Monday 18 January

Sacred Valley – Ollantaytambo

We are feeling fine now and seem to have acclimatised well.

The South American sewerage system is more primitive than we are used to, so we are not supposed to put toilet paper in the toilets. A bin is provided and all contaminated paper waste goes in that. We have encountered this everywhere we go, including airports and the 5- and 6-star hotels. A bit off-putting to begin with but we are now used to it!

Today, like yesterday, was an 8.30am start on the bus. We went to Ollantaytambo, an ancient Inca ruins at the bottom of the Sacred Valley, at the junction of three valleys.

The ruins consist of numerous building at the bottom, stepped terraces up a 70m hill and cut stone block walls at the top. Further around the valley, higher up the mountain, are other mortared stone buildings believed to have been used for food storage. The lower terraces have mortared stone walls about 1.5 to 2m high, with each terrace a similar width.

Looking up at the site from the town

Looking at the town from the top of the site

trapezoidal doorway

Showing size of stone used. The bumps are thought to have been puma heads or like, which the Conquistadors knocked off.

The stones have been laid a bit like Leggo - with male and female connectors, and channels where molten metal could be poured to join two adjacent blocks to add strength. Bumps on the face of the stone are thought to be 'handles' which were used to position the stone then would be removed afterwards. 

The buildings at the bottom of the terrace are made also of mortared stone and have running water supplied by channels fed from a spring up the adjacent valley. The upper stone block walls are made of pink granite cut from a hill two miles away, visible across the valley.

The Sun Temple

The construction was never finished by the builder. The need for it evaporated over the 25 years it took to get to this stage!

Adjacent to this ancient fortress is an Inca town, one of only a few remaining. It was planned and each block is trapezoidal in shape and consists of two walled compounds with four houses around a central common courtyard. We visited one of these houses, consisting of one room only with a very high roof. The stone walls were stained from hundreds of years of smoke fires, and indeed one such fire was going when we visited. Alcoves housed religious icons, three skulls of ancestors (!), and other items the family treasured.

We visited a nearby community school which Scenic sponsors. We saw an early childhood class – little tots in ages from infants to about 7yrs. Some very cute kids. Many of us had brought items from Aus for them (knowing beforehand). We had packs of things for older children, so the packs were split up and small items given to the children (eg clips in hair for girls) and the other things given to the head teacher to use as she saw fit. One of our group had brought small sticker books so we enjoyed putting stickers on little hands and giving the child the rest of the page. Some children pretended they hadn’t received anything, so got more things until we woke up! Scenic had provided cleaning things, toilet paper etc, and fruit, biscuits and drinks for the children and the mothers who were there. Most children kept the items in either a lunch box (a few) or the bottom of their jumpers, rolled up to carry the items safely. One child zipped out the door near the end of our visit, presumably to take the spoils home! In return, we were treated to a song by the children, and half a local potato (cooked) with a spicy sauce spooned on top. Lesley forgot to use antibacterial cleaner after handling the children’s hands, but didn’t get sick thank heavens. The food was delicious.

girl with  hair clips that Lesley gave her

children with their goodies

We had time on our return to visit a local potter, Seminario. He isn’t from the region, but has lived in Urubumba for a long time. He researched Peruvian and Incan culture then developed his own take on that, and his style has evolved over the years. He produces his art using the same techniques that the Incans used, and the result is amazing (as far as texture and colour goes). His work was interesting, but we couldn’t picture it in our house so didn’t buy any. He has a number of people working for him, having taught them his techniques, so the smaller items are mass-produced. However, his own special work has world acclaim, and he has pieces in museums in various parts of the world, including Smithsonian.

Our hotel looks up a valley to Chicon Glacier, which rests at about 3,000m. Often it is partly covered by cloud (this being the wet season) but this afternoon we were lucky to see it clearly.