Showering with Spiders

eds note: You may only get one photo because I only have one bar of internet. We've had no internet for a week so not to worry, we're just fine, just no email...ah, how wonderful to be unplugged!! Let's cross our fingers and hope we can post this!

When you land in Cuzco there are people selling shots of oxygen because at about 4,000 meters your lungs can use all the help they can get. Chrissie and I passed on the shots, but then we passed out in the taxi on our way to our new destination in the Sacred Valley. This area is the heart of the Incan Empire and known most famously for Machu Picchu. It is yet to be seen if we will see the famous Machu Picchu due to the landslides a few months ago, but regardless, we are soaking up the vibes here in this beautiful valley.

On our one-hour taxi ride to our hotel (well, I think it is more like a camping compound), I managed to stay awake for some of the time and as we passed over mountains and into the valley I felt like I was in a dream. Now after a few days here I still feel a bit like I’m in a dream and I really don’t know how to describe our first days in the Sacred Valley except exceptional in every way. It is exceptionally beautiful. It is exceptionally poor. It is exceptionally rich in heritage and the people are exceptionally friendly. And it is exceptionally unique—unlike any other place I have visited. Now Lady Elgar, being from the British Empire, has obviously seen more of the world than I, but either way we are both enchanted by the beauty of the landscapes and the ruins and the people (but not the dogs…hay mucho perros aqui!).

After a restful day and an introduction to our new Spanish teacher, we attempted a short walk that had both of us wishing we had an oxygen tank strapped to our backs. We then enjoyed a warm meal and a warm bed. The next morning, as is not always the case in this area, we also enjoyed a warm shower. And Chrissie also enjoyed a GIGANTIC SPIDER! (Gene, don’t look at the photo!)

When I stepped out of my room that morning to meet her before breakfast, Chrissie says to me in her proper Queens English. “Ingrid, there is a rather large spider in my shower.” I’m hungry, so I quickly say, “How big?” in hopes that she’ll say, “As big as a quarter” so we can get to breakfast. But no, she says, “It is really quite big and I’m not sure you want to see it.” Of course I want to see it, but I’m thinking it’s about as big as the spider I saw outside my bathroom, a little bigger than two quarters, legs and body in total. So I walk into the bathroom and there near the shower head, as you can see in the photo below, is a GIGANTIC TARANTULA! (It makes me paranoid just writing about it and I want to turn on the lights to look around my bed just to make sure there’s not one peering over my shoulder reading this and planning his attack).

Ok, so at this point I look at Chrissie and I realize her hair is soaking wet, which means she SHOWERED WITH THE SPIDER!!!!! (Bobby the exclamation points are for you) I’m not sure what kind of proper Lady would do such a thing, but frankly since arriving here a lot of what I thought was normal, like hot water in the kitchen or guinea pigs as pets not as food, is not normal. But sure enough, she showered with the spider as he sat perched above her, ready to spring at any moment. I wonder if he covered his 16 eyes???

I believe Lady Elgar deserves a medal of honor for her bravery and I suggest all of you on that little island across the Atlantic who are supporters of medals of honor and knighting of rock stars speak to the Queen about a formal ceremony. I’m sure if you also mentioned Lady Elgar’s ability to scale Incan ruins like a puma, a proper recognition will be made.

More to come on the Sacred Valley….until then, be sure to check your shower walls before you lather up! 

PS. You’ll all be happy to know that on Thursday we head to Machu Picchu. We hope to back online later this weekend or when we arrive in Costa Rica next Tuesday...hasta luego!