After the bus ride back to Agua Calientes, we wandered around the shops and streets.  When we stopped for lunch, Mary Pat and I shared soup and salad but Rick, being very adventuresome, decided to order alpaca.  I think he really wanted to try guinea pig as that seems to be a major delicacy here in Peru—always by far the most expensive thing on the menu, as much as 100 soles.  We all decided that alpaca tastes like and has the consistency of beef.

Then, on the train ride back to Ollantaytambo , we were treated to a fashion show of designs using alpaca wool but which started with a creature who danced through the car with several of the passengers.

We were once again picked up in a private car for our drive back to Cusco.  Our driver, Omar, was very accommodating, stopping at several places for us to take pictures and we stopped at a local farm raising alpacas.  Not only did we get to feed them, we watched how the yarn is made, dyed using all-natural plants and herbs, then woven to create those lovely sweaters, jackets, coats, wraps, scarves, and more.  Of course, there was a store and, despite Mary Pat and I resisting our natural impulse to buy in every other location (there are stores galore in Cusco and Aguas Calientes), both of us broke down upon finding just what each of us wanted.  Baby alpaca is so incredibly soft, lightweight, yet warm at the same time.