Day 5: 16 March 2025
Our time in Peru was speeding to an end and although we still felt removed from reality after our deeply moving experiences the previous day during the San Pedro ceremony, we knew we could not waste the day and stay at the mountain house. So bright and early at 08h00 we were ready when our transport arrived to pick us up. Our guide for the day was Betsheila, a well-spoken, kind Peruvian, who turned out to be very knowledgeable about the ruins we went to explore with her. It was a long day, and most of us found it difficult to absorb the long list of facts Betsheila shared with us. Some also stayed behind in the market around each site to do some more shopping, while others trotted along to follow Betsheila around the ruins of Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, and the last temple visit just outside Ollantaytambo. We could not face the steep stairs up to the Temple of the Sun, but we did manage the walk to the Temple of the Condor.
Lunch in Ollantaytambo consisted of something small, namely chips with cheese and for some a chopped up Russian sausage completed the dish, washed down with a latte. A little warmth and caffeine made the cold, wet journey through Cusco’s ancient history much more bearable.
Even though it was not a good day to play tourist while we were still so fragile after the previous day’s San Pedro journey, the group cheered up at the sight of the market in Pisaq. I am not a big shopper, but even I ended up buying far more than I had planned.
Back at the mountain house another delicious dinner awaited us, and afterwards we shared our San Pedro stories with Lesley and exchanged the personal gifts we had brought from home to exchange with each other when the time was right. That night it felt right. It was also time to warm up our bodies with some drumming, and then dancing to the music of The Hu, with Wolf Totem – the official ‘theme song’ of the Earth Light Meditation Circle.
Our work in Peru, the land of the Incas, was done.