El Valle Sagrado - Part Two

Moray

This fascinating ruin, located at 11,500’ elevation, may have preceded the Inca.  It consists of three groups of circular terraces descending nearly 500 feet.  Many researchers think that it was built to create microclimates for experimental farming.  Scientists have documented as much as 27 degrees variation in temperature from the top to the bottom, as well as variation in the angle and intensity of sunlight at different points around the circles.  

As always, alternate theories abound.  This includes the thought that the area was originally an open-pit mine that was repurposed for farming, ceremonial uses, and the ubiquitous claims of an alien landing site. 

Interestingly, this ruin was the inspiration for the Lima restaurant Central (ranked World’s Best Restaurant in 2023) where every course is composed of foods from a specific elevation.

A random opportunity to Sky Bike along the way…

Salineras

An active salt mine today, the salineras have been in production for at least 500 years.  Water from a mountaintop lake submerges, passing through natural salt deposits and emerging as warm springs with 8 times more salt than sea water.  The water flows through a series of canals into more than 3600 small shallow ponds, where evaporation produces up to 200kg salt per pond.  With varying techniques, salt miners first collect a thin layer of fine white salt (flor de sal), followed by a thicker layer of pink salt - rich in minerals and unique in flavor.  Finally, they collect a thin layer of brown salt which is useful for non-culinary purposes, such as de-icing roads.

The salineras are owned by a collective of local families, and salt plots pass from generation to generation.  If a family is no longer able to work their ponds, they return to the collective and are re-distributed.  At 1 sol/kg salt (approximately $0.25/kg), salt mining families earn around $50/month, per pond worked (each family operating between 4 and 20 ponds depending on inheritance patterns).  Even when you account for the mines being non-operational during the 6 months of the rainy season, this income was critical for many families during Covid when the tourism industry crashed.

The Maras salt is completely natural, with a unique flavor, and claims to reduce inflammation, manage hypertension, prevent kidney stones, regulate your heartbeat, reduce stress, prevent diabetes and basically cure all kinds of ills.  If you want to try it, it can be purchased online!