We started our trip in Cusco. Despite being a bit inhibited by the high altitude in Cusco, we still managed to do some exploring our first day there and downtown Cusco quickly became one of my favorite cities in all of Peru! The ancient Incan walls mixed with the new stone work and seemingly uniform blue doors throughout easily make Cusco one of the most charming cities I have encountered. The ancient walls, which the locals pass every day without a thought, are a marvel by themselves. Here's a picture of my dad proving that the Incas constructed the walls so well that not even a piece of paper can fit between the stones! Incredible, right?!
Our next taste of ruins in Cusco did not disappoint either! On our second day in Cusco, we went to the Sacsayhuaman ruins (otherwise known as the "Sexy Woman" ruins) that sit upon a nearby mountain with a view of the main plaza of Cusco. What a great view!...
Here's a picture of my parents next to one of the tallest stones in Sacsayhuaman. It's pretty amazing to think what the Incas were capable of moving using just man power... The big rock shown here is 17 feet tall and weighs over 200 tons!
Once the weather started to turn, we decided it was time to go. But the storm clouds sure made for some great pictures...
After taking shelter for the night, we started our trip towards Ollantaytambo where we would board the train to Aguas Calientes, the town nearest Machu Picchu. The trip should have seemed long, but with the beautiful scenery and occasional pit stops (to feed alpacas and such) it flew by!
The first city we stopped in was Chinchero. We had a great time walking through the market where they still barter instead of exchanging money! Before heading on to our next destination (ruins), we saw some more ruins. Go figure!
The ruins we encountered in Moray were used for... Well, I'll let you guess once you've seen them...
If you guessed a giant amphitheater then you are WRONG! But that's ok, I thought the same thing when I saw the terraced land that seems to provide seating around the center circle. However, the Incas actually used the land as an agricultural laboratory to determine at which altitudes certain plants grow most efficiently. It's clear that the Incas had flare if even their agricultural sites look so divine! Our next stop was at the salt farms in Maras.
The pools above are filled by a natural water source that happens to pass through a salt reserve underground. Being luke warm, the water holds great amount of salt in solution and once the water evaporates all that's left is a great tasting, all-natural salt. Then the locals harvest it. With there feet, hands, whatever... Apparently salt can't be contaminated by dirty feet. You learn something new everyday...
Uncle Tom, if you're reading this we were thinking of you a lot at the salt farm! Mom wanted to make sure the salt was comparable to Cargill's so she tried the river water. And she was caught in the act...
Finally we made it to Ollantaytambo, but we didn't board the train before seeing some more ruins! It may sound like I was sick of seeing ruins, but actually each area had it's own style and story to go with the ruins so it was all very interesting. On top of that, we had a guide named Walter to help explain the extensive histories behind each set of ruins. For example, Ollantaytambo was the sight of the last Inca battle victory before they were wiped out by the Spaniards.
Finally, it was time to board the train to Aguas Calientes. Once we arrived, it was clear by the terrain that we were close to Machu Picchu!!
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