Day 11, Tuesday, September 17th; You like Rocks/Stones/Walls?

At 07:00 this morning a temperature of 7 degrees Celsius. Forecast is for a high of 21 degrees and some sun and clouds. Fruit salad and toast with jam to start the day here. Lana books our Uber driver for a 06:30 start tomorrow to get to the Poroy train station about 30 minutes from our apartment and train departs at 07:35. We start a load of laundry as we're now counting remaining days. I do some research on Incan sites in and around Cusco to figure out distances as we will need to taxi and/or Uber. Many of the top Inca sites are quite a drive from where we are staying south in the city. Also, I figure maybe we could benefit from a last minute english-speaking guide with a car using "Tours by Locals", but I left it too late.

We are at the ruins of Saqsaywaman! Try pronouncing that! Plus, you will pronounce it differently using the Inca language Quechua rather than the Spanish interpretation.

Lana organizes an Uber to pick us up for the drive to famous Saqsaywaman Inca site located above Cusco. Cost for Uber ride = 16 Sols so around $5CAD. Excellent car and good driver through the chaotic Cusco traffic. We are dropped at the side of the road that winds up the mountain towards Pisaq. It is quite a lot of stone stairs up to the entry high on the hill and hidden from view. An Andean fellow greets us and is a local guide who speaks good English. He advises his rate is 60 Sol for us, but usually 80 Sol for two people. There are few tourists around this early in the morning so we will get a good deal. We negotiate down to 55 Sols.

Our guide's name is Alfredo Sotelo León and he originates from the countryside and is not a Catholic like 90% of the population. He indicates that S ( I will shorthand Saqsaywaman for obvious reasons as I don't want to get carpal tunnel syndrome) was not finished when the Spaniards showed up. He states the Cusco people are pretty much civilized with Spanish influence, but the countryside tries to maintain the ancient Incan language, customs, culture and clothing. He is very proud of that and he should be. 

Picture of Cusco from the stairs leading up to the official entry point to S. 

We have our Boleto passes and they are hole punched at the entrance point. It is 10:17 when we are at the entrance as I was wanting to see how long our private tour would last. Alfredo is an interesting guy and answers all our questions, plus asks us questions....It is now sunny and very warm. I did not bring Lana's UV umbrella so her black hair gets overheated in the direct sun and she becomes uncomfortable eventually. As you will see we take a lot of pictures of the ancient Inca stones and walls etc.

Stuff we learned:

- the vast majority of these stones are limestone and the quarry is very close to the walls/fortress

- the other rock is volcanic (anthracite) and is much easier to polish

- still a mystery how these rocks were cut/carved/shaped 

- apparently the Spanish were keen to find out, but the conquered Inca were not willing to part with that information

- Inca had no writing system

- there is some belief by the Inca that their ancestors listened to the rocks and the rocks told them how to cut and where and used different plants that had special chemical elements

- at the very top for certain it was temples and ceremonial

- other aspects were a fortress although it did not stop the Spanish conquistadors who craved their gold

- the larger stones/rocks are at the lower level and as you walk up to higher levels the stones become smaller

- why are all the stones cut on angles? engineering principle that it makes them more stable for earthquakes and most angles are at 10 - 12 degrees

- the largest stone is 125 tons! how the heck did they cut that monster and move it to its location? Modern equipment could not manage that

- how did they move these heavy stones to top other stones

- still a mystery on everything to do with these stones which fit perfectly together so you can't even put one sheet of paper between them

- between the stones their sides are polished and perfectly cut

- the rocks/stones are so tight together absolutely no way for any plant material to grow

- the outside edge of these limestone rocks are rough to the touch

- there are some carrying details on some of the stones meaning construction was not complete

- the locals have resumed the Sun Festival for winter solstice

- upper grass area is used for these celebrations and is gigantic

- Guinea Pigs are domesticated and in the mountains wild Guinea Pigs live; domesticated are more delicious to eat (??? says Lana)

- rainbow trout is used locally sometimes for ceviche

- all Inca houses used volcanic rock and not limestone as you can polish volcanic rock much easier

- Eucalyptus trees on the hillside were imported from Australia more than a hundred years ago to be firewood and pull water from down below

- Saqsaywaman in Quechua means marble or granite and eagle as the eagles have similar colours to those rocks

- Cusco has 1 million people

- during Colonial times the locals/Spanish came up and took many stones to the city below and now there is a law in place protecting these places as they have the Incan rock

Now lets see the pics!

Check out the size of the stones in this wall and how they are perfectly meshed together

Another example of the many angles involved in each of these stones as none are perfectly straight or square

Can't miss another photo opportunity! Alfredo teaches us the sign of the Llama (Lana making below)

Speaking of llama's--can you see the Llama design in the rocks of the wall below? Alfredo says this is likely more coincidence but it's quite uncanny.

Our guide Alfredo and his trusty reference book. He may look small but this shows how tall this particular wall is. 

Love the corners! How did they do this?

OK, Alfredo asked us to pose! It wasn't our idea. You don't see many tourists right now, but as the time elapses many more tourists are up top at the site. 

Check out the whitish coloured protruding areas. This is what Alfredo meant by the structures were not finished before the Spanish invasion. Maybe for better grip? They would be removed from the rock after placement. 

Incredible and unexplainable craftsmanship. They say that modern equipment and artisans cannot duplicate this. 

Hey we found a crack! Ooops, this was explained by a distant earthquake that slightly shifted the stones. 

Inside corner edges! Incredible engineering and work. 

The hole between two stones was created by the Inca and allowed rain water to drain out. 

Can't have enough corner pictures I say!

The stone on the left is much more polished and is volcanic. The stone on the right is limestone and much rougher. 

Up at the very top is the Ceremonial Circle Tower or what is left of the tower as the stones were taken away long ago and are down in Cusco now. Temple of the Sun. There are channels running out from the middle and could either be water drainage or astronomical bearings. 

Lana's panoramic picture of Cusco from one of the highest points on this site which is 3625 metres in elevation. 

The wooden house in this picture is down below in Cusco. A developer wanted to demolish the house and rebuilt. But they discovered that some of the foundation was stones from S so they were not allowed to proceed. 

This is just one part of the gigantic grassy field where they have ceremonies. Plus, in the background is part of the limestone rock quarry. 

We finished up with Alfredo around 11:30 and paid him in Sols. He did a great job. We figure it is time to head back down into Cusco and grab some lunch. The walkways are all modern and made of rough stone so not easy to navigate. Darker colour rocks are slippery as well. Lana who always walks carefully so as not to trip, is now walking in all over the place in an effort to avoid the dark, slippery rocks!! Still very hot at the site. 

Lana took this picture of a plant on our way down the long rock staircase to the entry point. 

We make it easily back down to the entry point. Lana was craving a Powerade and purchased a huge bottle. There is a stairwell here that will take you back to the main square in Cusco and is fairly short. Prior to walking back down we grab a bench so Lana can get some Powerade to refresh her. On our way down the stairs we come across some natives and a baby Alpaca. Thought about taking a pic, but they probably charge tourists. The Alpaca was very cute. Lana wants to know how they get the alpaca up that high--does they just take an uber with it? Once we are the level of the city it is a straight shot to our lunch destination. 

I thought this was the side entrance to Jack's Cafe and Bistro but it wasn't as the entrance is further down the street and from the front. This place was recommended by Arturo at Refugio Amazonas for excellent sandwiches. We arrive around 12:25.

Instantly greeted and sat at a table in the middle. Nice restaurant with wooden chairs and tables and very clean and tidy. We were handed menus in the english language. Immediately we notice the wait staff are hustling and they come back quickly to take our order. Super impressed. Extensive menus and very diverse choices. Our server's English was excellent. Our food and drink order came within 13 minutes! Wow, that is fast for this country's standards, but they cater to tourists as this place is close to the major Plaza de Armas so makes sense. OK, no more references to mañana time...

Randy's order of an Alpaca sandwich with a local Alpaca fillet, roasted tomatoes, baby leaves and chimichurri mayo with fries for 36 Sol. Of course we are in a heavy tourist area so prices increase accordingly. The portions were huge. I had to try the Alpaca meat as I will never have another chance at this novel dish. Tasted more like beef than other meats although I can't say what the taste comes close to. Also, I can't believe I finished this monster sandwich. Lana did a good job eating half of the fries. 

Lana's order of Huevos Rancheros (beans and cheese on a flour tortilla, spicy salsa on the side and cilantro) at 32 Sol.

Great rock music playing in the background. I ordered the Banana/Strawberry/Mango/Passion Fruit smoothie with soy milk. Cost = 14.50 Sol. Lana ordered a Lemonade at 10.50 Sol. Both drinks were pretty good! All our food and drink was delicious so Arturo's recommendation was appreciated. 

OK, I wanted to see an Incan site that was within the central area of Cusco and it was about a 10 minute walk. We walked by it despite following Google Maps as it was a Catholic Church. We found out from a local that the Church housed QORIKANCHA Inca ruin. This was apparently the most important temple in the Inca empire and given the capital of the Inca empire was Cusco then this makes sense. Apparently when the Spanish showed up this temple was covered in gold and of course looted and melted down to take back to Spain. As usual, the Spanish Catholic Church saw the Inca as pagan savages and destroyed as much as they could during their conversion of the population. 

I don't want to say too much about this Inca site given the Church built over it and around it and left very little behind so maybe the pictures can speak to its past and check on online links. As you can tell I am very disappointed with the Church's behaviour. Although can't be too hypocritical as the same occurred with First Nations people in Canada minus looting their gold and silver as they didn't have any.

Cost for entry was 20 Sol per person. Our Boleto passes do not work with this attraction. 

Picture Lana took of the Church ceiling. 

Inca room that must have been spectacular. Check how smooth the stones are in this room. 

Maybe I have a thing for Inca walls? Plus, the stones on the floor must have been kept by someone. 

Some evidence by current locals at preserving the Inca observation of the different seasons and their leaders. 

Well, you have heard a picture tells a thousand words and in this case the picture is the words!

I love the engineering and quality workmanship of the Inca artisans. 

Not sure who protected this gold sheet from the Spanish or the Church but what a fine piece. The Spanish must have been in awe of the amount of gold and silver the Inca produced. Most of it was melted down and then sailed back to Spain. Although pirates and other merchant marine stole much of it and weather sank many more Spanish galleons. 

This explains the gold above. 

OK one last picture of the perfectly sanded walls and square angles of its construction. 

Lana was intrigued by this solo piece that got a lot of attention from the tour guides. We were approached before entering by a guide offering her services, but I knew this would be more brief and again my mental approach with the Church wasn't conducive to more rhetoric. 

We head to a main street to flag down a gypsy taxi or regular taxi as they are cheaper than Uber. About a ten minute ride back to our apartment. I showed him our address and he indicated he knew it. He indicated 8 Sol which is reasonable for the time and distance. I loaded the pictures from this morning and Lana had a good nap. Turned the dryer on although I find out the dryer only gets so hot and the clothes don't really dry so we eventually lay them out on the furniture in the living room. 

No way in our neighbourhood we would ever find a taxi or gypsy taxi so we need to deal with Uber. We pay 12.40 Sol to take us to Plaza Regocijo to meet up with the other customers at 17:30 for our Cusco Planetarium experience. 

While waiting to load the white (colour, not people) tourist van (ironic hey!) to take us up the hill to the Cusco Planetarium, we were entertained by people-watching in this vibrant plaza. The water fountain was not working so that was disappointing, but Lana took a great video of the scene in front of us.

This is an online picture of the Cusco Planetarium. Hmmm, that is one unusual Planetarium!

Yes, why are we going to the Cusco Planetarium on our last night of this part of our time in Cusco? Lana's hair colourist Olay had visited Cusco and raved about this unusual attraction. The price of entry is 85 Sol per person so not cheap. You reserve online and then meet at the Plaza for the van and off you go to the Planetarium. This should be interesting. Maybe about 14 of us in this group? People from USA, Canada, Germany and Brazil. 

At this point there is a chill in the air so fortunately we are prepared with warmer clothing. When we arrived and walk down to the Planetarium building and seated on the backless benches we all get blankets. Once we get outside for the first time we know why as it is chilly! There are three parts to this experience. The first experience is listening to a very interesting and funny girl describe Incan agriculture and beliefs as related to Incan skies and astronomy. We learn that Pacha is spacetime for the Inca. The Inca invented jerky and created silos that saved their meats and grains. In fact, dried potatoes can be saved for up to 35 years using salt, lime, herbs and the sun. 

60% of all current seeds in the world are produced in the Americas. The Quechua language for Sun is Inti, Anti and Kunti. The Moon is Killa. The many Grain Silos we saw yesterday on the mountainside were called Qullqa and were a real game changer for the Inca as it allowed them to save grains and meat through the years when El Nino was wreaking havoc with their agriculture --- no rains....They used their astronomical observations in June to have lots of time to plan their sowing of seeds and then harvesting. The Inca town in the Sacred Valley called Caral was where they mastered the sun, moon and stars in alignment. 

Next stage was moving to a dark circular room much like a normal Observatory except there was no telescopes, but there was an excellent presentation of the Southern Constellations that the Inca would have used. Lana got dizzy and then rested her head on my shoulder to get some sleep, but by that time the fun and informative presentation was completed. 

The third stage was doing star gazing outside in the chill with our blankets. They had two mobile telescopes that we all got a chance to look into at many different stars and planets and the Moon. That was probably our favourite part of the experience. See some pics below. Then everyone back inside to pay for the experience and purchase whatever interested you. Plus, we got some decals that state "I have Saturn at Planetarium Cusco!". Hey, I thought that was supposed to be a secret!

We tried our best to get a good photo of the rings of Saturn, but alas it wasn't meant to be. Using their telescope and seeing Saturn with its rings was fantastic for our eyes. A real privilege. It was supposed to be a secret though. Lana says if you squint at the photo, you can kind of see the rings LOL. 

Picture of the full moon taken using the Planetarium's telescope. The Moon was amazing and super bright tonight in Cusco.

OK, so Randy ate Alpaca this afternoon for lunch! I had to try this novel dish. Lana saw this sign board and thought it was quite appropriate. 

Lana's Chifa version of fried rice with eggs and salsa. This was our late dinner tonight and it was excellent. We both had so much food for lunch we weren't hungry at all and we needed to leave early for the Planetarium pickup. Leftover fried rice from the fried chicken place, with the fried eggs and salsa from her lunch dish. Pretty inventive!

On our return from the Planetarium, we had some tasks to complete as we need to get up very early tomorrow morning to catch the train.      (1) wash and dry the dishes (no dishwasher in this apartment)  (2) put away our dry clothes from the laundry  (3) answer a message from our Airbnb host as to leaving the keys/lockbox with the concierge tomorrow morning (4)  get as much of our personal stuff ready as possible for tomorrow - pack suitcases  (5)  tidy up whatever little mess we may have made as we always want a great rating from the Airbnb hosts  (6)  load the final photos of the day into the blog and the one video Lana took before we were picked up for the Planetarium. I think that is pretty much it?

For today I have 8300 steps and 25 floors (at elevation above 3000 metres). Overall a pretty good day with seeing two more Inca ruins, great lunch in town and a very interesting visit to the Cusco Planetarium where we ran into more Canadians and they were from Vancouver!