Peru
October 2019
We were heading to Cusco and Machu Picchu. As our Qantas aircraft was unable to land in Cusco we changed aircraft for our one hour LATAM flight to Cusco.
Lima is the capital of Peru located at an elevation of 512 feet (156 metres) on the south bank of the Rímac River about 13 km inland from the Pacific Ocean port of Callao. Lima is a modern oasis surrounded by the Peruvian coastal desert a short distance west of the Andes Mountains.
CUSCO
The name, Cusco is derived from a Quechua word meaning “navel” or “centre”, dating from the 11th or 12th century and was the capital of Tawantinsuyu “realm of the Four Parts”.
Standing high in the Andes with an average elevation of 11,150 feet (3,400 metres) Cusco is built next to the Huatanay River, a tributary of the Vilcanota.
Cusco was the cradle of the Incan Empire and the most important city in the Andes and South America. Thanks to Inca Pachacutec expansion to new lands was possible and thus the Tawantinsuyo Empire was born. Better known as the archaeological capital of The Americas this extensive Inca empire and surrounding area contains extensive Inca ruins that reflect great skill in engineering, stonework and architecture.
The 16th century saw the arrival of the Conquistadors and the Colonial period with Spanish forces occupying Cusco in 1533 establishing the municipal government in the name of the emperor Charles V. Churches and squares were introduced to a location entirely foreign to these concepts.
Cuzco was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
MACHU PICCHU
Our adventure to this abandoned Incan citadel of Machu Picchu included a bus to Poroy’s train station for our Vistadome #31 rail journey, a highlight in itself with its zig zags railway and picturesque route following the Urubamba River, to Aguas Calientes. There were buses taking tourists from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu, another trip of amazing views on our way to this Ancient Wonder of the world. We enjoyed live Peruvian music with lunch in Aguas Calientes before our short walk though the markets for our return train trip.
We had a wet, overcast day which apparently is not uncommon, this did not dampen our spirits as the mist rose to reveal amazing panoramic views as we explored this site. The abandoned Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, delivered in spades with pictures saying a thousand words.
Perched atop a mountain Machu Picchu is divided into three sectors: Wayna Picchu; the main citadel; and the agricultural sector, composed of terraces and granaries. Although the citadel includes palaces, temples, some houses and food storage facilities, its most important buildings had a ceremonial-religious function. The most luxurious components are mausoleums carved into the rock containing protected cave-like rooms. The most notable buildings are the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana and the Temple of the Three Windows.
Scholars believe that Pachacutec built this city and it is hard to imagine what the Incas were thinking when they deemed this remote mountain ridge as the site of their 15th century citadel known for its sophisticated dry-stone walls, intriguing buildings, and panoramic views. People still wonder how the city was built and why it was abandoned 100 years later.
The discovery of Machu Picchu dates back to Mr Agustín Lizárrage who started a journey along with two other explores in 1902.
Since 1983 Machu Picchu has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and in 2007 it was chosen as one of the seven new wonders of the world.
Seven New Wonders of the World:
- Petra: An ancient city in Jordan, known for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system
- Great Wall of China: A series of fortifications built across the historical northern borders of China
- Christ the Redeemer: A statue of Jesus Christ located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Machu Picchu: An Incan citadel in the Andes Mountains of Peru
- Chichen Itza: A large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people in Mexico
- Colosseum: An oval amphitheater in the center of Rome, Italy
- Taj Mahal: A white marble mausoleum in Agra, India
The First Photograph upon Discovery of Machu Picchu, 1911
Some of Cusco’s most interesting Inca sites includes the salt mines of Maras which have been in use since Pre-Incan times. The mines consist of approximately 3000 pools fed by the saline water from the subterranean stream which is filtered from the ground by the Qoripujio spring and channeled through pools where it evaporates and leaves behind pure salt crystals.
These salt-pans create stunning views and an impressive spectacle of thousands of pure white pools stretching down the valley around which it is possible to walk.
We continued to Maras home to the Moray Archaeological Complex, a magnificent series of slightly elliptical terraces or “muyus” set into the ground that were once used by the Incas as an experimental farm over 500 years ago. The theory is that the Inca Empire used each terrace to create its own microclimate of altitude, temperature and sun that included an ancient irrigation system with different temperatures from top to bottom. It was an important agricultural research centre for the domestication, acclimatisation and hybridisation of wild species to adapt them for human consumption The main gallery has a depth of 45 meters and the average height of each terrace is 1.8 meters.
MANTAY “Every day, 12 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 become pregnant in Peru” UNICEF 2023
Inka Grill located in the heart of Cusco, Peru, has been a staple in the Plaza de Armas for years. The restaurant offers diners a unique dining experience with a fantastic menu filled with rich and flavourful dishes, inspired by the traditional cuisine of the Incas and traditional Peruvian cuisine with modern twists.
Palacio Del Inka An historic, stone mansion hotel with ancient tales encompassing centuries of history and culture incorporating 16th-century Pizarro’s Palace & modern addition in Spanish Colonial design.
Built nearly five centuries ago the buildings foundations were originally part of the Qoricancha complex, which hosted shrines of religious and cultural importance during the Inca Empire.
In the 20th century, the mansion became the Museum of Religious Art of Cusco before Palacio del Inka was built in 1977. It is directly across the street from the Temple of the Sun and a short walk from the main city square.
Therese O'Leary 