Pisac

Today we went to the nearby town of Pisac to visit one of the largest set of Incan Ruins as well as visit one of the popular Sunday markets. As we made our way up to the starting point of the trail it was obvious today would be a bit of a hike. The ruins sit high above the city of Pisac and cover a large area with four distinct sets of ruins. One of the interesting things about these ruins is that they are a combination of Incan built structures and pre-Incan structures. As you can see from the pictures there are two distinct types of stonework. The Incans were unique in that they often respected and used the structures of the cultures they came to dominate, rather than destroy and re-build. The Incan work is very distinct using precisely cut stone. Another interesting thing you'll notice from the pictures is that all the walls have a slight inward slope. This is most evident in the trapezoidal shape of the doorways and entrances. The reason for this architecture is practical. The Incans discovered this arrangement provides additional support during seismic activity. This region has its share of earthquakes and the Incan design has allowed structures to survive better than many others.

Pisac Baths 1

After a morning of hiking through the ruins we made our way back to the bus and down into the Pueblo. Sunday is a big market day in Pisac and many families and ProPeru staff said it was much better priced than anything we would find in Cusco. The advice turned out to be correct as prices for goods was much lower. Making my way through the market I tried to think of good things to buy to bring home. Popular products include just about anything made from Alpaca, including blankets, sweaters, hats and rugs. Other products included ceramics, woodcarvings, handmade purses and backpacks. While I didn't end up buying much, I know I will have to return.

Pisac Baths 2

Pisac Cave

Pisac Group

Pisac Group 2 with our Guide

Pisac Group 3

Pisac Hiking

Pisac Lower Ruins

Pisac Me

Pisac Middle Ruins

Pisac Middle Ruins 2

Pisac Middle Ruins 3

Pisac Ruins 2

Pisac Ruins Beth and I

Pisac Ruins Water

Pisac Stairs

Pisac Upper Ruins

Pisac View and Ruins