Well, after I got back to the hotel on Tuesday, I got a severe case of diarrhea! It was bad and I didn't eat much of anything for over 2 days. But fortunately as quickly as it started, it ended after a little less than 16 hours. I am thinking this too was a result of altitude sickness but I guess I will never note. Any way, I missed the tour activities on Wednesday, that was titled a 'Day in the Life'. Apparently they visited an old time weaver, a medicine man and a village where they add a community lunch. The only thing I accomplished on Wednesday, other than getting a little yogurt for lunch and chicken soup for dinner, was I got a haircut! Yes, I feel well enough in the afternoon to have that adventure. Even though she didn't speak much English, I got a pretty decent haircut for just over $3.
On Thursday, I finally feel pretty good and rejoined the OAT tour. This day we boarded the bus and drove to Tipon, site of ancient Inca waterworks, now a National Park. Since this site is well hidden from the valley below, the Spanish didn't discover the Incas working and living here until years after their arrival and dominance of the other Incas. This allowed the Incas here the time enough to build incredible terraces and aqueducts.
On each terrace, the Incas bought in soil from a different location that specialized in the crop they intended to grow there. In addition, a spring at the top provided the water needed for all the terraces. Each terrace was watered by underground aqueducts that flowed water beneath it. The park people have opened some of these waterways so visitors can appreciate the workmanship.
There was also an option where the Incas could divert water to problem areas. Obviously they knew what they were doing as water is still flowing here today.
After Tipon, we made our way to a village bakery. This bakery is a essentially a co-op where 3 family in the village daily rent the facilities, including the work of both the bakery owner and his assistant, for 5 hours a day for only $20. Of course the renters need to provide the rest of the labor, probably need at least 3 more people, and the supplies necessary for the beard they intend to bake. I seriously wonder how the owner makes any money from this! Here he is with his assistant making small loafs for one of the renters.
Still before lunch, we visited Saqsayhuaman and Qengo. Both of these ruins overlook downtown Cusco. In fact, these pics are from Sacsayhuaman.
Saqsayhuaman has Inca built rock walls which are one of South America's archaeological treasures. Massive stone ramparts zigzag some 600 meters across this high plateau. The zigzag shape is to represent lightening and Saqsayhuaman was a ceremonial centre for the Sun Temple in downtown Cusco. There is one stone block in this wall that is over 300 tons and was found by researchers to have been carved in place as it may be still attached to the underground formation. Sadly, much of Saqsayhuaman was destroyed early on by the Spanish as they used many of the smaller stones as cheap material to built the huge cathedral on the main downtown plaza, Armas Plaza.
Pope John II had a huge mass on the hill opposite Saqsayhuaman. In preparation for that event, Cusco had a huge clean of that area and discovered these terraces and the source for some of the stones used in Saqsayhuaman, all of which were under soil previously.
Qengo on the other hand is a complex pattern of steps, designs, tunnels, caves and altars that were carved out of limestone rocks. During Inca times, priests would have annual feasts where llamas were sacrificed on the altars. Then the llamas' blood was poured into a bowl and then into a main channel in the stone ductwork. If it it flowed to the left side it was a bad omen for the forthcoming year. Vice versa, if it flowed right, it was a good omen.
After Qengo we went onto lunch where I had alpaca for the first year. It was pretty good, certainly a lot better than the near insatiable guinea pig we had early in the trip. After lunch we had free time in which I didn't do anything worth mentioning.
Speaking of free time, we had that again all day Friday. Originally we were supped to fly to Lima early today and then have a Lima tour. But OAT said they had to change that due to a flight change. I may be wrong but I thought OAT was supposed to book us something to do here in Cusco. But it isn't included in the little book they gave us at the tour start in Lima. I need to check on that when I get home. Still, due to the change, OAT has agreed to provide me with Lima accommodations for today and transfers to/fro the airport.
Any way, I spent Friday morning walking about Cusco. I went to the Inga Museum which was fairly interesting but no photos allowed. Highlights include nice mummies and photos of the 'rediscovery' of Machu Picchu in 1912. After that I found the famous twelve point Inca stone.
After lunch we went to the airport for our flight to Lima. There our group disbanded and most of them boarded red eye flights back to the USA. But I on the other hand have another whole week here. OAT provided me shuttle service to and from the Lima airport and the Hotel Jose Antonio Lima. Although this is the same hotel we stayed previously on the tour, I discovered they have a 'tower' across the street. I got that tower this time and can report it is a poor cousin to the one I previously stayed. But I got a decent night sleep and a little breakfast before I caught my morning flight to Arequipa. I am staying the next four night here in Arequipa at the Majestad Hotel. I walked about the city this afternoon and booked a one day tour to see the condors at Colca Canyon tomorrow (Sunday). Colca Canyon is supposedly the deepest canyon in the world but it isn't near as scenic as the Grand Canyon.
Tomorrow tour is suppose to be entirely in English if I can believe the tour company that sold it to me. (The guy claims all the other members are from Europe and Australia. I hope that is true as I hate tours where they try to do it in two languages). The only really bad thing about the tour is it leaves at 3 AM so we can get in position to see the condors. So I really have to get up early!
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