After Machu Picchu we returned to Ollantataytambo for a couple more days, returned to our favorite pizzeria and did some great tours. One highlight of the whole week was a chocolate tour and workshop, it included lots of laughs, tasting, songs, and lots to bring home :) we had a great time. We also visited a weaving village higher in the mountains, got to do some weaving of our own, and lear about their natural dying techniques. The use plants, bugs, and minerals to achieve some pretty amazingly bright colors- blues, greens, and reds. The red color was perhaps the most amazing. It game from a small white bug that grows on cacti in the region. When squished they release a very bright red pigment. Apparently a few years ago people found out that Starbucks was using the same bugs to color some of their pink and red specialty drinks!
Another highlight was going to the local bull fight festival. Bulls pushing each other around until one decided to give up, a very popular sport to spectate.
We also celebrated Kaiya's birthday a little early and had an amazing evening of scrunch, crepes, and fried plantains - quite the celebration :)