Today was our first foot powered only day and we loved it. We bagan with a very quick walk before breakfast down to the train station just to see where it was..
Around 8 we headed up to the biggest ruin here in Ollanta.. The one locally known as 'the fortress' we spent several hours climbing around and seeing the place before the crowds got pretty big. Its a beutiful site withsome great views of the valley. It has been in use for many hundreds of years. Its most famous use is as the onetime headquarters of Manchu Inca during the war against the conquistadores in the 16th century. The workmanship was amazing.. The stines were cut so finely that you could not fit a knife blade between them.. And small aqueducts still carried water through the site. It was the most amazing ruin i think ive ever seen.. And ive seen quote a few !
Again they used these cool stair rocks to get between terrace levels
The site was surrounded by thorny cactus.. Like living barbedwire
These structures looked very much like the granerys we visited yesterday across the valley
These bumps evidently had some sort of astronomical alignment significance. This part of the temple of the sun.. Whcih most experts feel was never completed.. Many of the stones from the temple were quarried on a hill more than 4km away across the river. How in the world were they moved ? Evidently, know one really knows !
These 't' shaped channels evidently were alingned between stones and filled with motlen bronze to hold the stones together
The stone carving all over was unbelievable.. And with very few tools. I need to show our friend chris some of what we saw.. And gabe too.. They are both stone cutters.. They would love this place.. Its clear that the stonecutter was big man on campus here
Thats mount veronica in the back.. Snowcapped all yearn
Look,at how these huge stones fit !!!
We ran in to a group of school kids doing their visit.. They were really friendly and cute
Speakingof school.. Gabe started uvm today.. And we had hos uvm water bottle with us to show support !
After the fortress we stopped at a chocolate museum.. It was dedicated to ecological production of chocolate.. They did all the processes themselves.. So cool and so tastey
From there we headed back tot he hotel.. Admiring the many cute and well behaved stray dogs
At the hotel we got on our hiking clothes and packed a lunch and headed out for the 7-8 mile hike to Pumamarka and back.. It was. A beutiful trail.. We only say abotu 4 other folks on the hike..
We saw these folks making adobe bricks
Tons of political campaign stuff everywhere even up here
Our directions were to 'turn at the blue water tank' they never mentioned it was next to another beutiful ruin.
The trail went through many groves of trees, terraces and small ruins.
With beutifull views of the valley
Much of the trail followed this amazing aqueduct full of clear rushing water.. It fed all the terraces..adn i think the water that flows next tot he streetson Ollanta
We arrived at pumamarka in the heat of the afternoon.. And were the only ones. There.. It was small, but impressive.. It was a lookout point guarding the valley
We ate a quick picnic..but hado to keep moving as the byting flies were fierce !
We called this guy 'fort spongebob' see why ?
Then it was time to head back.. As always, the trail seemed differnt in the other direction.. Another really nice hike in the hot sun. We had to walk up and around to avoid this guy who was standing in our way
There was a small ruin on this outcrop.. See it ?
And then we were back to the trailhead..
I got nailed on the hesd with one of the 'phillips head' acron things.. Ouch !
The guys adobe had dried a bit and theyd. Made soem progress
Just as we rounded the corner to our hotel, diane spied this door open.. And the basement filled with cui.. The guinne pigs that are a regional delicacy
All in all we walked for 8 hoirs and must have done at least 10 miles.. Our boddies are now pretty used to the thin air, i think..
Good thing.. Because tomorrow we head to aquas callientes and amchu pichu..
More from then..
Nite all, nite sam
-me
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