Dan Will Travel

We travel for many reasons, but for me, I find that history sheds great light on current events.

In 2010, Tim and I spent two weeks in Syria.  In all of my trips, this remains the most memorable of all.  One of the highlights was Palmyra, a spectacularly preserved Roman ruin in the middle of the desert.  Today, ISIS has gained control of this area, and the assumption based upon other conquests is that they will destroy or sell the priceless artifacts there.

Now, as I visit and learn more of the Inca civilization, I see that the Spaniards did the same and probably worse when they conquered this culture.  Today, in Cuzco, I visited a cathedral/church built on the foundations of the most important Inca site, Qorikancha.  A place covered totally in gold with gold and silver life size animals in the gardens and countless relics. all destroyed and carted away.  This is where the Inca kings made public appearances and, after death, they were mummified and continued to be dressed daily and put out for all to see.  They were the living gods to these people.  At some point, the Spaniards took all of these mummies into the central square and burnt them in front of the people.  Imagine how we would feel if that happened to our “god?”

For me, although I am devastated by what will happen in Palmyra, at least Peru gives some perspective that ISIS is in no way the first to trash a previous culture.

Today I hired a guide and driver and took off to see a few major Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley outside of Cuzco.  Those of you that know me know that seeing historical ruins is a key part of my travels.  Particularly those from cultures outside of our Western civilizations.

The first stop was at Pisac, a major city built high above the valley.  It is known for it’s wonderfully preserved agricultural terraces that allowed them to farm well up and down the steep mountainsides.  The living structures are all at the top of a plateau with the classically superior Inca stonework very visible to this day.  As one looks at this stone work from 600-900 years ago, it is so amazing to wonder how they got the large stones into place and cut to fit with no evidence of iron in their culture that might have aided cutting.  The trails we took all dated from the 1100-1400 period and included going through ancient Inca gates, and even a tunnel they carved out of the mountain.  With many ups and downs to negotiate over a few miles, all at 9000+ elevation, Dan struggled a bit, but I did make it.

After a drive of an hour or so we arrived in Ollantaytambo. considered the best surviving example of an Inca city.  We walked the cobblestone streets and housing compounds of the city with its still intact system of drainage for the water coming from the hills.  One of my shots below shows some of the many storage buildings they built high above the city and valley floor.  Here they stored food, and other things of need.

The steep terraced ruins here lie immediately outside of the city. This fortress and temple complex was incomplete at the time of the Spanish arrival in the 1530’s.  One of the key attractions are the already cut giant stones scattered all around the city that were on their way from the quarry in one mountain to use at the top of this one.  I enjoyed capturing a young child playing on one of them.
So, as we stood at the base looking up, my guide cheerfully says it is only 265 steps to the top.  What could I say, it was just like some obnoxious comment that I would make in a similar situation.  So, I started the trudge up.  Again, at 9,000′ everything up is more of a challenge, but with rest stops we got there.  The shot of me is at the temple area with some amazingly giant stones beautifully connected to each other with the use if vertical stones.  Perfect fits in all cases.  (Well, except me.)

As darkness approaches, we got this last shot of snow capped Andes peaks from a pass of nearly 12,000 feet on the way back to Cuzco.  These peaks are far higher, maybe 18,000+, but do not even merit mention on the very good map I have with me.  That is the massiveness and scale of the Andes.

agricultural terracing at Pisac

Main temple complex Pisac

Child on boulder left behind in Ollantaytambo

Only 265 steps!

/storage buildings high above Ollantaytambo.  “Honey, can you go get some potatoes for dinner, please?

Stonework.  No grout needed.

yes, I made it up the 265 steps.

Snow capped Andean peaks

Sun temple Pisac

Well, it ended up being nothing so exciting as I was thinking on my last post.  Just some very subtle circulation in the room.  They said a little green light would be on if it was doing it. So far no green light, but it has been OK.  Quite a hotel.  Monasterio by name. A converted monastery dating from 1591. Beautifully and tastefully done, and only a block or so from the main square and famous cathedral of Cusco.  For those of us used to normal elevations, maybe the weirdest thing is that at 11.200 feet, the town is in a valley, and all roads go up from here.   Steeply, I might add.  On my next post I will talk about my day in the sacred Valley seeing the country side and two important Inca ruins.  And hopefully learn how to post photos to this.  Wish me luck!

Monasterio lobby bar

Interior courtyard of the Monasterio