En el Valle Sagrado - Pisaq
Trip Start
May 11, 2006
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11
15
Trip End
May 21, 2006
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Pisaq,
Peru
Monday, May 15, 2006
The ruins are reached by an excellent winding road that twists and turns up the mountainside.
This vital Inca road then snakes its way past the citadel and up the canyon on a route which connected the Inca Empire with Paucartambo, on the border of the eastern jungles. Set high above the valley floor, patched by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing, the stonework and panoramas at Pisaq's Inca citadel are magnificent. Terraces, water ducts and steps have been cut out of solid rock, and in the upper sector of the ruins, the main Sun Temple is equal of anything at Machu Picchu. Above the temple lie still more ruins, mostly unexcavated, and among the higher crevices and rocky overhangs several ancient burial sites are hidden
1. Karen's got the goat!
.At the end of the road, we show our Cuzco Tourist Ticket, and enter the first section of this extensive archaeological site. We are welcomed by a bevy of local beauties dressed in traditional garb, who entertain us with Quechua melodies and let us fondle their baby goats and alpacas (tips gratefully accepted).
One of the first visits is to the Inca reservoir. The pristine water cascades from the covered cistern into a drainage canal, and the more adventurous drink the water. Wendy even fills our water bottles. The time worn statement "DON'T DRINK THE WATER" will come back to haunt us later.
At this point, our guide Antonio suggests that rather than drive around, we walk through the various sections of the site, and then descend by trails right down to the town of Pisaq. Our driver will wait for us at the Plaza. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but we omitted to ask our knees if they could stand up to the strain.
The walk through the different parts of the ruined city is fascinating and easy work, all downhill
2. Welcome committee
. At one point the trail passes through a tunnel. On all sides the views are stunning, especially the extensive terracing that seems at times to ascend to the tops of the mountains. We arrive at the Temple of the Sun, and indeed it is a magnificent work of art, with a massive curved wall that is perfect in every way. Now begins the descent. The town looks close, but straight down. The trail starts as steep steps through innumerable agricultural terraces, then becomes are real trail clinging to the mountainside until we eventually cross a bridge and follow a cobblestone path into the town. Just at the edge of the town, we pass a Quechua lady with an orange squeezer. In our state of dehydration, she squeezes all the oranges she has in stock, each glass at the princely sum of S/. 1.00 (US$ 0.35).
There is a small market in Pisaq, and the plaza is full of oxen, where they are being blessed by the local clergy. Regrettably we are so exhausted after our hike that we elect to turn tail and return to Ollanta. Arriving back at the hotel we bid farewell to Antonio and the driver.
In Ollanta, we are happy to remember that we are dining at the hotel this evening
3.Templeof the Sun
. Dinner is surprisingly good, though it takes ages to get to us. The cook is a very pleasant chap, and he keeps popping in to make sure we don't escape, and probably to assure us that he hasn't taken the train to Cuzco to bring us our repast. Apart from that, the ravages of ceviche and untreated drinking water are beginning to show their ugly side, and several in our group are feeling queasy.Later that evening, Karen is really under the weather and Wendy, like a typical mother, wants to get some medication NOW (at 2:00 am). The cook (who is now moonlighting as bartender) kindly offers to accompany her to the government medical center by the main square The sign outside states "Abierta las 24 horas", but no amount of banging on the door or calling out is enough to open the clinic. In this case, the only alternative is a shuttered pharmacy in the plaza. After making a noisy scene, the owner blearily opens up, and what's more sells her the medicine. Prescription? Poof! Who is interested in that at 2:30 in the morning! The chemist explains that the clinic opens 24 hours only when there is an emergency. If there is no emergency, then everyone goes home to bed. Try to explain that one for me!
