In a Cloud Rainforest

Pueblo Machu Picchu is far enough over the Andes to be in a cloud rainforest--the far extreme end of the Amazon basin. My phone tells me it's 50 degrees F (going up to a balmy 68 during the day's first rainstorm at 2pm); my skin tells me it's cool and very moist.

This hotel (Inkaterra) has a spa with natural hot springs, which accounts for the other name it's known by--Aguas Calientes. If I was having a sit-around day (or if I was a Spanish conquistador used to the sunny Iberian coast), I bet lounging in a hot bath, gasping from the thin air and soaking in the heat would be pretty idyllic!

I stood on my balcony this morning and took a few ill-focused photos (as well as a video considered too long to just upload and I never did master drop box and the like). Here's what I can see.

The entire hotel is composed of little cottages nestled into the nature preserve. My bungalow has four guest rooms (two above, where I am, and two below). If you look past the tops of the tree line, you might wonder what those streaks are on the sky. Not sky. BFM--big mountain, you dig me?

I looked for a little while longer until even my dull eye made out a few details.

That's a huge white trumpet flower hanging off a plain old tree.

This is a bromeliad, unless I miss my guess. A plant that grows entirely on another plant; its delicate, grasping roots never touch the soil, the prima donna.

I don't know what this very tall blossom is, and I suspect that it was more magnificent a few weeks ago, but here's sentinel standing by the path, all big and impressive. So that deserves an ill-focused photo, right?

In my youth (many, MANY years ago!), it used to be the thing that one would grow spider plants in one's office, and then be modestly proud when the spider plant had spider babies. I think that's what I'm looking at here (although the photo doesn't exactly make the point!)

Upon examination, I know that's NOT a spider plant, but saying it is will give Lexie an excuse to man-splain in the comments, so my job is done here!

And this is a photo of the moss-covered tiles on the roof of the terrace below me. I just thought it was pretty.

Now I shall go get dressed and walk among the people, gasping slightly. Perhaps my photos will increase in quality. (They could hardly get worse!) (Famous last words!)