Cuzco, Peru
Dec
2001
Cuzco - former capital of
the Inca empire, base camp for the Inca trail and one good old fashioned
gringo party capital. Woo hoo!
And at 3400m up, it takes
some getting used to. Hangovers combined with altitude sickness make
for a painful recovery day. Dan and I took it easy for the first few
days before getting totally wiped out on Xmas Eve.
Anyway, it's a pretty city.
probably one of the best in South America and well worth spending a week
or two sight seeing, partying and doing the Inca trail.
Plaza de
Armas
Storm clouds gathering over
the Plaza De Armas. It's quite an atmospheric photo. I
like it.
Evening....
Market in the Plaza De Armas
on Xmas Eve. Main products being sold - figurines, furniture and
houses for nativity scenes. Amazing.
The church of Santo Domingo
- built on the foundations of Coricancha, Cuzco's major Inca temple and
once the richest temple in the Inca empire.
In Inca times, Coricancha
was literally covered with gold. The temple walls were lined with
some 700 solid gold sheets, each weighing 2 kg. There were life-size
gold and silver replicas of corn that were ceremonially 'planted' in
agricultural rituals. Also reported were solid-gold treasures such
as alters, llamas and babies, as well as a replica of the sun which was
lost. Within months of the first conquistadors, this incrediable
wealth had all be melted down.
Around
Town
Dan about to tuck into a
guinea pig at 11 am in the morning.
Roast guinea pig. Didn't taste too bad. Very gamey flavour with
lots of herbs. And like any good roast pig, it had crackling.
Policia National truck with water canon. There is a huge police
presence in Cuzco to protect the tourists. A few years ago, Shining
Path guerrillas used to operate in the area.
A funeral parade just off the main square.
Peasants coming into town for new years celebrations.
Paved and slippery when wet
back street. Almost lost my footing several times.
Osama Bin Ladin fireworks complete with pictures of the main man and
the World Trade Centre exploding. mmmm....tasteful!
Sacsayhuaman (pronounced 'Sexy Woman')
The remains of the Inca
fortress of Sacayhuaman overlooks Cuzco. The Inca's envisioned Cuzco
in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuaman as the head. While only 20
percent remains (rest was knocked down by the Spaniards), what remains is
pretty impressive with it's huge stone walls and large ceremonial areas
dominating the site.
Main fortress complex.
Note carved stones of
various shapes and sizes in walls. Fit is perfect. Amazing
engineering.
Ceremonial area.
Dude dressed up in Inca gear.
Cuzco's Plaza de Armas viewed from Sacayhuaman. The square
contains the Xmas eve market.
Puca
Pucara
Puca Pucara is probably a
hunting lodge on one of the Inca's private estates near Cuzco. It
was originally thought to be a military checkpoint or on a main Inca road.
The name can be translated as 'red watch tower' or 'red fort'.
Red fort from the main road
and close to the turn off to Tambo Machay.
No guards or Incas. Just llamas now.
Tambo
Machay
Near Puca Pucara is what they call the Inca's baths. Historians
think this was a centre for water worship. Water still runs though
some of the canals from the spring beneath.
The Inca Baths.
Qenko
Qenko is a sacred site not
far from Sacsayhuaman. It's based on a huge monolith and has
passages carved out below.
Ceremonial area including throne.
An alter in one of the passages beneath the main monolith.
Dan the Man looking around.
No idea what this was. An effigy of some sort I guess.
On Horse Back In The Hills Around Cuzco
Dan and I rode on horseback around Cuzco checking out villages and most
of the major Inca ruins (see above). it really is the best way to
see around Cuzco when you are not acclimitised to the 3400m altitude and
suffering from a slight hangover.
Me on my horse. Had troubles getting the lazy can of dog food to move.
Dan and his mule. Probably the only time I've told down that he
has a nice ass!
Country side.
Villiages are dirt poor but election posters are everywhere.
You'd think the politicians wouldn't worry about them but someone makes an
effort.
A pig.
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