The Tours around QUSCO.....Pictorial

After the hype of the Sun Festival... i thought things would slow down....but it has been go, go, go for the last 2 weeks....

The City Tour and that of the Sacred Valley were different this time as I was in a group with a guide to explain some of the things I had already seen...

I just happened to catch this wedding...Not part of tour....I thought the bride looked rather

stressed, with random people filming her, them dancing in the street to a small band...




The tour was over the weekend and started at the Qoricancha

As you may recall, from previous blogs...this is the same place as the Iglesia San Domingo, or the Inka Sun Temple...that over looks the city...

There are many beautiful paintings housed here, and a museum apart from the church...some Inka History is retold here through their astronomical calender

The ruins of Saqsaywamn were next...This is also the culmination point for the Inti Raymi

At this point my camera died....every traveller's night mare!!!!

Next were Qenko ruins...these contain a labyrinth and are also part of the Famous inka trail/highway
Further up the road were Tambomachayi...with a most stunning view at sunset and Inka waterways

and Pukapukara....It was too dark to see why we were here so we quickly went off to a craft shop to be taught how to differentiate the real Alpaca from the fake....
Only thing I learn't is the real one is EXPENSIVE....can only be quoted in dollars...

SUNDAYAnd the Sacred Valley

Pisaq ruins are some of the better preserved in terms of wall

height and very scenic

also interesting here are the burial tombs..observe the holes in the wall..that is where the Inka nobility were enterred in the feotal/(unborn baby) position....can't spell the word....

Next ruins were at Ollantaytambo, named after a famous Inka leader who was in love with an ordinary non royal gal...observe on the photo...the prison where the gal was kept to break the love....

Eventually the love thrived

THE MARKETS
From each stop there are various markets offering crafts, fabrics, souvenirs, explaining trades

Dyes made from natural plants and herbs

Weavers in chincerro..the ladies here wear their air in braids, similar to what I have...was tempted to get my hair redone....but thought they would collapse from the mess that it is...

From these dyes, we get the lovely fabrics, mostly made from sheep's wool. sometimes alpaca or llama

The sculptures of the inka

quite interesting too.....LOL