Peru
February 9th – 16th, 2024
Plaza de Armas in Cusco. I started the trip here because it's the hub for the main Inca ruins. At 11,152 ft, Cusco was the capital of the empire until it was conquered by Pizarro and the Spanish in 1533.
I took the train to Machu Picchu. These actors are performing Ollantay, a story about a forbidden love between a commoner and a noble. The Inca had no written language, so the story was passed down orally until it was adapted during colonial times.
When American Hiram Bingham "discovered" Machu Picchu in 1911, a Quechuan family was living in the ruins. There's still no consensus on what the function of the city was. It may have served as a retreat for the emperor from Cusco or as an administrative hub for the empire's Amazonian territories, as this part of the Andes slopes down into the jungle.
The Inca used perfectly cut stones without mortar. Even though Machu Picchu lies on a fault line, most of its structures still stand after 600 years. Pictured is the Temple of the Three Windows, which was used to mark the solstices for crop rotation.
The entrance of the Chinchero Church. Chinchero is in the Sacred Valley, which runs between Cusco and Machu Picchu and has many archaeological sites.
The side of Chinchero Church. The stone is the remains of the palace of Túpac Inca Yupanqui. The Spanish conquistadors destroyed Inca buildings and built on the foundations. Machu Picchu is well-preserved because the Spanish never found it.
A young shepherd and his flock. Taken while touring the Sacred Valley.
The terraces of Moray in the Sacred Valley. The largest circle is 600 ft in diameter, and the depth of the structure is 490 ft. The highest and lowest levels can have temperature differences over 10F. It's theorized that the Inca used this for agricultural research.
The Sun Temple of Ollantaytambo
Taken from the Sun Temple. The structures on the mountain across the valley were crop stores, kept higher where it was cooler. Halfway between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo may have been an outpost to warn of invaders.
More Inca engineering. Taken at the Sun Temple.
The Maras Salt Mine in the Sacred Valley. Saltwater from an underground spring is diverted into these pools and then left to evaporate for four days before the salt is harvested.
Taken on Rainbow Mountain, which wasn't very colorful that day. The peak sits at 17,060 ft and is the highest I've hiked so far. The mountain is a 4-hour drive from Cusco.
Dog with Humantay Mountain in the background
Humantay Mountain and Lake. The trail is a 4-hour drive from Cusco.
Cuy, or guinea pig, which tasted like chicken but oilier. This is a popular dish in Peru and can be found on most menus. It's not unusual to see a painting of the Last Supper with Christ and his apostles dining on cuy.
Taken at the Cusco train station
A brief stop in Abra la Raya on the way to Puno. The trip was 10.5 hrs but worth the views of the Altiplano.
Back to Lake Titicaca. I didn't have enough time to check out the Peruvian side when I went to Bolivia last August. These are the floating islands of Uros, 3 miles from the shores of Puno.
This is how the floating islands are made. Blocks are cut from the roots of the totora plant with the reeds then layered on top. The Uro people likely left the shores of Titicaca to avoid the Inca.
Locals performing a traditional dance on Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca. The backup dancer was the best.
Taken on Taquile Island
The Basilica of San Francisco in Lima. I did a tour of it that included the catacombs, which are estimated to have the remains of 25,000 people.
A driver waiting for the bride and groom. Taken in Plaza de Armas, Lima.