Today we set off to explore the Sacred Valley. We first passed through the highlands including the Chinchero Pass. Here farmers grow quinoa, wheat and over 700 types of potatoes. Cuzco has over 30 microclimates which allows a variety of crops to be grown.
Our first stop in Chinchero was a visit to a local house where the women demonstrated how to make textiles and dyes using natural plant based materials only. It was fascinating to watch and the women were extremely friendly and amusing, cracking jokes and involving us in the show. Some of us bought handicrafts from them afterwards and upon our departure we all donned sombreros and shawls for a group picture which you will see on the blog.
These are poor families earning their living primarily through tourism and farming neither of which brings in a lot of income. Our guide Daniel told us that they had hired a teacher to learn English so that they could interact better with tourists. The children go to primary and secondary school but university is expensive because it is in Cusco and they can't afford to pay for living expenses. If some of them do well in school they might stay on in Cusco because that is where the jobs are , otherwise they would return to Chinchero and become farmers as well.
While we were driving towards the Sacred Valley we learned that the Incas adapted agricultural techniques by forming circular terraces. The terraces used different soils at each level and the circular shape allowed them to create microclimates both of which allowed them to grow a variety of crops at altitudes as high as 14000 ft.
After a stop at a scenic lookout where we all took panoramic pictures of the Valley below, we set off for the Inca ruins at Ollyantaytambo.
Ollyantaytambo is a magnificent Inca town which was mostly untouched by the Spaniards. We had the opportunity to climb up terraces built by the Incas which had steps leading up to 230 feet. Good practice for the beginning of our trek tomorrow!! From there we were able to observe the town below us and also the granaries built into the mountain opposite. As with every Inca site there was a temple of the sun to observe the summer solstice and a temple of the water with separate fountains for boys and girls. Right next to the ruins was a market place with many vendors, illustrating the juxtaposition of the ancient with the modern economy. The economy of the Incas was technologically advanced agriculturally and the Incas were innovative in developing techniques to adapt to their environment. The modern economy of the area is still agricultural but also relies on tourism. However the geography of the region doesn't lend itself to large scale high productivity farming and the tourist industry doesn't appear to be as developed as in other countries that rely primarily on tourism such as the Carribean. Daniel told us that about 50% of the population in Cuzco is employed in some way in the tourist industry and in the off- season the area is a ghost town with many locals take vacations during that time. He also said that the Peruvian government hasn't done much to develop the tourist industry in the area other than maintaining the infrastructure.
Peru is notorious for a big divide in income distribution between the urban and rural regions of the country and driving through Cuzco it certainly seemed like a fairly poor town. Hard to imagine that it was the center of a wealthy civilization at one point. Given its remote location and geographical barriers one can see how easy it is for the government to focus on the coastal areas of Peru where the Spanish- descended elite live and ignore the remote Andean towns which are home to the majority of the indigenous population.
After a brief stop at a lovely restaurant Hacienda Alhambra, where we got to pose with and pet llamas and alpacas, we headed towards Pisac, another Inca town. Pisac was built as a stop for the Incas on their way to the jungle which is about 200 km away. After exploring the ruins there, some of which were being restored, we had time to make a brief stop at the Pisac marketplace where the students managed to buy an amazing amount of souvenirs in 20 minutes. Speedy capitalism! Families, expect some nice presents in the future : )
We then headed back to Cusco, for an early dInner so we could pack for our trek tomorrow. Our guide gave us specific directions about what to bring and we will be leaving at 4 a.m. tomorrow morning. We will be trekking the Lares Trail for two days with two nights of camping outdoors (one of them at 14000 feet), and then picking up the Inca Trail for our entrance into Machu Picchu. On the third night we stay at a hotel in Aguas Calientes and then take an early morning bus up to Machu Picchu where we spend the day exploring the area before taking the train back to Cusco.
My guess is the next blog will be somewhere after the time that we get back to Cusco.
Hasta luego.
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