Yucay and the People of the Andean Highlands

June 23, 2016

Today we headed out on foot and unguided to get an up close look and
a better sense of the daily life of the people who live and work in this part of the world.  This area of Peru has some of the richest soil in the world and is still primarily an agrarian society. I think I mentioned before the primitive farming techniques still used today...it made me think of my family in Ripley and the notion that it may remind them of the hard work of their heritage and be thankful for the advances in farming!
Our walk took us through the small towns of Huayllabama & Yucay & the Inca terraces at Yucay.

The Aranwa was actually a large hacienda turned hotel-
the lands around it now are small plots of land farmed by locals to provide food for their families.

The Peruvian "backpack"

Look closely. You can see 2 brown signs on this small stretch of paved road-
They are identical except that one welcomes you to the town and the other bids you to visit again!

This is entering the archeological site of Yucay-
the one big difference between these terraces and ones we have previously visited...
...these are still being used for farming.

Everywhere we walked, people were carrying heavy loads...

M. Kaye- Self-Portrait

The sticks with red & white plastic at the top is the sign of the local pub-
Chica, a fermented corn drink can be found here.
We were told that after a day's work, the men gather and "refresh" themselves with 2-3 liters of this special concoction.

We learned that in these small communities in the Andes the people operate under a special system...
"You can use my bull today and I will use yours tomorrow"...
...a sort of community wide "pay it forward"

***Thanks to Matt for capturing most of these photos on his walk after the boys and I headed back to the hotel for a rest!

Weavers and Salt Farmers

June 22, 2016

Today were visited two small towns- Chinicheros a town of Inca origin mostly known for it's women's weaving cooperatives and Maras, a town of farmers that also mine salt using a four century old technique and salt ponds that were built by the Incas.  Near Maras are the Moray Ruins, a very interesting set of Inca terraces.

This smiling woman is the president of this local cooperative and has travelled to the US and other parts of the world to share the traditional weaving techniques of her people.  
She is committed to maintaining this beautiful art.

First the animal (primarily alpaca) must be sheared, then the fibers washed.

The women grate a root to make a soapy solution that will clean the wool in order to be spun into a fine yarn.

The spinning is a difficult and tedious technique that is the most time consuming part of the finished product.
Girls are taught this beginning around age 6 in order to perfect their technique.

Every color is made from organic products- leaves, roots, soil, berries, fruits, bugs-
the yarn is dyed in pots and then urine is used to set the color.
The women claim that only children's urine under the age of 6 is "good".

The women then wind (I think "warp" is the correct term) the yard around a frame, stake one one to the ground and loop a strap around their backs then begin actually weaving the beautifully intricate and colorful designs.
It is truly an art!!!

**While visiting the weavers co-op we were quickly escorted to a side yard by Polizia...
the women were being visited by an important North American- Jill Biden... we caught a glimpse of her as we came out the adjacent building's door!

Maras, home of the Moray Ruins is just a short drive away with beautiful views of the glacier capped Andes range and the small farms that dot the landscape like a patchwork quilt.

Unfortunately, plans are in place to repurpose this strip of land for a new international airport...
In the next 7 years, tourists will no longer have to fly to Cusco but can arrive directly into the Sacred Valley.

Local farmer (notice that this is a female)-

Moray Ruins-
These are the only completely circular terraces built by the Incas that have been found.
It is thought that the Incas used these for "experiments" in growing crops at different altitudes- a sort of Incan laboratory!

Stairs that take you down about 1000 feet-
as we descended we noticed that it became considerably warmer...

A boxed lunch with a  special box for "Mrs. Nash"

First view of the Salt pans

Farmers at work...
The "pans" which are only about 8-10 centimeters deep,
are fed through carefully carved channels from a natural underground spring that has 52% salt content.
The sun evaporates the water leaving the salt behind.

Walking amongst the pans is a tricky feat requiring sure-footedness and a great sense of balance!

The "raw" salt

The dried salt is chiseled up from the pan and loaded into bags weighing 50 kilo bags-
we couldn't budge them... much less carry them along the steep and narrow paths up the mountain...

but this seasoned Peruvian porter can!!
He hauls the bags up one by one up to the storehouse at the top of the mountain.

This "family" of farmers are taking a lunch break

Our walk back down to the valley-

Although we are in the Andean Highlands, it is still considered a sub-tropical climate
 & colorful birds frolic in the gardens of our  hotel.

A nice break in the pool!
(our first for the trip)

Sacred Valley- Ollantaytambo & Pisac

June 21, 2016

Today began our exploration of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We had a very full day!
In the morning we visited the village of Pisac that provides the opportunity to see ancient ruins and a "modern" bustling market.  The Inca ruins lie above the village and include agricultural terracing, homes, temples, ritual baths and tombs.

These amazing  terraces were used for growing food for the village-
if you look closely, you can see the housing that lies higher upon the hill with a view of the valley below

Andean Hummingbird 

It is difficult to imagine how impressive the terraces truly are until you are up close...
the walls were more than 12ft high but this is only 40% of the actual terrace.  60% of the engineering lies underground in a complex drainage system of rock, sand and fertile soil that had be brought up to the mountain!!

The classic rectangular Inca architectural style dwellings

The mountains are sculpted into fertile grounds...amazing!

Ladies and lambs on our way into the market-

The Pisac market attracts tourists from all over the world to barter for handicrafts, art, jewelry, etc.

We happened to visit during the celebration of the establishment of the city-
These are musicians and dancers in their traditional clothing heading for the festivities in the main square.

A local artist who made colorful 3D family "portraits" from scraps of hand woven tapestries

All the children were out of school for the town's celebration

The Andes looming over Pisac market

On our way to the Inkary Museum, we stopped by a roadside cafe to see how the locals here in Peru prepare one of their favorite meats...

Roasted guinea pig!

This is a more "rustic" preparation of cuy than we observed in Ecuador. 
We opted not to try it this time...

Here we were further schooled in the ancient native peoples of South America leading up to the Incan Empire.  The museum had a specific room dedicated to each people group complete with wax figures, pottery, textiles, jewelry, etc.

After all the trekking, shopping and learning we enjoyed a wonderful family style lunch at Rancho Wayra.
We dined on the terrace and watched the skills of the Peruvian Paso horse that is know for the smoothest gait in the world. The setting was breathtaking with blue skies, the mountains & glaciers and graceful horses.

First time to ever taste the fruit of the Prickely Pear cactus-
"sort of like watermelon with lots more seeds"

After lunch we drove to Ollantaytambo, known as "The Last Living City of the Incas".  This classic Inca town with its alleyways and dwellings are still inhabited today by the local farming families.

Notice the irrigation on the right carrying water throughout the village.

We visited the inside of a local farmer's home.  
This structure was built centuries ago and is used in the same way today.
It is a one room house with a dirt floor.   Farming equipment hung on the wall , an ancient sewing machine and guinea pigs kept for a contest source of meat.

Dried corn, meat and fish were hung from a beam across the ceiling to be prepared on the corner stove...
Only 2 modern changes:  framed beds and an overhead electrical light source.

Of course this would not be a true Incan city without terraces, granaries, and a worship center.

If you look closely, just to the left of the square granary buildings you can spot a profile of a face carved into the mountain.
This is the Incas representation of the god Viracochan

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The huge stones of the temple on top of the terraces.  
This is an example of some of the finest architecture of the empire.

The terraces with a small stretch of the Incan trail (which much to my chagrin we trekked!)

Another look at the massive stones of the Sun Temple at Ollantaytambo-
you can see the remnants of the reliefs of 3 pumas over Matt's shoulder and the "Incan cross" to the left.

The Incan people clearly had great balance and no fear of heights!!!