Sorry I´m so behind, I haven´t had much time to write in the last few days.
Lares Trek - Day One
We began the day early with a long bus ride into the mountains near Cuzco. Our first stop was at the ruins of an Incan farming town. Here we were able to see the enormous terraces they Incans would build into the sides of the mountains. Each terrace was around 100-150 yards long, 20 yards wide and 10 feet tall continuing far down the mountain. It made for a tough hike to the town above
In the ruins we were able to see the three types of stone walls made by the Incans. The most interesting are the walls of the temple buildings. Very large stones of all shapes and sizes are joined so closely together that they never need mortar. When the walls are opened you can see that each stone has a slot or a tab fits into the either the stone above, below or next to it. They would also carve small channels in the stone before they were placed together. Into these channels they would pour molten metal which would cool and form metal bars holding the walls together.
We boarded our bus again and headed to the Incan fortress of Ollaytatambo. This fortress was one of the last to avoid capture from the Spanish. The Incas diverted the very large river running near the city to block the entrance. It also boasted a system of lookouts, storage centers, troop garrisons visible in the surrounding mountains. The fortress itself was heavily fortified, the walls are incredible thick. Some of the stones are twenty feet long weighing tens of tons. From the composition of the rock scientist are able to tell they were dragged from a mountain top quarry miles away. The engineering and construction of the city was so strong that it was able to hold off the attacking Spanish for two years.
That night we stayed in Ollaytatambo. I ate at a small restaurant with no menu. You just sat down and they brought you food. I had a strange soup, macaroni casserole and coca tea for about 70 cents.
Peruvian elections are in November. The city was hosting a large Political rally/concert/party that went on long into the night making it a challenge to sleep.
Lares Trek - Day One
We began the day early with a long bus ride into the mountains near Cuzco. Our first stop was at the ruins of an Incan farming town. Here we were able to see the enormous terraces they Incans would build into the sides of the mountains. Each terrace was around 100-150 yards long, 20 yards wide and 10 feet tall continuing far down the mountain. It made for a tough hike to the town above
In the ruins we were able to see the three types of stone walls made by the Incans. The most interesting are the walls of the temple buildings. Very large stones of all shapes and sizes are joined so closely together that they never need mortar. When the walls are opened you can see that each stone has a slot or a tab fits into the either the stone above, below or next to it. They would also carve small channels in the stone before they were placed together. Into these channels they would pour molten metal which would cool and form metal bars holding the walls together.
We boarded our bus again and headed to the Incan fortress of Ollaytatambo. This fortress was one of the last to avoid capture from the Spanish. The Incas diverted the very large river running near the city to block the entrance. It also boasted a system of lookouts, storage centers, troop garrisons visible in the surrounding mountains. The fortress itself was heavily fortified, the walls are incredible thick. Some of the stones are twenty feet long weighing tens of tons. From the composition of the rock scientist are able to tell they were dragged from a mountain top quarry miles away. The engineering and construction of the city was so strong that it was able to hold off the attacking Spanish for two years.
That night we stayed in Ollaytatambo. I ate at a small restaurant with no menu. You just sat down and they brought you food. I had a strange soup, macaroni casserole and coca tea for about 70 cents.
Peruvian elections are in November. The city was hosting a large Political rally/concert/party that went on long into the night making it a challenge to sleep.
posted by Terrell at 3:11 PM
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