Sacred Valley

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This was to be my last trip as I was leaving early to Lima ,the altitude had become too much of a hindrance and was spoiling the adventure, get down to sea level and recover before contemplating Mexico city ironically at 2240 metres above sea level, hopefully I will be able to take that in my stride.
There a lot of pics in this one hard to leave them out


The Sacred Valley of the Incas, is actually the Vilcanota/Urubamba River valley. It is located about 15klms north of Cuzco Peru, and extends northwest through Pisac and Ollantaytambo. This entire region, highlighted by Cuzco, was the heart of the Inca civilization from the 14th to the 15th centuries. In reflection, there are numerous impressive ruins. Many of the villagers in this valley today live life much the same as they did prior to the Spanish Conquest in 1532.
The Sacred Valley trip started at 8-30 am, every thing starts early, at the SAS office(Aptly Named) in Playa Amas. Now pouring with rain again. As we wait to go there is a parade of the Madonna around the Plaza. We pile into the bus and head for the Sacred Valley 1st stop Pisca.Well this again nearly did me in yet again:-
Pisac
The Pisac ruins, a mountaintop complex of overlooks a a main temple area. It is known for its small, polished stones that fit perfectly together. In the main ruins, which are reached by a two-hour, uphill hike, you will find temples of the sun, moon, rain, rainbow, and stars, as well as a few Inca crosses rising from the ground. The cross represents the different levels of existence: The lower level signifies the underworld, and snake god; the higher level, human existence, represented by the jaguar or puma god; and the highest level, the celestial plane, represented by the condor..
Boy this was tough as we scrambled up and up


Ollantaytambo

The present-day town is located in the same site where the urban sector was in Incan times. It is really interesting because it is the only spot in Peru where it is possible to find people living in the same buildings that served as homes for the nobility of the Inkan Society. Some of its narrow streets still keep their water channels where very clean water flowed for the population use; they are by the middle or at one side. The streets still maintain their Inkan names. The town was divided in rectangular blocks with a very well planned geometrical layout giving the impression of being a town designed by modern architects. Every block was compound of two "kanchas" (apartments); the street gates had double jamb doorways which indicate that those were real palaces with rooms around a central patio. At least the lower part of the buildings is original and made with "pirka" type walls that were covered with a clay coat and possibly also had mural paintings. Today, their thatched roofs were replaced by red tiles and it is possible to breath a certain air of modernity as the town has electricity and tap water; but in short, the town has still an Inkan taste. Some decades ago in Ollantaytambo, a worldwide meeting of the "Indian" representatives was carried out and they declared this town as the " World Capital of Indianity". By that time there were some efforts willing to help for an effective conservation of original structures; in practice, it is so little what was and is done for that purpose, and it is so sad to prove that many of its innate elements are being lost slowly.

Towards the town's east is the Pinkuylluna hill (pinkuyllo = wind musical instrument similar to the "quena" or Andean flute) where an imposing huge building stands out and about which there is a lot of myth. Some very imaginative "scholars" argue that it's been a school, a hospital some others, jail others, and even a hurling precipice!; according to archaeology and the Inkan architectonic characterization it was a "Qollqa" or "Pirwa"; that is, a granary or storehouse for food, clothing and weapons for local army. It has many doorways and openings that allowed ventilation, and surely they were built up there to enable protection of the stored goods. Likewise, some other smaller buildings are located in outstanding spots or angles of the mountain that served as watchtowers for controlling movement of persons in the valley.

Toward the western end of the town and crossing the Patakancha (Upper Inclosure) stream is the great Plaza known as Mañay Raqay (Pleas Plaza) which seem to keep its original name, surrounded by sun-dried mud-brick buildings that were very important in their epoch. Towards the west of this plaza is the entrance to the religious sector; in the lower part there are terraces that served for two purposes: they were farming terraces and had an aqueduct by their southern end; likewise, they served in order to stop erosion of the upper side protecting the most important temples. Going up through the stairway between the terraces is the 10 Window Temple, which is named that because of the 10 trapezoidal niches existing in its back wall; its front wall was destroyed and today the real duty of that inclosure is unknown. Somewhat higher is the spot of the most important temple: the Sun Temple that was constructed with huge red porphyry (pink granite) boulders. The stone quarry is named Kachiqhata (Salt Slope) and is located about 4 Kms. (2.5 miles) away on the other side of the valley, by the upper side of the opposite southwestern mountains. The boulders were carved partially in the quarries, and taken down to the valley's bottom. In order to cross the river Quechuas constructed an artificial channel parallel to the natural river bed that served for deviating the river's water according to conveniences. Therefore, while that water flowed through one channel the other was dry, thus stones could be taken to the other side of the valley. More over, the boulders were transported to the upper spot where the temple is erected using the inclined plane that is something like a road which silhouette is clearly seen from the valley's bottom. They had the help of log rollers or rolling stones as wheels, South-American cameloids' leather ropes, levers, pulleys, and the power of hundreds and even thousands of men. Today, on the way from the quarry to the temple there are dozens of enormous stones that people know as " tired stones" because it is believed that they could never be transported to their destination; those stones are the reason why some authors claim that the Sun Temple was unfinished when the Spanish invasion happened.

What is left of the Sun Temple are some peripheral walls and the classical major wall that according to most historians is part of the High Altar. It consists of six enormous stone blocks which average weight is about 90 tons and have as vertical joints some other smaller stones making a wall that is unusual in the Inkan Architecture. It seems that this is a projection of the Tiawanako architecture or possibly the architects were brought from the region of the Titicaca lake; but the final work is entirely Inkan with joints and outer surfaces complete and finely polished and glazed so that they could even serve as mirrors. On the external surface of the fourth boulder (beginning in the southern end), there are three carved stepped symbols that were undoubtedly inherited from the Tiawanakos; they represent the three stages of the Andean World: the "Hanan Pacha" (heaven), the "Kay Pacha" (earth surface) and the "Ukhu Pacha" (underground). Even more, there are some other carved bulges that were broken and which according to divers scholars represented gods of the Andean Mythology. It is evident the presence of the "idolatries extirpators" who destroyed the Sun Temple; nowadays, the stones that were part of this fabulous temple are all over the place, over the terraces, by the plaza surroundings, in the church and curate house, and wherever a person looks with care. More over, because of the quality and some characteristics of the work we dare to suggest that it was completely finished by the arrival of Spanish invaders and that the mentioned "tired stones" were unnecessary or were supposed to be used for some other similar buildings. Around this same sector there are many other constructions of minor quality ("pirka" type), and with mud brick walls that were perhaps adoratories for minor deities; about which there is not any chronicle or reference. The streets in this area are very narrow, this fact made many authors believe that it was just a "pukara" (fort). However, history demonstrates that when Quechuas and Hispanics were faced with defeats or disadvantage for invaders, they automatically named that site as "Indians' fortress"; as it happened in Saqsaywaman and over here in Ollantaytambo, where the army of Manko Inka (Manko II) defeated completely the invader troops in 1537. That victory for Inkas happened when Manko was going toward Willkapanpa (Vilcabamba) after 8 months of bloody war in Qosqo. Behind the religious sector is the surrounding wall that protected this zone and the whole Ollantaytambo fortified city.

Toward the north of the religious sector entrance gate is a series of water fountains that because of their location must have performed duties of "Ceremonial Fountains", that is, used in order to worship the water god. There is one inside a mud brick square building where water still flows; toward the east of it there is another one baptized by tradition as the " Baño de la Ñusta" ("Princess's Bath") that shows stepped moldings in its surface below the spillway. Farther north there are also many other fountains constituting a vast temple dedicated to the cult of "Unu" or "Yaku" (water). Nearby is the sector that today has the hybrid name of " Inka Misana" (spot where the Inka says mass) that shows an aqueduct carved in the mountain rock face and a liturgical fountain, small stairways, double jamb niches or false openings capriciously sculpted in the mountain surface. On the upper area there is a carved conical bulge that was surely another "Intiwatana" (Sun Fastener); more over, there are diverse moldings which were part of a complex solar observatory used to measure the sun variations during the year as well as for fixing solstices and equinoxes.

Following the Patakancha rivulet upstream are a large amount of Inkan farming terraces that are always in use, many of them still maintain their aqueducts. Advancing by the trail on the right bank of the rivulet (on the left side when going up through the valley), and after about two hours of hiking one gets Pumamarka ("Puma's Town") that was surely an important village in Inkan times; it is over 3600 mts. of altitude (11810 ft.).

From there we moved on upwards on to the altiplano and were to make a final stop at a village at 4400metres (Bring on the oxygen)on route we made a stop to view the magnificent Andes in thier splendor ,needless to say even here there were traders attempting to make a sale ,it was really cold, then onto the village to view the church,from there we made our way back to Cuzco after a really hard long day (12 hours ) Phileas, Frank and Jerry adjourned to Paddy O´Flaterrys for a drink

Phileas

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Photos

Plaza Amas
procession similar to those in Alcala

The 1st stop to view the Valley
inundated by traders

The Sacred Valley
This very fertile valley without extremes of temperature is over 100klms long ending at Machu Picchu

The start of the climb to Pisca
Down hill to start but not for long

My God look at the incline and more round the bend
urgent send oxygen!!

Playing for money on the mountain
Take a photo he ecspects to be paid ,gave him 5 soles (about a euro)

Young fit Canadian
one of the lads going on the Inca trail trek oh! to be young and fit

the return trail
this appeared to be the better option but was very deceiving as at the end you had at least 1 klm uphill