I was feeding and then proceeded to "spit" at me because he had to wait his turn to eat.YUK!  Llama spit is gross!!!  Our guides Ernesto and  Harvey explained that the llamas have faces similar to camels, the alpacas looked like sheep and the vicuna looked like themselves (!!!!) but goods made from their wool was the most expensive and finest in the world.  Hmmm, I still have some spending money left maybe I could get a vicuna shawl?  After we fed the animals, there was some weaving demonstrations going on as well as a shop which sold all things made from the camelids wool.  I did check out a lovely vicuna shawl, it cost well over $900 US dollars - I would up buying a pen and pencil set for my daughter with dolls on top in peuvian costumes. Total expenditure $4 US dollars.



We were now on our way to Cusco to have lunch, take a brief tour of the city, and check into the Hotel Libertador.  On our way to Cusco we had to pullover to take one last photo of the sacred valley.


Our lunch was a buffet of typical local Peruvian food, it all looked good but I was still a bit under the weather from yesterday and wound up having some chicken soup and a teeny bit of rice pudding. All the foodies in our group were loving the vast selection of Peruvian specialties.

After lunch we did a quick walking tour of Cusco just to get our bearings, and then checked into the hotel.  As with all our hotel check ins, our keys were ready and waiting for us, and we had the rest of the afternoon to explore the city.  Since we were going to have the next day to explore also we decided to walk around the hotel area and then venture further out tomorrow. 
As we were walking I saw these 2 young girls just chit chatting in the doorway, heads close together.  It reminded me of my own daughter and her friends.  I just had to snap the photo.

There are alot of Catholic Churches in Cusco ( really all over Peru) one is even built upon the Incan Temple of the Sun called the Koricancha.  It is said that inside the temple the walls and doors of the rooms were covered with gold and silver plates, when the Spanish Conquistadors invaded Peru they relieved the Incas of their treasure.  The Catholic Church was built over the temple in the late 16th century, some of the original Incan structure still remains. 



I was especially facinated with the Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, it had some interesting statures on top of the towers.  This is my personal favorite.....
We were starting to run out of steam (maybe it was because we were at an altitude of about 12000 feet again!), so we decided to head back to the hotel for a brief respite before going to dinner at Limo, a local restaurant recomended by our guides. 
Tomorrow we can explore this gorgeous city some more and even fit in another archaeological ruin or 2!
I absolutely love this trip!  I also love the way Disney breaks up a long drive with fun stops in between.  Here is a BIG shout out to Martha, who the South American trip planner for Disney and to Patricia who is the local tour operator regional director!  Awesome job ladies!!!

                                            Greeting the dawn at Sol Y Luna

Today is the day, this is what I have been waiting for most of my adult life, and even some of my childhood.  Today we are spending a full day at Macchu Picchu. Macchu Picchu is most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. It  is beleived to have been the summer home of the Inca emperor Pachacuti.  In order to make the most of our time there we needed to start our Adventure at literally,  the crack of dawn.  The day was cool and cloudy, I was hoping for better weather.  What if we can't see the ruins or fully appreciate the view?  I have wanted to see Macchu Picchu forever, but what if I actually can't see it!?!?  There was nothing to be done other then to board our "chariots" for the short ride to the town of Ollayantatambo.  In Ollayantatambo we were to board our train for the hour and a half ride to Agua Calientes, the springboard to Macchu Picchu.


I am constantly astounded by Peru, you must remember this is an emerging country.  Not really 3rd world and not industrialized, but they have the most splendid hotel accommodations, fantastic food so why was I surprised that the train to Agua Calientes was as fabulous as everything else I have seen.  The train station was very quaint, with some small cafes surrounded by the train office, they even rang a large ships bell when we departed.  The train itself was a vistadome train and only 2 cars long.  The lead car had the engine built into it .  With Disney you can be assured your trip is first class.   Which means we has luxurious leather seats, with a fold down snack tray, panoramic views ( large windows on the side of you and overhead) we had a small meal and a drink served onboard by the cabin stewards.  And some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.  The train follows the Urubabma River, you meander past Incan ruins, and then the landscape begins to change as you travel from the mountains to the onset of the jungle.  It is astounding.



It was still cloudy, misty and a little drizzly when we arrived in Agua Calientes, it was not promising weather for that picture postcard shot of Macchu Picchu.  It was a short walk from the train station to the center of town where we had to board a motor coach to take us to the entrance to Macchu Picchu. There are only 2 ways to get to Macchu Picchu from here - walk or take the bus.

I want to stop here and mention that wherever we go our guides already have our tickets on hand - whether it is a train ticket, a bus ticket and entrance ticket to an archaeological site, we never wait.  We did not even wait to check into any of our hotels, our keys were always ready as soon as we arrived - this is the way it is throughout the trip with Adventures By Disney.  You could never duplicate this level of service by yourself or with most other tour operators.  Even at the airports Disney has your boarding passes ready and we are wisked thru to security- I think this is how celebrities must travel and I certainly can get use to it!

If you get car sick then I suggest you get the front seats of the bus since the half hour ride to the entrance to Macchu Picchu is a series of switchbacks on a very narrow two lane road with no guard rail.  I had to shut my eyes a number of times when a bus that was coming down the mountain squeezed past us.  I almost thought we were going over the edge - BUT - we didn't.

At last we arrived!  I FINALLY MADE IT TO MACCHU PICCHU!!!!Well not quite....we only made it to the entrance, and it was still cloudy. We were asked to bring our passports to Macchu Picchu because in order to get into the archaeological park you need them.  As a reward you get your passport stamped that you were at Macchu Picchu, I love that stamp, many countries do not do this anymore, so to get one at an archaeological site, it is a bonus!

NOW we could say we arrived and were inside the archaeological park.  It was everything I hoped it would be and more.  I was not concerned that it was still cloudy it only added to the mystical nature of the site.  This is how it was meant to be seen.  It was crowded and our guides were very cognizant of the fact and took us to parts of the ruins that were not as busy. The climb was not that bad, or maybe I was just getting used to it.  We were at a lower elevation then the other sites we visited so far, and we took a slower pace and stopped more. Ernesto and Harvey our expert Peruvian guides gave us the most current archaeological explanations of what we were seeing. I say this because there is no written word about what Macchu Picchu was, it is conjecture based on  local oral history and of course theories from other sites and some written history of the Spaniards as they interpreted what they saw at those other sites.  No Spaniards saw Macchu Picchu that we are aware of.   As we neared the top we were seeing a break in the clouds, could it be that we were going to see the sight that the Inca's who lived here saw every day?  And were we going to be able to record digitally.



It was very quiet, almost church like,  at the (almost) top.  Everyone was looking around seeing the beautiful ruins, the Andes, the river snaking its way through the valley, we were up in the clouds and the mist surrounded us.  All of a sudden the wind starting picking up and the clouds began swirling around the mountains.  Sometimes we could barely see in front of us and then all of a sudden:


                                   It was magical!I still get the chills when I see this photo. 

I did not want to leave but our guides said it was time for some sustenance.  So back down we went.  The climb down is always worse then the climb up, especially when the rock stairs are muddy, wet and very slippery.  At this point I was not feeling well, maybe it was the excitement of being here, maybe it was the altitude, or perhaps it was something I ate.  At any rate I knew I was done for the day. I could not believe it!!!  I was feverish, my body was shaking, I was nauseous and I knew I could not climb back up after lunch nor could I hike the Inca Trail to the Sun Gate as some of my fellow Adventurers were doing.  I needed to stay in one place and rest ( and do a little self indulgent crying) so I stayed in the cafe where the group ate lunch ( I drank coca tea and had a few crackers)  and rested and waited for everyone to come back.  It was a long 3 hours. In the interim it started pouring outside.

At around 4 pm we started making our way back to the Sol Y Luna Lodge the same way we came.  The highlight of our return was a fabulous fashion show on the train by the conductors of stunning baby alpaca sweaters, coats, ponchos, etc.They were really gorgeous with some nice price tags to match! 
As soon as we returned I went to our casita, and snuggled with my hot water bottle.  I did not wake up until the next morning when it was time to leave this gorgeous resort and head to Cusco.



Next Up Loco for Llamas, Alpacas and Vicunas!

This morning we got to sleep in a  bit as we are headed to the archaeological site of Moray which was not too far from our hotel.  It was a fantastic ride - we were in 3 vans of 12 or 13 people (which achieved the purpose of making this large group of 36 a small intimate group of 12 or 13)  each van had a guide to explain anything of interest we saw along the way.  Paved roads lead to Inca built roads which finally lead to dirt roads.   From what the guides said not too many tour groups go to Moray and I found that unbelieveable as this was one of the most visually impressive sites I had ever seen anywhere!


You may be wondering what exactly is this?  It may even look to you like a sprout growing within the landscape or some kind of beautiful landscape/artwork that can only be appreciated from the hilltops above.  According to our amazing local expert guide Harvey (yes, we had our 2 adventure guides AND a local expert guide)  the Incas were experimenting with the effect of climatic conditions on crop growth. Harvey went on to say how by terracing crops the Incas were able to achieve micro-climates (the temperature difference between the top of the hill and the bottom was between 10 and 15 degrees.  The lower terrace was more humid, the higher cooler and windier.) It was all so beautiful, peaceful and interesting at the same time!  This was the only one we saw, there were three of them spread out amongst the site.  Quite a few of our intrepid Adventurers climbed down to the center of the site to perform a ritual to the Pachamamma (mother earth) .  Because the terraces are shaped like a theatre, the sound carries and when those who were less adventurous  (ME!) when standing at the top of the hill we were able to hear what they were saying at the bottom.  After about 1.5 hours we were back in our vans and on our way to the Salt Mines at Maras or Salina de Maras.


These salt mines have been mined in this area for well over 500 years,  since the Inca times. Salt was such a great commodity at that time, worth more then money or gold,  and this mine was the largest salt producer of the southern highlands.  The way it works is that the salt miners (which are now a co-op of the local families)  direct the Qoripujio (the underground spring) when it surfaces, to these three thousand plus man made wells. Because of  the exposure to the sun, the water then evaporates and the salt remains on the surface which is then harvested, cleaned and then sold at the marketplace in the mine complex.  There is even a pink salt produced (it is pink due to the magnesium in the area)  that makes a great gourmet cooking salt. The view of this complex of nearly 3000 wells is spectacular. During the dry season the local workers demonstrate the ancient techniques to visitors.  Who knew salt could be so interesting!

The past two days have been incredible.  Yesterday we took a short flight from Lima to Cuzco, and today we are river rafting down the Urubamba through the Sacred Valley.  At breakfast we heard there was going to be a change in plans for our rafting trip, we will be rafting between the towns of Urumamba and Ollantaytambo because further up the river, where we normally would have rafted, the rapids were running at a class 5 and 6! YIKES!!! Disney always puts their clients safety as their number 1 priority, and in this instance that made me a happy camper...errr I mean rafter.  We all had to wear life vests and helmets and your own water shoes.  We were given the option of wearing wetsuits and windbreakers.  They came in all sizes, which worked out well for everyone.  I decided to forego the wetsuit, which turned out to be the right decision as the temperature soared to the low 80's and the sun was very strong.  So strong in fact, if you did not put on sun tan lotion ( I recommend at least  SPF 50 strength) any part of your body that was exposed instantly turned the color of a boiled lobster.  My knuckles on my fingers were bright red as I missed slathering them with Bain de Soleil. As for the rafting itself, 6 Adventurers  piled into each raft, along with a rafting guide and we were off. Fortunately we did not hit any class 5 or 6 rapids, unfortunately we barely hit a class 1, and our trip became more of a two hour float then a rafting adventure.  The scenery was pleasant but not so over the top as we have seen or of what is yet to come.  Everyone had a great time and I think the kids ejoyed it the most. When we were done, there was a changing room and a tent set up with snacks and of course Inca Cola and Coca tea.  We were cautioned not to eat too much because  lunch was up next and then we were going to the ruins at Ollantaytambo !

As we were beginning to see this trip was not only about the culture, history and sights of Peru it was also a gastronomical adventure.  Lunch once again was set up under tents with linens covering the tables and  in a beautiful courtyard, with the river and the Andes behind us.  There was a guinea pig hutch in the corner of the courtyard, lots of little ones scampering about, hopefully they would not be someones dinner later that day.  Cuy (guinea pig) is a delicacy in this area.


 After that delicious lunch we got back in the vans and we were off for the 10 minute ride to Ollantaytambo.   Ollantaytambo is a town as well as an Inca archaeological site.  It is located at an altitude of about 9200 feet above sea level. During the Inca reign Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Pachahuti who conquered the region, built the town and a ceremonial center ( which was not finished - this is the actual archaeological site) . At the time of the spanish Conquest of Peru it served as a stronghold for the rebellious Manco Inca until he fled for Vilcabamba.  A bit further out from the town begins the Inca trail to Macchu Picchu.


We walked around the town for a bit, the streets are still the stone streets of the Incas, and the lower walls of some of the towns buildings were part of the original Incan structures.  It is a hub for backpackers who are interested in the 4 and 5 day Inca trail hikes, so there are many hostels in the town, and little cafes and a tourist market. All the towns we have seen so far, other then Lima, have changed little over the years.  I was facinated by not only the archaeological site but the town itself  seemed a step back in time.


Well it was time to start climbing to the top of the ruins to see the unfinished temple and the famous Inca architecture - this is exactly what I came to see and Disney is delivering as we have our local guide Harvey, our country guide Ernesto ( who was going to show us his Wayri warrior sling shot skills on one of the terraces) and Chris our Adventure guide.  So off we went.

This was a pretty grueling climb, even for those in the best of shape.  Our wonderful guides, split the group  and we climbed a few terraces then we stopped and discussed the importance of the structure and the history I previously described, and then we climbed a few more, until we reached the top. The climb, lack of oxygen, altitude, and vertigo were well worth it as we were rewarded with a magnificent view of the river, the valley and the town.  We also saw where the stone quarry that they used for this temple was - it was  across the river!  How the Incas moved these huge boulders and shaped them with out the use of power tools is a marvel to see.

What goes up must come down, and to say it was not easy is an understatement.  The rocks were very slippery,there was no hand or guard rails in places and we were about 1000 feet in the air.  Again our guides to the rescue as well as our fellow adventurers, every helped one another make it down safely.



As we reached the bottom we ended up by the Princesses Pool - how did the Incas do this?


Well it was time to get back to Sol Y Luna for a rest then a delicious dinner on property.  I heard the alpaca stir fry with french fries was delicious but I decided to have fresh linguine with a mushroom alfreddo sauce.  If I closed my eyes I could have been eating that in Italy, it was that good.

 The Junior Adventurers had a fun night watching a Disney movie under the stars with the guides.  They were laying on these beautiful padded lounge chairs wrapped with woven Peruvian, blankets.  heat lamps were all around them to make sure they were toasty.  They even ate dinner and had snack while watching the Emperors New Groove.

A fun time was had by all, another excellent day in Peru!

We were up bright and early this morning for our flight to Cusco (the price of our flight was included with the cost of the trip - so it was not extra like many other tour companies charge) Our bags were outside the door at 6am and the next time we saw them was hours later in our Casita at theSol y Luna resort in Urubamba!  I call it magical luggage - it disappears and then reappears magically when you need it.  I absolutely LOVE magical luggage, no shlepping it through the airports, no up and down elevators, no on and off buses, Disney does this for us.  They also get our boarding passes and lead us directly to airport security, it is a snap.  No thinking required on my part, how great is that and would be even better for those with families!  This was the quickest I have ever been through an airport.  When we landed in Cusco all we had to do was deplane and follow our guides Ernesto and Chris to our bus that was taking us to a very special place. 


Our first stop today was the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco.  When we walked into the Center there was an open air courtyard where tents and  chairs and tables were set with beautiful linens, china plates,  glassware and flatware .  In the middle of the table were fresh flowers along with baskets various types of potato chips and dipping sauces.  Lunch al fresco, what a great surprise!  We sat down and the food kept on coming  - alpaca ( I liked it!) ,  chicken fingers covered with quinoa ( delicioso!) mashed potatoes (in Peru there are 300 varieties of potato - I think I ate every variety on this trip), ceviche -  Peru's answer to sushi -  Andean corn ( the only thing that I was not crazy about - too starchy) home made rolls (out of this world) chicha morada ( a fruity cold drink made from boiling purple corn and adding pineapple, sugar and cinnamon) this became my beverage of choice in Peru and cheescake for dessert.  We were hungry and everything was delicious!   Our guides Chris and Ernesto told us to eat light because we were at high altitudes and it takes your body longer to digest due to the thin air and your body having to work extra hard.  I am not sure anyone listened to that advice, but I did know that I was starting to feel light headed and climbing up hills was going to be arduos.  My solution for that was to drink the coca tea, after the chicha morada, this was my next favorite Peruvian libation.

 When I originally looked at the itinerary for this day I read that we were going to see a weaving demonstration.  I thought to myself, weaving?  big deal, I have seen weaving demonstrations in every restored village along the east coast of the US. What I did not think about was that this really is not a weaving demonstration, this is their livelihood.  This is the way these women make money for their family so they can eat, have shelter and the basic necessities to live.  We learned how they spin and dye the wool using natural elements such as bark, flowers, fungus, dead beetles (they make the best color red!) etc.  They then showed us how they weave the shawls, rugs, hats, ponchos, table runners etc.  A typical shawl can take one weaver, working on it full time, up to 45 days to make.  I purchased a beautiful table runner and I can attest that there is nothing like shopping, and getting a good buy for an amazing piece at 12,000 feet above sea level!  I spoke with the weaver who made it (each piece has a card with the weavers picture, her name and date of birth on it along with the price and where it was purchased)  She told me it took her over 40 days to make the runner and 10% of the selling price goes back to the weaving cooperative to purchase supplies.  I paid $100 for the piece, $10 went to the cooperative and the weaver took home $90 for 40 days work, of atleast 8 hours a day weaving.  You do the math.  I am in awe of these women they are hard working, kind and beautiful inside and out.  For additional information about the center click here http://www.incas.org/SPChinchero.htm#sup  When putting this tour together Disney had many options of weaving demonstrations in the Cusco/Sacred valley area to choose from ,and I have to say they hit it out of the ballpark with this one.  As I am writing this I believe this is one of my favorite things we did on this adventure - the combination of the women, the magnificent lunch, the beauty of the area - it is something I will never forget.

A funny thing happened to us while we were watching the women weaving it started to thunder and lightening and hailing - pea size hail was raining down around us ( we were under an awning and then moved inside the center) for probably 1/2 hour, and then as quick as it started it stopped.  We were then on our way to the Sacred Valley and to our home away from home for the next 4 nights the Sol y Luna resort in Urubamba.  The scenery along the way was magnificent we saw the majestic Andean mountains, the valley with its tapestry of colors and glaciers  that are "this close" to the equator.


I am not sure what I was expecting when we pulled up to the resort but it surely wasn't the most beautiful property that I have ever seen.  Before the trip I quickly looked at the Sol y Luna website and was not wowed by it.  I guess beauty of this type has to be seen and not photographed, because photography does not do it justice.  Each pair of roommates was assigned a casita - a little rondoval style home.  The landscaping was a riot of colors, everything was in bloom, hummingbirds were everywhere, the Andes was in the background.  I did not know where to look next.  The casita itself was comfortable - ours had 2 beds with fine white linens and a fluffy comforter with a duvet  cover, a very large closet with a safe, a table and chairs, plenty of windows and light and a large bathroom with a step up tub and shower.  I wanted to call my husband right there and then and tell him to fly down.  I loved it!  The absolutel BEST part was that at turndown service they leave a hot water bottle under the covers for each bed.   Every single person on our trip looked forward to their sweater covered hot water bottle each night of our stay there.  It was a fantastic and unexpected touch. Score another one for Disney for this wonderful accommodation.



Just when you thought you could not eat again after the HUGE and delicious lunch, we were asked to meet at the hotel restaurant (just like everything else on this trip, this is NOT your typical hotel restaurant) to partake in some Pisco sours ( a drink made with Pisco - a type of grape brandy that tastes like whiskey and egg ehites lemon juice, bitters and simple syrup - this was NOT one of my beverages of choice on this trip, but plenty of other Adventurers loved them) and a Pachamama feast, dedicated to mother earth.  A Pachamama fest is similar to a luau, where the food is cooked with hot rocks and then covered with burlap and earth and a boquet of fresh herbs and spices.  The food was plentiful and similar to the lunch offerings.  The evening was capped off by an open air theatre troupe that was just for the Adventures by Disney guests. An amazing end to a wonderful day.  Tomorrow we go rafting down the Urubamba, that is a little out of my comfort zone but I am sure I will be up for the challenge.  Good night adventurers.......