August 2011
As noted in my PE Cusco post (see sidebar), I became sick after returning from the jungle and had to spend a day in bed rather than touring. So, my friend, Teddie, is my guest blogger as she describes their exploration of the fascinating Sacred Valley of the Incas that day.
"Six o'clock came just too early, but we were soon on our way to the Sacred Valley. Coco, our guide, shared his knowledge of the area and Inca culture, myths, and religious beliefs. He told us that the reason this valley was so special to the Incas was because of its beauty, climate, variety of plants and animals, and association with the cosmos. The Inca (King) granted it a special "privilege" and it was called "sacred" by the Sons of the Sun. It then became the personal property of the Inca Ruler.
August is winter in Peru, so as we drove over the hills and through the valley everything was brown and barren. At first glance the countryside seemed dry and inhospitable, unable to support the growth of crops, but the promise of harvest was in the terraces that graced every mountain almost to their summits and in the fields that had been turned over, ready for planting. They grow potato, ollluco, oca, quinoa, fava beans, and barley. At the very highest levels on the mountains, they pasture their animals, the alpacas and llamas. The crop they grow there is the bitter potato. We could only imagine the green of the valley as spring and summer approached and in our minds eye, we could imagine what the ancient Incas could see. Though it was early in the morning, farmers were already in the fields, and women and young men in native dress were driving their sheep along the side of the road. We stopped at a market where vendors were eager to sell their native crafts to early tourists.
Northwest of Cusco is where the Sacred Valley begins. Above the modern town of Pisac, built on the top of a mountain are its archeological ruins. Our van took us up high on the mountain where unbelievable terraces stretched above and below us. Ruins crowned that particular part of the complex, and ancient buildings lined the path where we stood.
We learned that when you can see the whole of the complex, these ancient terraces, buildings, and the mountain itself, take on the form of a giant condor. The people of the Sacred Valley found a way to sustain themselves and create societies that were in harmony with nature. "They saw the world as a 'living' and interrelated whole of which man is only one part." The gods, myths, and legends were literally woven into the physical characteristics of the mountains that made it possible for the Incas to live. The Incas took advantage of the natural formations already in the physical features of the valley, and then, by carefully building terraces, astronomical observatories, dwellings, channels, canals, etc., they were able to create the forms of their sacred images on the mountainsides. The Sacred Valley was designed to mirror the constellations in the heavens.
Our next stop was the city plaza in Chinchero, built by the Spanish. We made our way carefully because the stone pavements were very uneven. The market was huge, vibrant, and bustling with activity. Many of the merchants and the families were wearing their colorful native costumes. Delightful children were playing a form of tag. However, another little boy and girl were sitting on the curb next to a building on a busy road with vehicles coming within inches of their little toes. I wondered where was their mother. In the market there were native textiles, leather wallets, nativity scenes, hats, chess sets (Inca vs. Spanish), toys, pan pipes, and everything Peruvian.
We found a silver merchant with walls full of beautiful jewelry. I found a silver Inca cross pendant that I was looking for. Coco had explained that the Inca cross has 12 points with a circle in the center. The circle represents Cusco, the "belly button" of the world. The points represent the upper world, the gods and celestial beings (Hanan Pacha); the middle world, life here on the earth (Kay Pacha); and the lower world, the underworld and death (Uqhu Pacha). The points also represent their sacred animals, the Condor, the Puma, and the Snake. Three of the points represent their law: Don't steal; Don't lie; Don't be lazy. Three more of the points represent their principles: Love, Knowledge, and Work. The sweetest scene greeted us as we stepped out of the building. I didn't care that it was orchestrated to charm the tourists into taking pictures which required payment in Peruvian soles. Two beautiful little girls with big brown eyes were all dressed up in their native costumes, each carrying a baby llama in a sling tied around their shoulders.
Leaving Chincero, we drove through another valley of fields and small towns. In the towns, I noticed a lot of writing and symbols splashed across the buildings in bright colors. It looked like graffiti, but, not speaking Spanish, they could have been the business name, address or political message. We saw crops of tuna--not the fish, but a tasty variety of cacti. We had a buffet lunch of Peruvian specialties with a lot of other tourists in Urubamba. I declined to try their specialty-- guinea pig. It is an Inca tradition to spill a little liquid on the ground as an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth goddess). So when I spilled some soup by accident, I chalked it up as my offering to Pachamama.
Ollantaytambo is a simply astonishing site. It was believed to be the seat of the mythical origin of the Inca rulers where they received the knowledge to create harmony between life and the universe. At the base of the Temple of the Sun, terraces soar up the mountainside, creating the body of a llama, with the Temple being its head and a canal, its eye. Being worshippers of the sun, light was honored by the Incas and often determined the placement of their buildings and windows. The constellation of the split tree (the tree of life) is represented in the alluvial fan where the modern town of Ollantaytambo is located.
Further into the ruins we turned to see a magnificent mountain rise to our right. Coco pointed out a grim visage that occupied the rocky flanks of the mountain. This image, fashioned by nature and man represents Tunupa, a "pilgram teacher of knowledge, a man of great power, and a knower of time." On his back he carries a large bundle and in the rocks of the mountain you can make out the hands that carry it. At about 2:30 in the afternoon, he looks to be sleeping, but an hour later he is awake and watching. Again the genius of these Inca engineers is manifested.
Part of Tunupa's bundle contains the ruins of an ancient Inca granary. Food storage, mostly grains, was an important part of the culture and the evidence of this practice is found throughout the Inca empire. This granary was so high on the mountainside that you can hardly imagine the effort it took to fill it. While we were there we asked Coco what the Incas looked like. With a mischievous grin he told us they stood about so high (he put his hand above his head at about 5'7" or 5'8") they had smooth faces like his (no whiskers), a barrel chest to enable efficient breathing in such high altitudes, strong sturdy legs, and they were handsome, "Just like me."
After a little more exploring, we left to return to Cuzco. We traveled higher and higher, marveling once again at the almost barren winter landscape with few trees. We saw little adobe houses, some with figures of animals on their roofs and corrals of llamas and alpaca. Finally we reached the highest point of our travels that day. A few hardy families were set up, selling their wares on the hill overlooking the wide valley below. The cold wind whipped our hair and faces as we stopped to take pictures and do a little shopping. In the distance we could see snow capped mountains. It seemed that we were far from civilization and all alone at the top of the world. It was one of our most memorable days in Peru."
Thanks, Teddie, for sharing such a wonderful day.
Click below for slideshow:
The Sacred Valley of the Incas
Music: Tito La Rosa, Espiritu de la Tierra, Lo Mejor de Tito La Rosa
References: Fernando E. Salazar and Edgar E. Salazar, Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas
http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/destinations/cusco/sacredvalley.html
August is winter in Peru, so as we drove over the hills and through the valley everything was brown and barren. At first glance the countryside seemed dry and inhospitable, unable to support the growth of crops, but the promise of harvest was in the terraces that graced every mountain almost to their summits and in the fields that had been turned over, ready for planting. They grow potato, ollluco, oca, quinoa, fava beans, and barley. At the very highest levels on the mountains, they pasture their animals, the alpacas and llamas. The crop they grow there is the bitter potato. We could only imagine the green of the valley as spring and summer approached and in our minds eye, we could imagine what the ancient Incas could see. Though it was early in the morning, farmers were already in the fields, and women and young men in native dress were driving their sheep along the side of the road. We stopped at a market where vendors were eager to sell their native crafts to early tourists. 
We found a silver merchant with walls full of beautiful jewelry. I found a silver Inca cross pendant that I was looking for. Coco had explained that the Inca cross has 12 points with a circle in the center. The circle represents Cusco, the "belly button" of the world. The points represent the upper world, the gods and celestial beings (Hanan Pacha); the middle world, life here on the earth (Kay Pacha); and the lower world, the underworld and death (Uqhu Pacha). The points also represent their sacred animals, the Condor, the Puma, and the Snake. Three of the points represent their law: Don't steal; Don't lie; Don't be lazy. Three more of the points represent their principles: Love, Knowledge, and Work. The sweetest scene greeted us as we stepped out of the building. I didn't care that it was orchestrated to charm the tourists into taking pictures which required payment in Peruvian soles. Two beautiful little girls with big brown eyes were all dressed up in their native costumes, each carrying a baby llama in a sling tied around their shoulders.
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