Waking early, but not due to have our Inca trail briefing until 10am, we rested, blogged and read, plus sorted laundry; our hiking gear could walk the Inca trail alone!
In search of a haircut we wandered down to the famous central square with the statue of 9th Inca Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (the conqueror who expanded the Incan empire). Surrounded by ornate Spanish colonial style buildings with covered walkways, all built on original Incan architectural foundations, the square was full of tourists and touts. Whilst Simon managed a great haircut even conversing in Spanish with the barber, I visited all manner of alpaca wool stores. I fell in love with a hand knitted baby alpaca jumper however at 600solis I kept looking! I did find a much much cheaper nice one, if pure a bargain, if not fit for purpose on the Inca trail!
In trouble for being only 5mins early I dashed upstairs for the loo and laundry; the important stuff. I’m excited for the walk it sounds amazing; I expect cold wet tired sore smelly and hungry I might think differently on the trail. We have an 8kg duffle bag plus our day packs; another packing conundrum.
With an hour or two to spare we visited the Inca museum, another converted Spanish villa on Inca foundations. Amazing textiles, pottery and wooden carvings, from pre-Incan and Incan eras. I didn’t realise until later that the Spanish not only rifled the Incan structures for building materials stealing stone but also all their treasures; icons, statues, ornaments and gold plating on their temples and palaces. Hence there were no examples.
Cusco is considered the oldest city in S American. There’s always been an Andean settlement, each conquering civilisation using the existing city foundations, imposing and melding their beliefs and culture with the one before.
The Inca invaded Cusco after the Wari. It’s confusing the Inca is the ruler, and also a term to represent his people. They were great builders, engineers, and farmers domesticating many plants like potatoes and corn. They had a sophisticated system of accountancy, management and organisation however being an oral society most is lost. In 1985 the Peruvian government started to preserve this heritage creating national parks and tourism regulations.
A complicated handover found us sitting in the oldest Spanish church (Iglesia del Triunfo, built in 1539 on the site of Viracocha Inca's palace) now a basilica chapel, just off the main square ready for our whistle stop tour of Cusco and surrounding Incan sites. Our charismatic guide’s “Vamonos!” the phrase of the day.
The Spanish invaded Cusco in Nov 1533, shortly after they supported Manco Inca as the new Inca emperor to facilitate Spanish control over the Inca empire. The wiley Spanish built their first church on the site of an Inca palace persuading the locals to convert to Catholicism; blending the new and old practices. The canny Incas converted and still continued to practice the Andean religions and ways! Interestingly when the next earthquake occurred in 1650 most of the newly created Spanish villas and buildings collapsed, only those with Incan walls survived! Leaning at an angle made from interlocking perfectly carved blocks; earthquake proof! An image of Christ, Lord of the earthquake is supposed to protect Cusco!
With increasing catholic population the adjoining Basilica was built. Inside it’s full of carvings, frescos, paintings, guilded alters all created by local Cuscoan talented artists and crafts people from originals in Europe. The standard is amazing, especially as there’s a twist; llamas and other local flora fauna and dress slip into the designs. The last supper has Jesus eating Guinea pig!
Many alters and stories later we looked at Incan surviving architecture, trapezoidal leaning walls, amazing structures where each stone is hand carved and polished to fit precisely with its neighbour without using any filler! The narrow streets filled with examples.
The Convent of Santo Domingo was built on top of Coricancha, the most important Inca temple of the Incan empire's capital. Teraces walls and alter pieces remain.
Every time a new Inca was crowned in Cusco he’d build a new palace; small well constructed single story buildings with stone walls snd straw roofs; only the finest carved dry stone architecture for the Inca! ... and suspected he had to have a new temples!
Chaotic tourist traffic had us boarding our large bus. Vamonos ! We then drove up to visit the mountain Incan temple sites with amazing views down over the city.
The first Sacsayhuamán (3600m), a temple to the sun, is a group of constructions a series of zig zag terraces, doors/portals and towers where they could foretell when to plant, harvest etc. Constructed from local stone and large blocks transported on rollers from 20+km away, the sun at solstice on 21 June shining through the portal predicting the future.
A shock the cold chilly wind! Poor Simon in shorts after the sunny city centre, jumpers and rain jackets helped!
The second the temple of Pachama, temple to Mother Earth; an alter carved below ground in natural caves; when photographed it’s supposed to look like a llama. Hmm shows what a great photographer I am; not!
The last Tambomachay, a water temple, has a source of water all year round. Controlling irrigation through channels, the Incan empire had running water even in droughts.
Absolute chaos from tour busses and operators; those Incan and Christian gods working overtime! A lot of visitors and touts everywhere.
On the way back we were shepherded to learn about fake & genuine alpaca products; interesting but also yet another hard sell! We did fall prey to purchasing gloves; shows how cold we were!
Back in Cusco we braved the traffic alighting at the main square, much later than expected, nipping back for that all important laundry delivery. Hungry (no lunch on the tour) we headed straight to Pacha-papa famous for coy; tasting like a cross between chicken and rabbit. Serenaded by a Peruvian indigenous harpist, playing green sleeves. Although the harp actually came with the conquistadors!
Unable to face packing I set an early alarm; our pickup at 7:20am. Simon packed and snoring as I blogged the end of the Rainforest.
Cusco old city
(View from hotel; barbers!)
(Cusco old town street; Basilica main square; fountain main square with Pachacuti; literally back of an envelope map of our Inca trail)
Inca Museum
(Incan clay amphora; Incan pots; Cusco population changes invasions; map of old Cusco; Inca museum!)
Basilica chapel, originally Iglesia del Triunfo
(illicit alter and wooden carved choir stall photos; Incan interlocking carved stone walls in old city; me with famous 12 sided large stone)
The Convent of Santo Domingo built on top of Coricancha
(Example of Incan farmed terrace, modern depiction of Incan gods, original wall stones which interlock like Lego, earthquake proof, convent colonial courtyard including Incan painted frescos, convent tower)
Sacsayhuamán Temple to sun
(Ichu, grasses used to make roofs; Incan architecture stone walls)
(Terraces; houses I thought no traditional grass roofs covering walls; from windy top, view of Cusco; zigzag wall; stone blocks zigzag wall; Jesus on adjacent mountain, religions side by side)
Tambomachay & PachamamaTemples
(Tambomachay fountain; view looking back at Cusco; all important football stadium; dry carved rock wall; pachama temple alter rotated to see Llama!)
Cusco old town
(Main square statue of Pachacuti; coy; Andean mint tea muña; Peruvian harpist)
Video to follow if technology back home allows.
We stayed at Antigua Casona San Blas in Cuzco’s oldest district.
Σχόλια