Chinchero Archaeological Site and Sacsayhuaman

Thursday, October 29, 2015

So sorry for the delay in getting my blogs posted.  The wifi in Easter Island was almost non-existant.  I'll try to get caught up when we arrive in Australia.

I cut things short last night from sheer exhaustion, so this morning, I'll try to catch up.  First, a word about our fabulous hotel.  Belmont's Hotel Monasterio in Cusco, Peru.

The Chapel at the Hotel Monastery is now used for meetings and special events.

The Hotel Monasterio was formerly a monastery built in 1592.  It's now a 5 star hotel and an historic landmark.  At the heart of the hotel is a beautiful courtyard with a tranquil fountain and a 300 year old cedar tree, one of the only remaining trees in Cusco.  All other trees were cut for timber for building.

When we checked in, we were greeted by monks carrying trays with cups of tea.  We arrived too late to have the Cocos tea, which is used to aid in altitude adjustment, because it would keep us awake.  The altitude in Cusco is 11,500 feet above sea level.  I felt confident that I would not have a problem adjusting to the altitude as I'm used to Aspen's 8600 foot altitude.

Speaking of building, there is construction everywhere in Cusco ... not much of it is "active construction."   Our guide explained the mortgage  business in Peru.  Interest rates for home loans runs  35-45%.  Since people cannot afford to carry a loan, their only option is to work all year, save what they can, and at the end of the year, take what money they have to begin construction. 
 

Note the tree branches used for support during construction.

They may have only enough to lay the foundation.  The next year, they work and save and perhaps have enough to put up the columns.  The next year the walls for the ground floor.  The next year, the ceiling or electric and plumbing, and so forth until the house is finally ready.  It takes years before the house is inhabitable.  But when it's finally finished, they have no debt.    Oh, some of the construction techniques are quite interesting, too.  For example, they use tree branches and trunks for support.  I'll just have to share the photos with you for this to make sense. 

Cusco has grown from 100,000 people to over 500,000 people in just 10 years.  It has become the most expensive city in Peru because of the tourism industry.   Many Peruvians dress in traditional attire, walking the streets in search of tourists, then posing for photos in exchange for tips.  One has to admire their ingenuity, except I hate to see the children exploited in such a way.  Although, the children were adorable!  So were the Llamas and donkeys!  Trying to figure out the Peruvian nuevo sol (currency) was difficult.  I wasn't sure if I was giving them fifty cents or $50.00.  But they seemed very grateful for anything.

Today, we're off to Cinchero Archaeological Site known for it's terraces and Incan fortress.  It is attributed to being the origin of the rainbow.  

Delicious Peruvian Corn.

This is where I found some of the Peruvian corn that my friend Lilliana told me about.  The corn has huge kernels and a delicious sweet flavor.  I bought an ear of corn from a local street vendor's boiling pot and shared it with everyone in our car.  The corn is garnished with a slice of cheese, which was salty and very tasty.  At least I thought it was tasty until our guide said, "Oh, you don't want to eat the cheese.  Our cheese processing is very different from yours.  It will make you sick."  Opps!  Too late.  Gail and I had already devoured it!  I'll let you know later how that comes out!  (No pun intended.)

Add caption

Oh yes, I did a bit of shopping in Chinchero.  I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of this lovely hand knitted and beaded hat.  What do you think???

Just a quick word about the Inca.  For almost 100 years, they controlled the largest empire ever to exist in South America.  They were brilliant engineers.  They also developed a method for preserving food for years to feed the population when crops were scarce.  Storing dehydrated foods such as potatoes and corn in granaries preserving the food with mint, a natural pesticide, that could keep food fresh for up to 100 years.  They could store enough food to feed 27 million people for a period of over 2 years.   

We then traveled to Moray, an Incan archaeological site northwest of Cusco on a high plateau 11,500 feet above sea level. These ruins consisted of several enormous terraced circular depressions, the deepest being almost 100 feet.
  

Moray terraces.

The temperature range varies from top to bottom almost 27 degrees.  It is said this area was used as an agricultural experiment station by the Inca.  The temperature in the  lowest depression was, and still is,  identical to the temperature of Machu Picchu.  

Weaving Demonstration.

Nat Geo arranged a weaving demonstration by Peruvian ladies and a fabulous lunch at the ruins of Moray. 

After lunch, we split into several groups and traveled to different locations.  I chose to go to Saqsaywaman (pronounced "Saxi-woman" - or as the locals call it ...   "Sexi-Woman."   The name originates from a battle between two 200,000 man armies.  When the last man fell, 400,000 warriors lay dead.  The vultures and Falcons moved in to feast on the remains, thus the name Saqsaywaman, which translates to "Satified Falcon."

Legend says that Saqsaywaman was a fortress.  The engineering of this structure was the most amazing of all the "rock piles" I've seen in Peru.  The Inca built structures to represent the "deity of the day" so to speak.  They studied the sun, moon, stars and Saqsywaman represents lightening, built in a zig zag fashion to resemble lightening.

Hard to see here, but Saqsaywaman is built to resemble a lightening bolt with a zig zag design.

It is hard to imagine how the Inca people could move these huge boulders from the quarries to the fortress.  The wall measures 1200 feet long, 60 feet tall AND is earthquake proof.  The zig zag design of the wall makes it 43 times more stable.  In  fact, it sustained an 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 1650 that lasted for 16 minutes and held strong.  Spaniards invaded Peru in the early 1500's, they said there was no way this wall was man made.  It must have been created by demons and ordered it destroyed.   While they succeeded in destroying the buildings, the wall still stands.

In the mid 1900's, the Japanese excavated the wall at Sazsaywaman  and discovered the Inca's secret to the it's stability.  Compacted dirt covered with gravel and then round rocks form the foundation.  They have now used this technology in Japanese engineering for decades and like to take credit for it, when in reality, it came from the Inca.  

One of the most notable stones at Saqsaywaman (shown here) has an additional 12 feet of stone below ground. 
 

Note the size of the stone in the middle.

It's measures nine feet in depth and 15 feet wide.  Brought from a quarry five miles away and  weighing in at 168 tons, I cannot understand how the Inca moved this stone!!  There are all kinds of theories such as keeping cobblestones wet while dragging the stone along.  But 168 tons!  That's heavy!!  Here's what I don't get.  The Inca people were short, yet they could move a 168 ton stone.  So why do the airlines have trouble lifting with my bag????   Wish the Inca were still around to help!

Tonight was "dine around" at local restaurants.  We chose a place close to the hotel called Map.  This restaurant catered our lunch today at Moray and it was excellent!!  However, the dinner version was a bit of a disappointment.  

Tomorrow, the moment we've all been waiting for ... Machu Picchu!  

Other notable photos are shown below with captions to explain.

Peruvian Women tend to the Llamas.

The adorable little girl was posing for photos.

In this truly 3rd world country, the ox and plow are still very much in demand.

This little donkey kept us entertained.  Kicking up his heels and running wild, then kissing his owner.

Bruce and Gail check out the bedrooms at Chinchero ruins.

Chinchero Archaeological Site

A few of the over 5000 varieties of potatoes in Peru.

Shopping with the local merchants.  I've been framed.

Dogs run wild here.  There is a garbage strike and the dogs help to dispose of the rubbish.

Peru

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

I could not sleep last night, obviously anticipating the excitement of our departure today.  

It's a perfect time to leave DC as it's a dreary, rainy day.  The bus ride to Dulles in the pre-dawn hour seemed to drag along.  An hour later, we finally arrived at Landmark Aviation, cleared the security check and were ready to board our 757.   

Welcome Aboard!!

The captain and crew greeted us as we climbed the steps into the cabin. 

From the Looks of the chef, the food should be good!!

We have our own chef on board.  After taking a look at the menu, this doesn't appear to be typical airline food.  

When we reached our seats, a bag full of goodies awaited.  

Our own personal down comforter, a pair of Bose Sound Reduction Earphones, National Geographic hats, P.J.'s, slippers and a toiletry kit as well as an assortment of National Geographic magazines.  

We're settled in for our 7.5 hour flight to Lima, Peru, connecting to a charter flight for another hour and a half on to Cusco.  

Here's a track our flight from D.C. to Peru.

Pat and I are settled in and ready to take off!!

The flight was a bit of a disappointment.  For years, I've heard about the National Geographic Trip Around the World by Private Jet.  I guess I was expecting roomier, more comfortable seats.  The chef prepared great meal was excellent, but the service was terrible.  Perhaps things will improve on the next leg of our journey.  

Several episodes of "Blindspot" and a few chapters of the book, I Am Pilgrim, a lecture by one of National Geographic's explorers and a short nap later, we landed in Lima Peru.  One word can describe what I saw of Lima from the airplane, light brown.  Everything was light sand colored brown.  All of the buildings, houses, streets, mountains, ... it all seemed to be the same color.  We didn't get to explore the city as we were just connecting to our Cusco flight.  But it didn't seem to be all that inviting.  Totally brown.

We finally arrived in Cusco this evening after dark, so I couldn't get photos.  But I'll have some tomorrow for sure.

National Geographic Trip Around the World

October 27, 2015

The Adventure Begins

I've started writing this page at least a dozen times.  I cannot seem to think of a way to write about this trip without sounding over-the-top braggadocios or pretentious.   The fact is, I am truly humbled by the opportunity that awaits me for the next 25 days as I travel the world with National Geographic.  How should one react when  real life exceeds one's wildest dream.  That's how this "kid from Brown Street in Little Rock, Arkansas" feels right now.    If those kids could see me now ... well, let's just suffice to say ...  not even I believe it.   

That being said, hopefully, I've put the kibosh on anybody who might be wishing that I'd break a leg or something, because I'm very excited about this adventure and as I share this journey with you, I hope you share my excitement.  I mean, hey ... this is the trip of a life time.  I'm going around the WORLD!  The whole world!!  We leave Washington DC for our first destination - Peru to see Machu Picchu.  Then on to Easter Island, Samoa, The Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Angkor Wat Cambodia, China, Tibet, India, Serengeti Plains in Tanzania, Petra Jordan, and Morocco before returning to Washington.  Pretty amazing, huh?   Oh yes, I forgot to mention the coolest part ... we're traveling on National Geographic's private Boeing 757, which has been retrofitted with 78 business class seats.  While in route, we have historians on board telling us all about the places we're getting ready to visit.  My son spent a semester at sea last spring and covered pretty much this same route and it took him 4 months on a ship.  We're visiting ten countries in just over three weeks.    Ok, so now you probably want to break my leg, right?  But please don't.  I hope you'll just share my joy.

Here's our route.  We begin in Washington DC with first stop in Peru

  
A couple of years ago, my dear friend Stevie suggested that we take this National Geographic trip.   I had no interest in a trip where I had to pack and unpack every other day for a month.   Also, the itinerary had several stops that I had no interest in, such as Egypt and Cambodia.  So instead, we traveled to Australia and New Zealand.  We had an incredible time.  (For those of you who didn't read about that trip, you can scroll back in the archives of this blog and catch up.  Especially if you need something to help you sleep!)   At any rate,  I was in a different place then.  It was shortly after I lost my husband, Jeff and probably nothing could have made me happy.  

When Bruce and Gail suggested that I join them on this trip, after carefully considering it for about 5 seconds, I decided to sign up.  Unfortunately, the trip was sold out and I was put on a waitlist, or I could go at another time.  I opted for the wait list and several weeks later got the call saying all I had to do was send them a pick up truck full of money and I was good to go.

Well,  months later, here I am, in Washington DC where tonight, I'll meet up with the other 75 folks on the trip.    

My hotel is right next door to this place!!

 I arrived last night, and had some free time this morning,  so I decided to explore Washington and take a power walk around the area.  The White House is right next door.  As if the neighborhood wasn't bad enough, now I'm here. 

Washington Monument

Beyond the White House, I found the Washington Monument, which I still find beautiful in it's simplicity, and stunned by it's size.  It's the worlds tallest stone structure and the world's largest obelisk.  How did they get all of that marble 555  feet  up in the air without  cranes??  Mind boggling!!

After passing the Washington Monument, I stumbled across the World War II Memorial.  This Memorial is new to me since my stint in the Washington DC Zone office when I worked for General Motors in the 80's.  

World War II Memorial

It was built in 2004 and is such a wonderful commemoration of the men and women who served our country during the war.  Each state of the union shows recognition here with an individual column. There is no way to repay those folks, but this memorial stands proud to remind us everyday of their sacrifice.   I found a quote on a pillar saying, "Americans fought not to conquer  but to restore freedom and end tyranny."   Thank you.

Lincoln Memorial

After my visit to the World War II Memorial, I walked along the reflection pond leading to the Lincoln Memorial.  The Lincoln Memorial takes my breath away every time I visit.  Can't explain why.  Unfortunately, it was crawling with tourists, so I didn't stay long.  

I found Macy's.  Since I didn't pack any jewelry, Macy's was the perfect spot to pick up an inexpensive watch and a couple pairs of earrings.  Now I'm ready to go on my trip.  Earrings are an essential part of anyone's wardrobe and an absolute must!  The watch may come in handy, too.

I returned to the Hay Adams Hotel to check in with NatGeo for my credentials.  Shortly afterwards, my friend from Tampa, Pat, arrived followed by Bruce and Gail.  We had a great lunch at Equinox, described to us by the concierge as a "modern American restaurant."   The food was adequate and after catching up on what's happening in their worlds, it was time to visit National Geographic Headquarters and meet our guides for the trip.  

National Geographic Magazine Hall of Fame Display of covers.

Just inside headquarters visitors mingle in a foyer under a high rotund ceiling with star lights that replicate the actual location of the stars the night the founders of National Geographic met to form the foundation.  Huge photos taken by National Geographic Photographers line the walls.  The original table used by the founding members still stands in a meeting room surrounded by more photos of explorers like Jacques Cousteau and Thomas Abercrombie.  It was like taking a step back in time, seeing all of those faces that I grew up with.

We met our guides and heard a bit about their backgrounds.  We have historians, lecturers, scientists and my favorite, a NatGeo Photographer who has promised to teach us how to take amazing photos along the way.

View from the hotel's 9th floor.

I'm back in my room now, after a wonderful dinner on the top floor of the Hay Adams Hotel overlooking the White House.  

Time to get my large bag outside the door to be picked up tonight.  My smaller "wheelie" goes with me tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m.  They forgot to mention the early morning call in the brochure.  We have a long day of travel tomorrow to Peru.  I'll check in again tomorrow.  Until then.

Thursday, September 17th, 2015

Monterey, CA

Got a rocky start.  No leader.  

Good morning California.  We're off today for one of the most scenic drives in the country ... Seventeen Mile Drive and Big Sur.  It's a beautiful sunny day with the perfect road and perfect driving conditions for our cars.   We were on our own today, as our leader, Gil went to Napa.  Nobody was sure how to get from Monterey to 17 Mile Drive.  We pulled off the road to re-group and elected Chandra and Keith to show us the way.

Our first stop along 17 Mile Drive was at China Rock.  Notice the #12 Yellow car (2nd in line.)

In case you needed a better look at my car.

Our first stop along 17 Mile Drive was China Rock.  We stopped long enough for a few photos and then continued on down the road.   To our right, the deep blue Pacific and rocky shoreline was the perfect panorama.  The view changed with each turn to reveal yet another gorgeous vista.

Our Ferrari Group at China Rock.  

View from Rocky Point Restaurant.

Our lunch spot, Rocky Point Restaurant, clung to the side of a cliff overlooking the sea.  The food was disappointing, but the view made up for the lousy meal.

Our lunch group at Rocky Point Restaurant.

While checking out the  incredible view, I saw an elderly gent, sitting alone, enjoying his lunch at a table overlooking the water.  He had a split of Champagne with two glasses and an 8 x 10 framed photo beside him on the table.  

Phillip Wylly enjoying his anniversary lunch.

This was an invitation for me to get "the story."  Turns out, Mr. Winter was celebrating his wedding anniversary, as he had done for the past 28 years with his beautiful wife.  She died 3 months ago, but he still celebrated with her.  The photo on the table was their wedding photo.  We chatted for a while, instantly bonding as I shared with Mr. Winter that I lost my husband three years ago today.  I would have enjoyed talking to this man for hours, hearing stories about his beloved wife.  How they met, how they spent their years together.  We shared a few moments of silence and a few tears and then I left Mr. Winter to continue his lunch and his memories of a beautiful life together. 

The ladies brighten Phillip's day.

After lunch, all the ladies came out to take a photo with Phillip.  He seemed to enjoy the distraction and certainly enjoyed the attention.  

I continue to wait for this day to become easier.  The worst day of one's life tends to linger.   It's fitting that I'm sharing today with the dear friend who took over my life and somehow got me through.   The words "thank you" seem insignificant for the depth of gratitude that I feel.  But I'll say it anyway.  Thank you, Sharon.  And thank you for continuing to make me feel that tomorrow will be better. 

After lunch, we continued our drive, stopping along the way at the most photographed tree in the world, The Lone Cypress.  

Lone Cypress

Afterwards, we went to Carmel for a little shopping.  

Dinner at Grasings, Carmel, CA

Several pairs of shoes later, we went to Grasings for dinner with Ava and Jasone.  Grassing was recommended by some Tampa friends.  Since they are in the 
restaurant business, I 

knew it would be a good recommendation. The meal was spectacular, as was the company. 

Cocktails at the Intercontinental after dinner.

We were the last to leave the restaurant, found our way back to the hotel and were the last to leave the bar at the Intercontinental as well.  

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Yosemite to Monterey

Ok.  It's been a couple of days.  I've had writer's block.  We've been having such a great time.  It's been hard to stop long enough to write.  When I do stop, my eyes are bleary and ready for sleep.   So I'll try to get caught up now.

We left Yosemite Wednesday morning heading to Monterey.  The skies were clear and sunny so the folks who didn't get out in the rain yesterday decided to visit Glacier Point.  The rest of us set out for Monterey.   The drive was long and unexciting.  

Lunch at Espana's.  Los Banos.

We stopped at a little Mexican spot for lunch in Los Banos called Espana's Restaurant and Mexican Grill.  

Catalina's Margarita

The food was decent and, according to some, so were the Margaritas.  

After lunch, a crowd was gathered around the Ferraris in the parking lot.  This has become the norm.  I guess this must be how the movie stars feel when the paparazzi's follow them.  

Parking at the lunch spot in Los Banos.  BEFORE the crowd gathered.

Only in this case, they could care less about us ... it's all about the CAR.  Which is fine - AS LONG AS THEY DON'T TOUCH!!  Some people are so brazen as to even sit on the fender to pose for a photo.  But feisty little Ava puts a stop to that right away.

Sharon and I with new friends, Ava, Rondi and Vince at Intercontinental Hotel.

We finally pulled in to the Intercontinental Hotel in Monterey around 4:30.  First stop ... the bar for a couple of cocktails before getting ready for dinner at Christopher's, a quaint little place in Carmel.  We tried to make it an early evening, but taxis were scarce and we finally got back to the room around 11:00.  

Big day tomorrow.  Seventeen Mile Drive and Big Sur.  BEAUTIFUL areas.  Can't wait.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

We awoke this morning to rain and fog.  The prediction for the rest of the day looked bleak.  So we did what anybody would do ... we went to breakfast.   

Afterwards, we decided we didn't come all this way to sit around a less than stellar hotel, so we set out from the Tenaya Lodge to check out Glacier Point.  I'm so glad we did!!  By the time we arrived (about an hour later) the skies began to clear opening up the view.  

Glacier Point at Yosemite may be the most magnificent thing I've ever seen.  The mountains that stood before us were smoothly rounded solid granite domes, the most famous, of course, Half Dome.  The domes gave way to a deep valley below.  Water falls and Huge Ponderosa Pines accented the hillsides.   

A cloud has attached itself to the flat side of Half Dome.

My new friend, Ava and I check out the view.

A photo of Jasone, Ava and Half Dome without the cloud cover.  

There is really no way for me to explain the spectacular views of Yosemite from Glacier Point, so I'll just post some photos.

We walked around the point to check out the view from various angles.  Simply awe-inspiring.  

Sharon and Ava 

 We took in the site for almost an hour and then set off to the Valley Floor.  We were following our new friends, Jasone and Ava.  Jasone's navigation system was not working properly so we missed our turn and ended up back at the hotel.  By this time, the rain was moving back in AND it was cocktail hour anyway.   So we parked in our reserved parking area and called it a day.   I'll have to come back to Yosemite to see the Valley Floor.  When I do, I'll be wearing my hiking shoes because there are numerous hikes in the area.

We had a lovely dinner at Embers at the Tenaya Lodge.  

Tomorrow we're off to Monterey.