Day 13 Sacred Valley
Breakfast was a little later today as our pick up time was 8:20 a.m. We enjoyed a more leisurely start to the morning. After taking it easy yesterday afternoon to adjust to the altitude, we both felt better. Joyce's headache was almost gone, but Alan continued to feel a little light-headed. We continued to enjoy fresh local fruits, such as prickly pear, a cactus, papaya, and pineapple.
We were picked up along with Floriana and Edwin from Singapore, by only the driver and driven to Chinchero to meet up with the rest of our group and our guide, Grecia. We drove through Urubamba, the capital city of the province by the same name. Urubamba is a rather large city with markets, soccer and indoor sports stadiums, and upscale hotels for tourists as well as small shops selling local products. Many of the woman spread out a blanket or tarp and covered it with blankets, hats, bags, hats, scarves, etc. Tuktuks, a motorized bicycle or moped with a cart attached to carry 2-4 people were everywhere. As we continued to Chinchero we learned Chinchero is perched at about 12,375 feet above sea level. Our driver was born in the area and was very knowledgeable about the area. He told us the local traditional language was Kechua and is different for Spanish. Children often learn Kechua at home and Spanish at school. Kechua is a language with many words based on onomatopoeia. The word for baby is "wawa", spicy is "achoo", and guinea pig is "cuy" for the sound it makes. Guinea pig is considered a delicacy here that is eaten on special occasions.
We met the rest of our group outside Central Cultural Parwa, a traditional Andean spinning, weaving and natural dying textile center. Women in traditional Peruvian Andean dress met us with a cup of coca tea. One of the women demonstrated the entire process from washing the alpaca wool with a natural soap grated with a rock from a root to showing us the various leaves, plants and seeds they used as a dye to achieve 25 different colors to the actual weaving process. We learned a table runner about 2 meters in length could take up to 3 months for the entire process. The colors were beautiful but not quite as vibrant as those in some of the items we were seeing for sale in town squares and at mountain overlooks. We learned that was one way to tell the quality and authenticity of the piece. We selected two meter long table runners and bargained with the weaver to buy them.
We walked about six blocks uphill on stone paved narrow streets to a 15th century Incan shrine foundation the Spaniards used in the 16th century as the foundation for a Catholic Church. We walked slowly as all of us continued to be affected by the altitude. It was very evident where the original Incan foundation remained as the stones were larger and fit together tighter without mud between them. We could see terraces the Inca used for agriculture near the church and on the surrounding hills. The church was beautiful with a large alter including icons with gold leaf, paintings and statues. The walls, ceiling, and support beams were covered in frescos. Vases of gladiolus and Cala lilies were placed on shelves along the walls. Grecia told us the flowers were changed every Sunday.
After slowly walking back to our bus we traveled to Ollantaytambo, one of the few places the Incas defeated the Spaniards. On the way we stopped at an overlook to view mountains and Incan structures. There were several vendors with alpacas to ride and items to sell. Several children were roaming around the overlook. Grecia warned us the children would ask to have their picture taken with us and would then expect a tip.
We continued on to Ollantaytamo village, which was considered a living Incan village because it continued to be used today. We walked through the village to the ruins, which were amazing. An entire terraced mountain stood in front - we are guessing was at least 160 feet high. We learned it took over 20,00 workers 80 years to build what was there, though it was unfinished. Each terrace was about 9 feet high. Our group started up stopping on the 6th terrace. We were pretty winded, so we stopped to catch our breath and listen to Grecia tell us about the site. We looked high on the mountain to our left to see the ruins of grain storage areas and learned how the construction and placement on the mountain aided preservation. To our right we saw examples of ruins on pre-Incan structures side by side with Incan structures so we were able to see the superiority of the engineering on the Incan structures. Grecia gave us the choice of going back down of continuing to the top to see the incompleted temple to their sun god. Alan wanted to test his ability to walk down before we went to Machu Picchu. Joyce decided to try to make it to the top. Four of us plus Grecia started the climb up the stone steps. It was amazing how quickly Joyce became winded as we climbed. We made it to the level of the entrance to the temple area and rested as we slowly walked on the flat path through the entrance. The temple to the sun god was not finished, but the six large stones that we at least 2 stories high were still impressive. Between the large stones were long narrow stones a couple inches wide to allow for movement of the bigger stones in an earthquake of when the stones expanded or contracted. The Inca had carved pictures of the condor, puma and snake on the stones, but the Spaniards had attempted to remove the carvings so only the outlines were barely visible. We saw evidence at several ruins of the Spaniards attempted to wipe out the evidence of the Andean culture. On the other side of the temple on a mountain across the valley was the quarry where the Incans got the stones they rolled down the mountain across the valley and up a ramp near the temple. Grecia suggested we descend on the other side of the temple area the walkway was narrower and the stone steps a little steeper, but we make it down!
We walked back through the village and the driver took us back to our various hotels. Our hotel was the last stop. We needed water and the bottles provided in our hotel room were pretty expensive. The driver stopped at a small store and were were able to buy a bottle of water twice as big as those in our hotel for half the money. A "welchy" thing to do!
Alan took a nap and Joyce took the opportunity to read. We had a light anniversary dinner, splurging on a chocolate brownie
We took some time to repack as we can only take 11 lbs. each on the train to Machu Picchu tomorrow for our overnight stay in Agua Caliente, the town at the bask of Machu Picchu. Our bags will be waiting for us in our hotel in Cusco.
We were picked up along with Floriana and Edwin from Singapore, by only the driver and driven to Chinchero to meet up with the rest of our group and our guide, Grecia. We drove through Urubamba, the capital city of the province by the same name. Urubamba is a rather large city with markets, soccer and indoor sports stadiums, and upscale hotels for tourists as well as small shops selling local products. Many of the woman spread out a blanket or tarp and covered it with blankets, hats, bags, hats, scarves, etc. Tuktuks, a motorized bicycle or moped with a cart attached to carry 2-4 people were everywhere. As we continued to Chinchero we learned Chinchero is perched at about 12,375 feet above sea level. Our driver was born in the area and was very knowledgeable about the area. He told us the local traditional language was Kechua and is different for Spanish. Children often learn Kechua at home and Spanish at school. Kechua is a language with many words based on onomatopoeia. The word for baby is "wawa", spicy is "achoo", and guinea pig is "cuy" for the sound it makes. Guinea pig is considered a delicacy here that is eaten on special occasions.
We met the rest of our group outside Central Cultural Parwa, a traditional Andean spinning, weaving and natural dying textile center. Women in traditional Peruvian Andean dress met us with a cup of coca tea. One of the women demonstrated the entire process from washing the alpaca wool with a natural soap grated with a rock from a root to showing us the various leaves, plants and seeds they used as a dye to achieve 25 different colors to the actual weaving process. We learned a table runner about 2 meters in length could take up to 3 months for the entire process. The colors were beautiful but not quite as vibrant as those in some of the items we were seeing for sale in town squares and at mountain overlooks. We learned that was one way to tell the quality and authenticity of the piece. We selected two meter long table runners and bargained with the weaver to buy them.
We walked about six blocks uphill on stone paved narrow streets to a 15th century Incan shrine foundation the Spaniards used in the 16th century as the foundation for a Catholic Church. We walked slowly as all of us continued to be affected by the altitude. It was very evident where the original Incan foundation remained as the stones were larger and fit together tighter without mud between them. We could see terraces the Inca used for agriculture near the church and on the surrounding hills. The church was beautiful with a large alter including icons with gold leaf, paintings and statues. The walls, ceiling, and support beams were covered in frescos. Vases of gladiolus and Cala lilies were placed on shelves along the walls. Grecia told us the flowers were changed every Sunday.
After slowly walking back to our bus we traveled to Ollantaytambo, one of the few places the Incas defeated the Spaniards. On the way we stopped at an overlook to view mountains and Incan structures. There were several vendors with alpacas to ride and items to sell. Several children were roaming around the overlook. Grecia warned us the children would ask to have their picture taken with us and would then expect a tip.
We continued on to Ollantaytamo village, which was considered a living Incan village because it continued to be used today. We walked through the village to the ruins, which were amazing. An entire terraced mountain stood in front - we are guessing was at least 160 feet high. We learned it took over 20,00 workers 80 years to build what was there, though it was unfinished. Each terrace was about 9 feet high. Our group started up stopping on the 6th terrace. We were pretty winded, so we stopped to catch our breath and listen to Grecia tell us about the site. We looked high on the mountain to our left to see the ruins of grain storage areas and learned how the construction and placement on the mountain aided preservation. To our right we saw examples of ruins on pre-Incan structures side by side with Incan structures so we were able to see the superiority of the engineering on the Incan structures. Grecia gave us the choice of going back down of continuing to the top to see the incompleted temple to their sun god. Alan wanted to test his ability to walk down before we went to Machu Picchu. Joyce decided to try to make it to the top. Four of us plus Grecia started the climb up the stone steps. It was amazing how quickly Joyce became winded as we climbed. We made it to the level of the entrance to the temple area and rested as we slowly walked on the flat path through the entrance. The temple to the sun god was not finished, but the six large stones that we at least 2 stories high were still impressive. Between the large stones were long narrow stones a couple inches wide to allow for movement of the bigger stones in an earthquake of when the stones expanded or contracted. The Inca had carved pictures of the condor, puma and snake on the stones, but the Spaniards had attempted to remove the carvings so only the outlines were barely visible. We saw evidence at several ruins of the Spaniards attempted to wipe out the evidence of the Andean culture. On the other side of the temple on a mountain across the valley was the quarry where the Incans got the stones they rolled down the mountain across the valley and up a ramp near the temple. Grecia suggested we descend on the other side of the temple area the walkway was narrower and the stone steps a little steeper, but we make it down!
We walked back through the village and the driver took us back to our various hotels. Our hotel was the last stop. We needed water and the bottles provided in our hotel room were pretty expensive. The driver stopped at a small store and were were able to buy a bottle of water twice as big as those in our hotel for half the money. A "welchy" thing to do!
Alan took a nap and Joyce took the opportunity to read. We had a light anniversary dinner, splurging on a chocolate brownie
We took some time to repack as we can only take 11 lbs. each on the train to Machu Picchu tomorrow for our overnight stay in Agua Caliente, the town at the bask of Machu Picchu. Our bags will be waiting for us in our hotel in Cusco.
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