On the way home…

I have officially left Ollantaytambo and am embarking on my journey home. We arrived in Cusco at our gorgeous hotel this morning, and will spend three days here before I fly home on Wednesday and Kelsey and Jarrard head off to Arequipa and the Amazon.

It´s really too close to everything to have any clear thoughts about leaving, but last night we had a great send-off. We started with a despedida, or goodbye party, at our friend´s house. There was chocolate cake like you can´t even imagine. It was delicious. We ended the party in the Plaza, hanging out and telling stories with the police on duty. It was quite spectacular.

I went to Cusco last week and bought paint and canvases and got a chance to finish one painting and start another before a five-day monsoon started and we had to leave. Below are some photos of the paintings. Even though I bought a lot of beautiful things as mementos of my trip, I have a feeling that my 16 sole canvas might be my favorite thing crowding my suitcase.

We met up with Jacob for lunch at Jacks, a popular gringo establishement that serves such items as ¨big juicy hamburgers.¨

My painting of the valley looking down towards Ollantaytambo.

My unfinished sketch of the train tracks going toward Machu Picchu.

Me and Kelsey with our host family. They gave us gorgeous flowers with an unpronounceable name.

Our first farewell party, hosted by our host family.

The calendar we had band-aided to our wall for eight weeks.

At the party hosted by Awamaki volunteers.

Me and Jen giggling in the rain.

There´s not a lot to do in Ollanta on a Sunday night but take silly pictures of yourself.

This guy was hilarious. He kept asking Ann Marie if she was from laska. I mocked him in two languages.

Cheesing for the photo with the Ollanta police. They loved us.

A Morehead reunion in Cusco for lunch at Jack´s.

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