El Valle Sagrado - Part One

Looking for a little quiet time, we headed to the Sacred Valley just north of Cusco.  This valley, bordered on both sides by precipitous Andean peaks, has sheltered many people including the Wari since about 500 AD, the Inca from approx. 1100 AD, and the Spanish following the conquest of Peru.  It contains the ruins of several important Inca cities, vast terraces throughout, and 16th century Spanish architecture.

Pisac

Our best stop was the ruins of Pisac, located on a high narrow mountain ridge above the town.  This extensive site covers almost 60 square miles including specific areas dedicated to military, urban, sacred, and agricultural uses.  By looking at the quality of the stonework, you can make guesses as to which buildings were reserved for sacred or royal use (large, finely cut stones fitted perfectly together with angular or double doors) and which were for common use (small uncut stones held together with mud or mortar).  

In the sacred zone, there is a type of solar calendar carved directly into the black rock of the mountain.  This is called an Intihuatana (Quechua for “place where the sun is tied”) and is protected by a beautifully built room which aligns the light on the June solstice.  

We had our taxi drop us off at the top of the ruins and spent several hours exploring over the mountain ridges and terraces until we made our way back into the town center nearly 1000’ below.  It was cold and windy, but peaceful.  There were very few tourists compared to our quick, crowded visit to Machu Picchu, and I definitely preferred this experience!

Chinchero

This small town boasts an elaborately painted 16th century church, built on the remaining foundations after the Spanish destroyed most of the Inca palace originally located there.  You can still see the Inca terracing and parts of the original palace, as well as the fading glory of the Spanish conquistadors, but the real attraction is the vibrant Quechua people.  

When we arrived, groups from all the surrounding communities were setting up 3-story decorations in preparation for a holy festival that weekend.  In the surrounding areas people were tending crops and livestock, and the Quechua women were happy to demonstrate how they collect, clean, spin, dye, and weave fiber from sheep, llamas, and alpacas to create various textiles.  Quechua women almost universally wear knee-length full skirts, blouses, vests, and hats - but the colors, designs, and characteristics are unique to each community and serve as a form of identification.  It was nice to see people taking pride in their heritage and working hard to preserve their customs.

(lovely music provided by a local man sitting in the shade of the lower terrace playing his flute)