You can see how the valley fed an empire.
At the maket at Pisac, these girls, like so many others everywhere we went, posed for pictures with their lamb.
Kimberly and me at the gate to the fort overlooking Pisac
More Pisac Ruins
This couple, with Kimberly at the Pisac Ruins went on a five day hike from Cuzco to Machu Pichu ("The Inka Trail"). Five days of up and down steps. (Remember, the Inka empire didn't use the wheel so they just built strait lines of steps all over the Andes.) For every step up - there's at least one later going down.
Kim seated at ^^^ Ollantaytambo. An awesome Inka site and village. The current residents of the village still use the old Inka water and sewer system.
More on Ollantaytambo.
Above and below are shots of the creepiest place we visited. Carved into and under a huge rock, this was were they mummified the dead.
These terraces must be ancient and are still being used.
This is typical of Inka design. Notice the door and windows are wider at the bottom?
Kimberly at Sacayhuaman.
More Sacsayhuaman, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay.
More Awanakancha
"On top of the worlds, boys... on top of the world." Somewhere around 13,000 feet.
The cross on top of the World.
At over 13,000 feet, the little village (and former Inka village) of Chinchero was at the end of our nine hour "Sacred Valley tour." The tourguide had been hyping the church all day long saying it had "world famous frescos."
The dilapidated church was on top of the village, about eight stories up winding roads from where the bus dropped us off. When we got to the top, the sun was setting and we had this picture taken. The church did not allow photographs, but I must tell you, it was not worth losing your breath by climbing eight blocks (an elevation of about 500 feet) to see it.
In the square, we met a boy selling post cards. He said his name was Tom Criuse. His friend came over, also selling postcards, and he said his name was Tom Cruise as well. Imagine the odds, two kids named Tom Cruise in one little town.
If I was a little kid in Peru, I would tell American tourists my name was Brett Farve.
Cuzco, Peru (The City, Sacred Valley, Machu Pichu)Cuzco, Peru (The City, Sacred Valley, Machu Pichu)