Your trip Salinera sounds amazing, you said they have been doing the salt pools for over 500 years. To think they get passed down from generation to generation is amazing keep up the good work and good luck.
Evonne Yes, we did have a great view! In some places, we had to walk on the walls between the pools and they were slippery, I almost went for a swim!!!!
IzzyB Hi! The Inca people worked very hard to build stone walls and level the earth in order to make flat terraces in which they could grow crops. Some of the stone walls are built 2,000 feet above the river below. It was truly amazing!
Courtney I did get to try new foods while I was there. On Amantani Island in Lake Titicaca, they don't eat very much meat, so they made a dish that included fried cheese that was delicious! Also, I tried cuy (guinea pig) which I found to be very good. The families only have it when there is a special occation.
Janelle Great thoughts! I did not get to see a lot of Lima, but I did spend a whole day walking around. The beaches are fantastic according to my friends that live there, but I didn't get to spend time on them. I did pass by them in the taxi. I also really amazed at the thick fog that was there both times that I flew into and out of the city. There are beautiful islands right off the coast, but I could barely make them out through the fog. I think that of all of the places that I have seen, my absolute favorite would have to be visiting the hometown of my teacher and her parent's house in Paucartambo, Peru. It is a small town and the people there were so kind!
Samantha Great questions! I did see that in some of the pools the owners had lined them with tarps, other pools were more natural with only a simple dirt floor. The whole structure is man made and there are canals that lead the river into each pool. These pools have been producing salt for 500 years. The salt is used for many things. In a culture that does not see much snow, I think that it is probably used for food, but because it is not treated from the pools, it must go through a process of cleaning and chemicals before you can actually use it on food.
Josh Thanks for your comment, Josh. What great research! I laugh because everything (lakes, ruins, cities) are named because they have a shape that is similar to an important animal, I never really saw the resemblance, just like the constellations in the sky! It was definitely cold there and I surely was never possessed to swan dive off the boat into the frigid waters!
Tyler Hello and thanks for your question, Tyler. I did get to climb into the bottom of Moray and it was a long way back out. It was early on in my trip and I wasn't used to the altitude, so I was wiped by the time I got back to the top again! As far as the air at Salineras, it was humid and rainy and the air did have a similar feel to the air near the ocean although you couldn't really taste salt.
Vinny I had a fantastic time and I only saw a small corner of the lake even though we spent 3 hours one day and 5 hours the next travelling by boat from one island to the next. There are many places where you cannot see the other side of the lake it is so large. It was fascinating.
Alex Moray is over 500 years old and was constructed in large part for the Incas to research the hundreds of species of potatoes that they grew in a myriad of different climates.
Kevin Thanks for your comment! After a trip like this, it is sometimes difficult to come home and get used to regular life again. That is what keeps me travelling! Thanks for your comments!
Thanks! Thanks for your comments, I did enjoy very much all of my travels and I am glad that you enjoyed the photos. I think that one thing that is important no matter where you travel is to keep an open mind and be willing to go with the flow. Sometimes the best adventures come when you are really willing to get to know the local people and are willing to try new things. I think that for safety reasons it is always good to travel with someone else, also it is great to have a friend with whom I can reminisce about my travels.
Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is very high, but not as high as Cusco and Lake Titicaca. I found that the climate there was much greener and warmer than the climate in the Cusco area and the Antiplano of Puno. I even came home covered in bug bites! The terracing, or cuts into the side of the mountain served two purposes at Machu Picchu, one is to keep the rain and wind from erroding the mountainside, and the other is to make a nice flat place to plant crops!
Moray and Salineras Thanks! I love taking photos and sharing them with other people. I think that one of the most amazing things about my experience in Peru was the amount of work that the Inca people were able to accomplish in only a few hundred years. Everything from Moray and Salineras to the ruins at Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. If only my high school students worked like Incas (JK).
Lake Titicaca Fortunately for me, I had been living in Cusco Peru at the time where it is also very high, 12,000 feet. I was very well adapted to the altitude by then, but at first, it is always an ajustment for me when I get to a place that is so high. Usually I suffer from a headache for a couple of days and just feel groggy and tired out. The weather in Puno and around the lake was a little cooler than Cusco, but again, Cusco has a similar climate, so I was prepared with my warm clothes. It did snow on us one day while I was there. Also, the water was very clear, and icy cold!
Lake Titicaca Lake Titicaca is a very beautiful place and hope you enjoyed your visit. Since Lake Titicaca is located 12,500 feet above sea level it seems like you would feel short of breath or dizzy or something being that high up. Also since the weather is from 10-14 degrees C from June to September, it must have been cooler near the lake due to it being hot in Peru. Also since Lake Titicaca is fed from rainfall and melt water from glaciers on the Sierras the lake must have been nice and clear. I hope you enjoyed your trip and I hope that one day that I will be fortunate to travel to Lake Titicaca.
Nice Job It looks like your trip to south america was very fun and full of culture. I found your blog very interesting.The Moray and Salineras seem like kind and dedicated people. By the way your pictures are amazing.
I will be spending the summer in Cusco, Peru as a part of the North Country Spanish Teacher's Fellowship. Keep checking back between July 11 and August 23, I will be blogging regularly in order to share my experiences!... full info
Alix
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Your trip Salinera sounds amazing, you said they have been doing the salt pools for over 500 years. To think they get passed down from generation to generation is amazing keep up the good work and good luck.