Advertisement
Geo: -13.3139, -72.2075
We had breakfast in the hotel this morning and then met for an hour bus ride to the archeological site of Moray.
At Moray we saw terraces that, rather than going up the side of the mountain, are in a depression in the earth. Experts believe that the Incas used this as a laboratory to help them cultivate crops that would grow in the valleys of Cusco. The temperature difference between the top of the site to the bottom of the site differ by 15 degrees F. We walked a way down into the terraces and then used "flying staircases" to get from one terrace to the next. These are rocks that protrude from the wall of the terrace creating steps.
We learned that these Incan terraces were not cut into the mountain but a wall is built and then filled with a layer of small rocks, then a fine layer of sand and then soil for planting. This allows for great drainage and prevents the site from flooding in the rainy season.
After walking down and back up the terraces, we boarded the bus for a ride to the Salt Pans of Moray. Another terraced structure that has been in
use for over 500 years. Near Moray is a spring that emits water that is 3 times saltier than ocean water. This water is channeled into over 4,000 terraced areas and allowed to evaporate to produce the salt. The purest form of salt is white, followed by pink and then a third grey layer. We walked along pathways of the salt pans just barely wider than our feet and then completed the site by walking all the way back down into the Sacred Valley where we met up with our buses.
The bus ride back to the hotel was short and then we had lunch in the restaurant of the hotel. Our choices were chicken consume, salad or trout for appetizer. For main course it was beef, trout or spaghetti alfredo . Dessert options were trio of Peruvian desserts, ice cream or chocolate soufflé.
For the afternoon we had the option of relaxing at the hotel or going to tour the studio of a famous artist who works in clay in the traditional Incan style. His name is Pablo Seminario and we were able to tour his workshop and meet him. It was a great experience.
Dinner was at the Rancho Sol
y Luna Hotel. We had a cooking demonstration by the chef of the lodge. Then watched an acrobatic show put on by the hotel.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.261s; Tpl: 0.023s; cc: 6; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0308s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Mic
non-member comment
I think rather than the going into these depressed countries and teaching them how to farm "US style" it would be smarter to teach them some of these incredible tried and true methods like you described.