A Machu Picchu Kind of Day!

And finally I am to the part we’ve all been waiting for.

I’ve had to put off posting the crowning glory of our trip to Peru to this thing called “work” and this need to post other things that had definite post dates –such as both giveaways that are going on right now! 

I will be drawing for the winner of the Nov Quilty Box tomorrow evening.  Leave your comment to be entered to win  on that post HERE.

I’m also giving away two copies of Quiltmaker Magazine’s 100 blocks, vol 12!  That give-away went live yesterday and you can enter for that one HERE.

But today is all about Machu Picchu!

It was a foggy drizzly day – Spring in Peru is like that in the mountains, and we were just happy that it was not hosing down rain, just a bit misty.  Besides, the colorful ponchos we saw everywhere were a sight to behold!

In Ireland they would call that kind of weather “Soft”, so that is what we dealt with.  However, SOFT weather can be treacherous when walking stone staircases that have been around for more than 500 years, with not a hand rail in sight!

Crowds waiting to get in.

The words Machu Picchu actually mean “old peak” by definition, and this place does feel much more ancient than the dates of the Incan ruins reveal.  Who knows what was here before these walls were erected?

Llamas in the mist!

Our guide made the executive decision to save the best views for last hoping that the fog and clouds would dissipate as the morning went on.  And so we climbed stairs and sidled around ancient buildings as he talked to us about the origins of this historic place.  I learned more than I thought possible!  And my desire to learn more about this time of history in this place is still ignited.  There will be some youtube and netflix surfing over the holidays!

But I loved those llamas!

Amazing views!

The mist was ethereal.  One moment you couldn’t see anything in front of you.  Here we are up in the cloud forest, and I came to understand just why they call it that.  Then all of a sudden the clouds would part like smoke and reveal these magnificent views.  It was vast.  And I thought of these people who lived here, who created lives and had families in this place 500 years ago.  Did they think the same thing I was thinking as the scenery changed every few minutes?  This is just a magical place!

Walls built without mortar!

Climbing Higher!

I have to let you know that my fit bit said we climbed 196 flights of stairs on this day by the time day was done.  FLIGHTS!  That also means hills we walked in the Machu Picchu Pueblo by bedtime that night as well – but as I lay there on my bed, contemplating this amazing day, my brain was saying “you really should get up and do 4 more flights to make it an even 200 record!”  And my body said “NO WAY! Shut up and go to bed!”  My body won!  It stands as a 196 flights day.

Yep!  That llama is now my spirit animal!

They told me to Just Keep Climbing!!

It was wet, but it was not COLD.  And the poncho came off, and went back on, and came off and went back on depending upon whether the drizzle had abated or not.  Ponchos hold in a lot of heat, and this woman of a certain age is having trouble regulating her body temp as it is! HA!

My biggest worry was keeping the water out of my big camera.  Some of the photos in the slide show below will have spots on the lens.  It was just that kind of weather!

I wouldn’t have missed this for everything!

And I am so happy to have shared this day with some very special people.  It bonded us.  These are folks I will hold in my heart for a long long time.  I can’t think of Peru without thinking of them and the joy and excitement of discovery they also brought to this magnificent trip.

Watching on as our guide instructed us about the history of this amazing place.

To my Peru Peeps, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, thank you for sharing this awesome trip with me!

Click the image below if you are unable to view the slide show on your mobile device.  You’ll be taken to the photo album for viewing, but really – this is one slide show you will want to see on a large screen!

Machu Picchu, Peru Nov 2015

In real time, I’m in Raleigh today –two workshops ahead!

Capitol Quilters, Raleigh, NC!!

Last night’s quilt guild meeting was really great – you should have seen the parade of charity quilts that have been completed in ONE MONTH by this fabulous group!

A bit of hotel sewing time!

I’ll be doing more sewing tonight after our Roll Roll Cotton Boll workshop from my book String Fling is done –tomorrow we have Texas Tumbleweeds up on deck – and that’s it for my 2015 year!  Hooray! 

What a way to end it with a bang --

Have a great Friday, everyone!

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