Meet at 10:00am at school, don't realize it's such a huge group, almost 20 persons - a big band marching to Toray. There are a large numbers of Canadian and German in this group. Of course, I am the only representative from Asia. There is an episode before we even take off. One of the girls, Liz, find her purse lost, either in taxi or somewhere in the morning. The big group is waiting at the bus stop while she and a few others chases back where she might have lost it. At the end, no good news, she has to accept the lost. The bus ride is very pleasant, I sit toward to the end of the bus by the window, the only complaint I have is the noisy kids behind me. Otherwise, I take the whole scenery into my brain. We pass through some beautiful valleys and mountains with terrace farming, small villages are here or there in the valley. Toray is one of them. The nearest major town Pisac (and Toray) is next to a river, the water is running kind of rapid. The bus arrive at Pisac around 12:30pm, after that, each 3 of us takes one of those 3 wheels colectivo taxi, about 10 mins ride, we arrive at our "village" school.
The first impressive of the place we gonna spend a week is like, oh wow, it's almost like a resort. There is a kind of a swimming pool but no water. There are a hut with a snooker pool, a table for table tennis, some hanging nets for just lying around. Very cool. There are lots of floor to ceiling windows and doors, so you can see through into the dinning room and the resting or TV room. We are first settled down at the TV room waiting to find out the bedroom arrangement. Quite frankly, I am very disappointed when I find out that I am going to stuck with the French speaking group again, and worst of all, 4 of us enter the room, I am the last one and left with an additional bed that is next to the door and the stairs to go upstairs right behind the wall. Anyway, later I find out that Mark and Alan's room have a spare bed, so I ask the housekeeper whether I can change room. He is ok with it. Thanks god. So, I move in to Mark and Alan's room.
There is really no big plan for the day, except visiting the Sunday Pisac market after lunch, and a so-called Welcome dinner together at night. At the market, everyone is kind of let loose and bought some souvenirs for friends and family since prices seem to be cheaper than in Cuzco. I am the most frugal one and got nothing but an expensive piece of bread (for 2 soles), I should have inquired the price first before ordering it. It tastes excellent though, with chicken in the middle. After walking in the market for 2 hours, we find a nice cafe to sit down, I have coffee and an apple strudel with ice-cream, which is heavenly. There are nut and raisin in the middle with the apple. It is REALLY REALLY good. After the welcome dinner, a group of us go back to the same cafe, and I have a cup of ice-cream this time.
Walking back to the school in Toray "IN THE DARK" is indeed an adventure. I guess we underestimate how dark it really is without carrying a flash light, and the road is not paved. Alan wearing a pair of sandals kicks the rock a couple time. And along the dark road when we pass by some houses, or where there is light, there are dogs awaiting to bark at us. Whenever there is one of those colectivo taxi drive by, we have to stand to the sides so we don't become the road kills instantly. We have no choice but inhale the mud and dust the taxi kicks up. It is an almost 20-30 mins walk, and seriously, it seems like a never ending road to me. That is one hack of a freaky experience. But it is also fun, if I am by myself, I am definitely not gonna walk in the dark like that.
Photos here: Day 20
Footnote: I am really glad that I am able to move in with Alan and Mark. Not that I don't like the French gang, actually they have been friendly to me too, but when they are constantly speaking french and spanish, I can barely understand a word, it's more hard to connect. I have more things to talk to Alan and Mark anyway, and it is actually a better arrangement in term of using the bathroom, so we have 3 guys in each of two rooms, instead of 4 in one, 2 in another.
