Jim & Barbara Burton Travel: March 2014

The Sacred Valley, Peru

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is an area between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Peru in the Urumbamba River Valley.

Our morning did not start too well as the English speaking guide we had booked was sick, so another arrived who did not speak a word of English. We travelled to the National Park entrance at which point we realised that this was not going to work, so we made him take us back to the hotel.

After leaving him at the hotel we walked into Cusco to try and arrange another tour. Unfortunately, by the time we got there we had missed all of the organised tours. Luckily after walking through the streets we found a travel agency and Nancy, who spoke perfect English, found us a very experienced English speaking guide. Within half an hour we were on our way.

We left Cusco climbing high above the valley and the Urumbamba river, where the views were amazing. We stopped to visit Inca Ruins on the way to Pisac. The sights and the sites were incredible. The walls, structures, terraces and houses. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the construction of all the walls and other buildings at Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay and Puka Pukara often called The Red Fort.

After driving through all of this magnificent scenery we stopped at the terraces and ruins of Pisac. These ruins are very high with narrow trails where one side is a sheer cliff-face drop. "Don't stumble."

After making it back safely to the car we drove to the village of Pisac, population around 10,000 people, mostly indigenous who speak the ancient Quechua language. Pisac is famous for its market place which is situated around the main square. The main square is not like the one in Cusco but a small meeting place. The market was fairly quiet as there were no tours at the time we were there. It was also a little different from other markets we have been to. Check out the shoes and the dolls. Also in the middle was a "Cuy" restaurant where you can pick your own guinea pig. They also cook guinea pigs on brasseries on the side of the road around here. It is a very popular dish.

After leaving Pisac and en-route to the restaurant for lunch we stopped by Inkariy which is currently still being constructed. It is due to open soon and will be a museum and cultural centre. This will be a great addition for education of the Sacred Valley.

Back on our way again, with stomachs rumbling we stopped at a local restaurant in a small town between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It was full of local people and we noted that the portions were huge. Even as hungry as we were Jim and I shared a meal of pork, potatoes, corn, rice, vegetables and we still could not eat it all. Our guide had a whole meal but couldn't eat his corn, but that was all he left. We found throughout these parts of South America that all meals are served with both rice and potatoes together not common in North America. They also have many varieties of potatoes with different uses. Some are dry, some for soups etc.

Next we headed to Ollantaytambo and the site of probably the most famous ruins in the Sacred Valley. When we arrived there was a local festival in full swing. The people were all singing, drinking and dancing around the tree in the middle of the square. This was the "Felling of the Tree" celebration. They actually were not cutting down the only tree in the square, as it had been cut somewhere else and re-erected in the square for the celebration. The whole tree was adorned with presents, many of which were household items. They dance around the tree, seemingly for hours and then axe the tree down. Once down, it was a stampede to get a present. They all looked pretty pooped at the end of it, but they had lots of fun.

Whilst the celebrations continued we explored the ruins. We climbed to the top of the terraces, which was no mean feat, but we were rewarded by the magnificent views down the valley.

When we left Ollantaytambo it was getting quite late in the day, due to our delayed start and our next stop was to be Chinchero. Chinchero is small village in the Andes, inhabited by the Quechua and famous for its weaving. Chinchero has become a weaving co-operative where the older women teach the younger ones the traditional weaving skills and now the village is becoming self sufficient. Unfortunately due to time constraints, tiredness and an early start for Aguas Caliente the next day we had to forgo our visit to this important centre.

We headed back to Cusco bidding farewell to the magical Sacred Valley and watched the glaciers of the Andes getting ready for bed........................................

Looking down over the valley and the Urumbamba River

Jim & Barbara overlooking the valley

Another valley view

Inca Ruins

Terraces at Pisac

Pisac Ruins

Inca Wall

Jim & Barbara at a Gateway on the narrow path

Check out the construction of this wall these boulders don't come shaped like this

Entering Pisac Market - note the centre channel for flood control when it rains

How about these funky shoes!!!!

Look at the size of this oven for cooking guinea pigs?????

Beautiful weavings

Inca dolls

Statue at Inkariy

Tree Felling Festival at Ollantaytambo

More dancing at Ollantaytambo

Jim and the guide heading through town to the ruins

Ruins Ollantaytambo

Looking over the town at Ollantaytambo and down the valley from the top

More ruins at Ollantaytambo

Look at the size of these granite blocks. They were brought from another mountain across the valley.

Starting to axe the tree down

Street at the Inca site - Ollantaytambo

More structures at Ollantaytambo

The Princesse's Shower

The terraces at Ollantaytambo

Scouring the downed tree for any missed presents

All pooped out

Dusk approaching and The Andes retiring for the day

Cusco

February 17, 2014, we left the Peru Star early in the morning and flew to Cusco. Cusco, at an elevation of 3,400 metres (11,200 ft) above sea level, is a city of around half a million people, in southeastern Peru. It lies in a valley of the Andes mountains and our hotel was situated in a narrow street where no vehicles could venture. It was high on a hill above the town with amazing rooftop views. Many of the streets in Cusco cannot accommodate motorised vehicles as they were purposely built to accommodate Llamas. Even a horse and cart cannot manoeuvre some of these tight spaces.

The Killke culture occupied the area from 900 - 1200 AD followed by the Incas in the 13th century. Cusco was the capital city of the Incas and was planned in the effigy of a puma, which was one of the sacred animals of these ancient cultures. It should be noted that the Inca rule was less than one hundred years, from 1438 - 1533.

Even when the sun was shining, Cusco was cool and in the evening quite chilly to say the least.

As we arrived around lunchtime, we spent the afternoon strolling around and seeing the old city, with all its magnificent buildings. We first went to a little cafe along the road from our hotel where everything was organic and delicious. After we were rejuvenated we started to walk down the hill. At the water wall in San Blas we encountered some ladies with a baby Llama taking a quick shower, fully clothed. From there we descended into the San Blas square and the Temple of San Blas. The doorway was ornately decorated and inserted with little mirrors. Next were more very narrow cobbled streets and the famous Inca wall with the even more famous stone of twelve angles.

More cobbled streets took us to the main square, the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral of Santo Domingo. The clouds were looking ominous and the temperature was dropping quickly. The next minute the skies opened to a deluge of rain. The square was like a river. The rain was absolutely torrential. What did we expect!!!! It was the rainy season afterall. Luckily we were able to shelter under cover in one of the nice shops in the square, opposite the Cathedral.

Once the rain had stopped and we felt that it was over, we headed down the main street, Avenida el Sol to the artisans market, passing the impressive monument to Pachakutiq. Pachas were water sources in Inca times and Pachakutiq was the governor during those times after defeating the Chankas. The waterfall monument was dedicated to Pachakutiq Inka Yupanki 1438 - 1471.

We visited the artisans market with all their colourful wares (indoors) and bought a woven holdall which came in very handy, then walked back through town, back "UP" the cobbled streets, passing more ruins, beautiful courtyards and finally back to our hotel. Later that evening we went to Pachapapas restaurant and had the local speciality "Cuy" (guinea pig). It was very good, not unlike chicken but more gamey.

Before we left for the Sacred Valley the next day, we had the opportunity to visit the Plaza San Francisco......................