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Published: August 8th 2007
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Cuzco was another city for which we had had so many different opinions, so again, best to enter with a smile and see how you go. The cab driver didn´t help, conveniently changing the 3 offer from Soles to Dollars by the time we´d jumped in. Whatdayado....
But yes, it is the sort of tourist town where around the central plaza you get haggled for anything from batteries to free/cheap drinks, alpaca underwear to free trips to the moon (and back if you ask, but make sure you do ask).
It is also a very historic town, so plenty of churches, narrow alleys to meander through, and plazas and markets to satisfy anyone´s curiousity or shopping desires.
We staid at the MiraSol hostal, not too far of the Plaza des Armas, so within convenient distance to almost everything. First few days weren´t too active. The compulsary sleep-ins, late breakfasts, and strolling around. the days after we started looking into confirming our trek, and also some tours in and around town. Again, the options in Cuzco are a-plenty, and one could spend a month here without seeing everything!
Most of our tours, including the Salcantay trek, were planned
through
Peru-Planet with Belgian Dirk. First up was the Sacred Valley tour.
First stop out of town were the Pisac Markets. By this point, after Bolivia, it is beyond me how anyone could ever sell so much art work and Alpaca knitwear! Anyway, Pisac Markets are renowned for it. Luckily we didn´t stay too long, and were of to the Pisac Ruins. Quite impressive, plenty of terrasses, of course, and also many ruins of houses and other buildings. Still, a bit of a worry why the Inca´s persisted in building everything against and on top of mountains! Main reason seems to be the the flat valleys could/should be used for growing crop, and also once in a while would get washed away with spring floods.
Next up Urubamba, well, mainly for lunch. the fun thing here again that depending on with which agent you booked, lunch was included, or not. Funnily enough most people let themselves get hearded into the same restaurant, when you might as well go for a personally prefered option (cheaper).
Ollantaytambo again a very impressive set of terrasses, and also a few temples. There are also still trails/paths which were apparently used as
ramps to bring up those massive rocks from the quarry (opposing mountain, at least 4kms away). Also an impressive sun temple here, with the best modelled and biggest rocks.
Finally, and it was getting dark already, the church at Chinchero. As per usual plenty of handy craft sellers at the ready for the great number of tour busses driving through. Again, the church is an example of an Inca ruin on top of which the Spanish built a church.
Next day, half day city tour. First, Koricancha (Inca Temple of the Sun). Again, mostly destroyed by the Spanish and replaced by a church. Still, due to earthquakes (which the Inca structures were better built for) some of the old Inca ruins came out on top again, and are now better preserved.
The guide spent an awful lot of time here argueing his personal points of view (they´re Quechua, NOT Inca as Inca is only used for the King), but at least with a bit of a sense of humour, and also knowledge of many other cultures around the globe.
The cathedral was next, and more or less it has a church on either side of it.
The size and details are impressive, as are the local Quechua influences on the artwork! Take this for example, the "replica" of the last supper painting has a
roasted guinea pig in the centre of the table!!! 😊
The bus crawled out of town up the hill to the next stop: Sacsayhuaman (pronounced as Sexy Woman). Apparently there are plenty of translations for this name, so I will not give any at this point. A temple/fortress/whatever it may have been of impressive size and detail. And all so close to the city (we hope to see it again for the festival of the sun).
Unlike what the brochure had said, we passed by Puca Pucara and went to the Tambomachay temple right next door. An Inca, sorry, Quechua well. Depending on from which of the 3 wells you´d drink, you´d either get rich, get healthy, or bear twins. Your preference......
Last up, Q'enko, and again, we´re getting into dark here, which is a bit painful for photos, in particular if you´re going into a small cave! Quite impressive though how they´d carved/shaved out the niches, stairs and altars in this small cave.
Apparently the main reason
for skipping Puca Pucara was our final stop at an Alpaca factory shop............ for over 45minutes. For tourists who are not interested in purchasing anything that´s way too much time to waste without having a little dress-up party !!
Next day, private tour to Moray and Salineras. Moray is one of those super-mysteries (unlike most other ruins which are just "normal" mysteries). Apperently a sort of laboratory for the Quechua to try and cultivate different crops more efficiently. For example, the temperature difference between the top and bottom terras was more than 1.5 degree celcius. Not impressive, but apparently great enough a difference for growing different crops in the same area!
The Salineras were equally impressive. Salt baths used to let the water evaporate, after which the salt could be collected for consumption. They are still in use, which means they have not been restored (nor do they need to be)! And just for size, there are over 3000 of them just at this site !
We did a bit of cooking and a bit of eating out in Cuzco, both being affordable and tasty. The city does look very pretty in the dark, with all of
the old buildings lit up. And from what we have heard, there are plenty of places to quench a thirst as well (not that we last that long at night to try this)!!
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