Day Fourteen ... the Sacred Valley

When we planned our trip, today seemed to be a balancing day, a day of activities while we acclimatised to high altitude in the Sacred Valley. We were wrong. Today was ... in its own rights ... an absolute ripper.

Up at 7.00am (30 min before the alarm) so plenty of time to re-organise the washing - fold the dry, move the slightly damp to a sunny spot, wet ones on the heating bars. Then off to breakfast to witness some appalling parenting. Sure the kids were brats, but parents ... take some responsibility.

Oh, and can we add to yesterday's list of what makes this hotel special: the llamas grazing outside the wellness spa and the beautiful orchid garden (not in flower now but it is a gorgeous space).

Today's guide Yudeah arrived bang on 8.30 with our driver Rene behind the wheel. First up a 40 minute drive to Moray, extended by the time we stopped at an overlook viewpoint for Urubamba (with an excellent geography and history lesson) and again in the town square of Maras (a lovely little village where, apart from seeing hummingbirds and statues, Yudeah bought himself a hoe from a lady in the square). Random facts. Peruvians in regional and rural areas avoid completing their home building because property taxes only kick in when the build is done. The higher the Peruvian woman's hat, the higher her social status.

Leaving the town of Urubamba ...

The Lookout 

Maras Town Square

Maras

On to Zona Arqueologica Moray, one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites we have ever seen. In a natural hollow between hills the Incas in the 1400s built an Agri-Lab. Concentric terraces with 2m walls and stone steps from one to the next one. Each ring was about 15m wide. Soil on the top, sand beneath, then gravel, then stone. Because of the wind and temperature effects each terrace was in essence a slightly different microclimate. And the Incas tested crops (potatoes, corn, etc.) at different levels so they could work out what crops to plant where across the Inca empire.

If the science is a bit much to take in just look at the pictures - stunning! How can we not know about a place like this? Btw ... when the Spanish arrived and saw this they thought it was an amphitheatre for killing sports. Ummmm ... No.

We spent an hour walking around the site and then headed off to the small village of Misminay, about a 10 minute drive. Confession - Jacqui and I aren't huge fans of the immersive cultural experience, but we join in when that's what we have. This was a pretty good one. 😀

First up, greeted by 15-20 villagers in brightly coloured traditional dress, accompanied by a small drum and a flute (I want say Pan Flute ... wooden pipes ... but it may have been a piece of PVC pipe with holes drilled in it). Then we were invited to participate in a little dance ( no toes were stood on). Introductions ... Flora, Norma, Ilda, Lucita, Paolino and Roger (not Rocker Ian, NOT Rocker). The men then lead us off to a small shelter where we were to be put to work. But first the blessings for our work. A quite moving ceremony that involved shells, figurines, corn, deer horns and a sip of chicha (fermented alcoholic drink, so Jacqui only). We honoured the land, the gods, the mountains (including Kosciuszko). We blessed love, knowledge and work. We were ready for work.

Today ... harvesting potatoes. Easy peasy. Santa's work. Hoe goes hoe. Pull the plant out, shake out the spuds, collect. Repeat. In the end they had to stop me or the entire crop would have been harvested (and there would be nothing for any of the other groups who came through today).

We then had 15 minutes before lunch which we spent gazing across the valley at the towering mountains, backed by glacial peaks and rain falling in some distant areas. A magical moment after a magical morning.

While the women knitted handicrafts outside we were fed: 1) potatoes, salsa and cheese; 2) quinoa soup with carrot, potato and pumpkin; 3) chicken, rice and tubers; and 4) a creamy sweet corn dessert. With aromatic mint tea to wash it down (and to alleviate altitude sickness). Light evening meal for us tonight.

As we were leaving another tourist group was arriving - our Australian group from Posadas Amazonas. Good luck with the potato harvesting chums.

Final destination ... Salineras de Maras. Basically a salt farm that exports salt to South and North America and countries in Europe. There are 4,000 salt ponds 4-10m2. The highly salty volcanic water is pushed up through the rocks and trickles into a stream. Channels and gates made from mud and rocks direct the water into the shalliw ponds to be dried by the sun. In the dry season (May to October) every pond produces 100kg of salt every 3 weeks (approx.). A major agricultural site, but the pods are worked by individual families who pass down their pod from generation to generation.

Once again, if all of that is overwhelming just look at the pictures. Amazing. And looking a little like the tanneries of Fez (Morocco) although serving a completely different purpose.

The 40 min trip back to the hotel was slowed getting out of the salt complex by extreme traffic conditions. Think sheer mountain walls, narrow dirt winding road, mini vans going one way, mini vans going the other way. No safety barriers. But there we were back in our room by 3pm. Chill afternoon, write the blog, simple dinner, and then pack an overnight bag for the next 2 days. Tomorrow ... Machu Picchu!