Cusco Part 1 - Around Cusco + Sacred Valley

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Hello again!

We´re in Cusco, Peru. Otherwise known as the Gringo Capital of South America. This place is overrun with tourists. People from all over congregating here in this one South American city. Why? To visit lots of Inca ruins, of course. The Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, ruins within spitting distance of town. In just over a week it'll be even crazier for Inti Raymi (June 24th). As it is, one can´t walk around without being bombarded by people selling everything including: water, water bottle holders, finger-puppets, alpaca sweaters and hats, postcards, water color paintings, film, batteries, tours, books, restaurant services, photo opportunities, shoe-shine, etc. You name it, someone on the street is probably selling it. Walking around town is an obstacle course trying to avoid all the salesmen.

We have been trying to enjoy the city. We visited Qorincancha (Temple of the Sun). This is an Inca temple with rooms dedicated to the sun, moon, lightning, stars, rainbow. According to our guidebook, it has some of the finest examples of Inca stonework in Cusco. It originally had a gold interior and a garden with life-size statues of the flaura and fauna found throughout the Inca Empire. Of course, when the Spanish came, all the gold was melted and sent to Spain. Also, the temple itself was partly destroyed and the Inca walls were used as the foundations for the Catholic church of Santo Domingo. An earthquake in 1950 partially destroyed the church and prompted the restoration and rebuilding of parts of the temple.

Yesterday we took a tour to the Sacred Valley. Yes, an actual tour with a group of close to thirty other gringos, a bus, and a guide. We are not normally into tours, but we weren´t sure we´d be able to coordinate transport for a day out to the Sacred Valley sites. There was a lot of Inca-ness (as Ryan is fond of calling it).We went to the big Pisac market and the Pisac ruins above the town. Pisac was either an Inca fortress or religious site. Pisaq includes Intihuana with the “Hitching Post of the Sun”. After lunch, visited the ruins at Ollantaytambo. The present day town is a the foot of the ruins and is a perfect example of Inca city planning. According to our guide, the streets are 2m wide and the blocks are uniform at 25m long. The archeological site has views of the mountain with two faces. The ruins include decorative terracing, stones over 6m in length, and a fountain. From Ollantaytambo, we continued on to Chinchero for a visit to the local market and the colonial church.

Today, we visited more ruins. Four sites all within 7 km of Cusco. We took a local bus out to the farthest one and walked back to town, visting the sites along the way. Tambomachay had three fountains that are still fed by an underground spring. Puka Pukara (“Red Fort”) was probably actually a tambo ( post house or resting place, depending on the translator). Q’enqo (“labyrinth”) was carved out of limestone (both above and below the rock outcropping) and was likely a religious site. Sacsayhuaman (sounds like "Sexy Woman") is the largest of the sites and is the present-day location for Inti Raymi (winter solstice festival). A fortress-like construction that is now thought to have been a ceremonial site. We enjoyed exploring the ruins today at our own pace. Very different than the tour. We probably didn´t learn as much but it is nice to just wander about.

We are going to visit Machu Picchu (The Greatest Tourist Attraction in South America, or at least it better be for the prices they charge to go) in two days. More news to follow.

Until later,
Ana & Ryan

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Photos

Ana and Ryan
Left to right: Ana, then Ryan

Flower (whose name we have forgotten)
But we were told it is the national flower of Peru.

Ana at Saqsaywaman (Sexy Woman)
Ana is standing next to the largest stone. 130,000 kg.