Sacred Valley Day 2

Friday, February 19, 2010

We started our day with a drive to Moray, where the Inca made round terraces in natural depressions in the ground. They are designed to have different microclimates and allow for crops to be grown that would ordinarily not survive at that temperature and altitude. The site is traversed on narrow steep pathways and there are fantastic views of the Andes mountains. We then drove to the town of Moras and walked for about two hours along a mountain side trail, which was very steep in places, to the valley where the salt mines are constructed into the slope of the Qaqawinay mountain. There is a creek that springs from the mountain which has 29% salinity. The creek is diverted into shallow pools and the water is allowed to evaporate, leaving salt crystals. The salt has been gathered in this way at this site since 200 B.C. After walking through the more than 20,000 pools on narrow paths and then hiking further along the mountain, we arrived in a town for lunch. The restaurant had alpaca, llamas and vicunas to see.

After lunch we went to Chinchero, an Incan town that is still currently occupied. The narrow steep streets and foundations of the buildings were built by the Incans. The church was built over the temple of the sun and features an elaborately painted ceiling. Beyond the church, there are more terraced lands and a stone used to make offerings to “mother earth.” We left the town just as it started to pour.

On the way back to Cusco, we stopped at a place where alpaca fur is woven into hats, dolls, and fine cloths. The women there, in traditional Quechan clothes, showed us how they wash the alpaca fur, spin it into yarn, and use natural materials to dye them. We also learned about some of the woven patterns and what they represent. Finally, we arrived back in Cusco at our hotel for dinner and to rest our sore muscles!

Unfortunately, we are not going to make it to Machu Picchu. Nobody is getting there right now by any route. The government of Peru is still using an emergency helicopter to deliver supplies to the locals there. There was some talk about being able to drive 8 hours around the northern route and then pick up a train from there but that road has been ruined as well. Our guide was one of the people trapped there when the floods arrived in that area and she walked back along the train tracks to get home after the tourists were air lifted out. Apparently, not only were the tracks destroyed, but the entire side of the mountain was washed away so it is not just a matter of laying down new tracks. The government keeps saying that they hope to have the railroad up and running in a matter of months, but Rosa, our guide, seems to think that the damage was severe enough that it will likely be over a year until it is accessible again. As an example of how quickly things are repaired in this area, the bridge at Pisac has been out since early January. The Inca trail may not open either as it is only meant to be one way and there is no way to return.

Interesting fact: It is thought that the salt water that supplies the salt mines at Moras is from when the tectonic plates crashed into each other creating the Andes Mountains. The salt water is the remnants of Pacific ocean water that was trapped in an underground sea in this area.

Interesting fact #2: Lima beans are actually from Lima.