Photos

I arrived in Ollantaytambo as part of a tour of the Sacred Valley. The tour's itinerary was to climb to the top of the ruins, a short way from the town square. However, when I got there, I saw this fascinating festival taking place.

It appeared that there were several different groups of entertainers - both dancers and skit comics - each taking their turn in a sort of competition to see who could do the most entertaining routine, who had the most elaborate costumes, and who could draw the biggest cheers.

Obviously, as a photographer, this was where I wanted to be much more than climbing to the top of the ruins. I cut my visit there short and spent most of my time in Ollantaytambo in awe at the festival. It was a treat to see all the young kids (the ones who weren't participating themselves) laughing and smiling at all the antics.

This was the quintessential scene I expected to find in Incan Peru and I had walked right into it. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start my trip.