Pisac, Parwa and Ollantaytambo

Continuing on from llama-ville (more accurately Ccaccaccollo village), we headed through the beautiful Urubamba valley, alongside tiny towns, and up a steep hillside...



Tee hee... tiny town.

Where we reached Pisac Archeological Park, thought to have been built in the mid 1400s. The ruins are remarkably intact! The site served at least three purposes, from what I remember. There was a religious centre including a sun temple, terraces for farming, and military structures.

Farming terraces



The structure was built with interlocking stone blocks - no cement!

Walking up toward the religious area, we stopped to learn about some mysterious holes in the adjacent cliff side. Can you guess what they are?

If you guessed bird nests, you're as bird brained as I am. If you guessed tombs, well aren't you the smarty pants! The holes in the cliffs were burial sites. They face east to the rising sun, down at a flowing river (according to our guide water symbolizes life and creation), and on terraces full of flowers. It seemed like a lovely place to be buried and start your afterlife. Except for all the looters that stripped the interred of their valuables.

Pisac connected the Inca empire with the route through the Urubamba valley and to the eastern jungles. As such, it served a military function as a key point of defense.

Through the mountain valley is the route to the jungle

An unmarked path leading out to the valley below. And certain death.

I experienced some military action while walking through a thatched roof building. I was hit by an unmanned, roving projectile when the girl in the hat failed to catch the water bottle thrown at her. Of course you realize, this means war!

After taking in the view from the top, it was time to carefully trek back down from the sun temple to the agriculture area where we began.

Time for lunch and a lesson in local agriculture at the Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo. More than 65 families in the town participate in the farm-to-table restaurant, from farming, to cooking, to serving, and hosting. It seems the food was so good, none of us thought to take any photos...

After a giant and fancy lunch it was off to Ollantaytambo! The site at various times served as a royal estate for the Inca (Inca is actually the name for the king of the Quechua peoples), a fortress stronghold against the Spanish Conquistadors and also a religious centre. It has former royal residences, terraces for farming, and a large unfinished sun temple. Just up these giant steps...

Enclosure of the Ten Niches. I was too busy seeing if they echoed to listen to their actual use.

The stone for the site was quarried from farther up the valley. They diverted entire river channels and floated the stones down the man-made canals. Pretty impressive considering the giant stones weighed many tonnes. We actually saw uncarved stones at the top of the temple and some along the beginning of the Inca Trail known as piedras cansadas – tired stones.

The Temple of the Sun functioned as a calendar for the Quechua, both annually through the solstices and daily with a sun dial.

View from the Sun Temple

When local peoples visited the temple, they would take a spiritual bath in one of the ornate fountains at the base of the steps using the water to purify themselves before entering holy places.

Across the valley from the Temple of the Sun are the ancient storehouses - built high on the hill to take advantage of cooler temperatures. Ancient fridge!

We passed through a narrow bridge way and started our descent down some comically large stairs.

Where we spotted... llamas!

Llama!

LLAMA!

LLAMA!!!!!!!!!!!

We had just enough time to zip through the local market at the base of the ruins and head back to the hotel through town before it was time to meet for dinner. It's the last night with a shower and real bed before our four-day trek on the Inca Trail.