Kusi, a young alpaca, at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco.

Peru

by Eve Andersson

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In Peru, I hiked the Inca Trail and visited a number of archaeological sites, including Machu Picchu and other Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley near Cusco. I also visited the capital city, Lima. Best town: Ollataytambo, which is laid out in the original Inca grid formation, nestled between two mountains containing excellent Inca ruins. Best ruin: Machu Picchu, which is even more spectacular in person than in photographs due to its mind-boggling scale and mountainous environment. Best experience: Kusikancha, a small Inca site in the middle of Cusco, with friendly llamas and vicuñas, and a very playful alpaca. Best food: AlmaZen, an upscale vegetarian restaurant in Lima that achieves perfection in both flavor and presentation.

Cusco

This city was the center of the Inca Empire until it fell to the Spaniards in 1532. Both Inca and Spanish Colonial architecture are abundant throughout the city. Cusco, a World Heritage Site, is quite lovely itself; it's also a good base from with to explore the Inca sites in the region.

Cusco viewed from Sacsayhuam? Rooftops of Cusco.

Plaza de Armas and Central Cusco

The Plaza de Armas is the main square in the center of Cusco, surrounded by fine examples of Spanish architecture, including the Cathedral and Compañía de Jesús. Cobblestone streets and restaurants abound in the City Center. The remains of an Inca temple wall can be seen on Hatun Rumiyoc, near the Plaza de Armas. The stonework of this and other Inca temple walls is impressive; the stones were cut so precisely that the walls were held together through friction. A 12-sided stone from the wall at Hatun Rumiyoc can be seen below.

Plaza de Armas, viewed from Sacsayhuam? Plaza de Armas, viewed from La Compa?de Jes?s. Fountain and Cathedral, Plaza de Armas. Cathedral viewed from La Compa?de Jes?s. La Compa?de Jes?s. Two men and a woman on a bench, Plaza de Armas. Men on a bench, Plaza de Armas. People on benches, Plaza de Armas. Two women and a girl, steps in front of the Cathedral, Plaza de Armas.




Female vendor in traditional wear and man in modern wear. Plaza de Armas. Calle Romeritos. Calle Warankallki. Woman sitting by pedestrian crossing signal. Yaj??, a juice bar whose name and logo are reminiscent of those of a famous internet company. Graffiti showing an Inca woman photographing a tourist, Calle Warankallki. Musician in front of La Merced. Qorikancha. Balcony at the corner of Calle Maruri and Calle Romeritos. 12-sided Inca stone, an example of the perfect craftmanship of the walls of Palacio del Inka Roka, Calle Hatun Rumiyoc.

San Blas

This is a pretty neighborhood on a hill above the city center.

Cuesta de San Blas, San Blas neighborhood. Pantaq Calle. Plazoleta de San Blas, San Blas neighborhood. Calle Tocuyeros, San Blas neighborhood.

Kusikancha

Kusikancha was the highlight of Cusco, for me. Unearthed within the last decade, this cancha, or Inca city block, is in the middle of Cusco, with an entrance on Maruri street. Only the base of the structure remains; there are no towering walls, except for one arch. Within the cancha are a few tame animals, including the delightfully playful Kusi, an alpaca.

Kusi, a young alpaca, at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Kusi, a young alpaca, at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Kusi, a young alpaca, at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Eve being playfully bitten by Kusi, a young alpaca, at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Llama at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Llamas at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Vicu?t Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco. Mummy at Kusikancha, an Inca site in central Cusco.

Sacred Valley

This area around Cusco contains hundreds of Inca sites, five of which I visited.

Ollantaytambo

Both the town and the ruins in Ollantaytambo are lovely. I recommend staying here overnight rather than just passing through on a whirlwind Sacred Valley tour. The town is laid out in its original Inca grid configuration. Although the houses are built in a more modern Spanish style, they are organized into canchas (like Kusikancha, above). The cobblestone streets, with flowers peeking out behind stone walls, are very pretty. Impressive Inca ruins are situated in the mountains around Ollantaytambo, including the Ollantaytambo Fortress, which was the only place that the Inca successfully resisted Spanish attacks -- accomplished by flooding the valley via the fortress' aqueducts.

View of Ollantaytambo from Ollantaytambo Fortress. View of fields from Ollantaytambo Fortress. Ruins on Pinkuylluna hill. Ruins on Pinkuylluna hill, seen from the Ollantaytambo Fortress. View of houses and Ollantaytambo Fortress from Pinkuylluna hill.

Plaza de Armas, seen from Pinkuylluna hill. Plaza de Armas. Two women, Plaza de Armas. River. Woman hanging underwear to dry. Woman walking down the street. Motorcycle taxi.

An Inca street, with ruins visible in the background. An Inca street. Lari Calle. Tree, with a permanently wind-swept shape, Ollantaytambo Fortress. Chicken walking along the street.

Red flower, with a fly resting on it. ping, yellow and orange flower, Pinkuylluna hill. Yellow flowers on Pinkuylluna hill. Pink and yellow flowers on the hill of Pinkuylluna, overlooking Ollantaytambo.

Qolqas (storehouses), Ollantaytambo Fortress. Ollantaytambo Fortress. Templo del Agua, Ollantaytambo Fortress. Woman carrying a baby, Ollantaytambo Fortress. Ollantaytambo Fortress. Terraces, Ollantaytambo Fortress. Ollantaytambo Fortress. Ollantaytambo Fortress.

Puca Pucara

Meaning "red fort", Puca Pucara is an Inca military complex eight kilometers from Cusco, nestled among rolling mountains.

Puca Pucara ruins, seen from Tambo Machay. Puca Pucara Puca Pucara ruins. Puca Pucara ruins.

Along the road near Puca Pucara:

Young donkey near the Puca Pucara ruins. Donkey near the Puca Pucara ruins. Donkeys near the Puca Pucara ruins.

Woman walking with a baby in a stroller along the road near the Puca Pucara ruins. House near the Puca Pucara ruins, with a relief of a jar and an alpaca. Puca Pucara ruins. Child and bull near the Puca Pucara ruins.

Qenko

Qenko was a place of worship. Unfortunately the most famous part, a zigzagging duct through which liquids (perhaps holy water or llama blood) flowed during ceremonies, is closed to visitors.

Cavern, Qenko ruins. Almost life-sized dolls hanging from a tree, Qenko ruins. Woman walking between tall rocks, Qenko ruins. Tall trees, Qenko ruins. Bridge in front of the Qenko ruins.

Sacsayhuamán

This large site is a 30-minute walk uphill from Cusco's Plaza de Armas. Sacsayhuamán was used as an Inca fortress and it may also have had religious significance. Some of the walls, like that at Hatun Rumiyoc, are made with perfectly cut interlocking stones. Views of Cusco from this site are incredible.

Sacsayhuam?ruins. Sacsayhuam?ruins. Altar, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Blocks and flowers, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Stairs, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Sacsayhuam?ruins. Dog overlooking Sacsayhuam?ruins. Alpaca, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Llama, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Llamas and an alpaca, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Three women with alpacas, Sacsayhuam?

Stones cut to fit perfectly together, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Stones cut to fit perfectly together, Sacsayhuam?ruins. Stones cut to fit perfectly together, Sacsayhuam?ruins.

Tambomachay

Water has flowed naturally and consistently here since Inca times when the site was used for ritual baths.

Inca baths, Tambomachay ruins. Tambomachay ruins. Inca baths, Tambomachay ruins.

Machu Picchu

 Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is very large, as you can see by looking at photographs of the site. What you don't realize until you get there is the three-dimensionality of the place. This ancient Inca city was hillier than San Francisco! Everywhere you look, including up and down, you see rows of amazing, beautiful Inca buildings, with valleys and mountains in the backdrop. This city was built in the 15th century and only inhabited for about 120 years before the population disappeared -- probably due to smallpox contracted from Spanish conquerors.

Machu Picchu. Narrow street between rows of buildings, Machu Picchu. Stairs, partly carved into large stone. Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu. Main Temple, Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu. Cave below the Temple of the Sun, Machu Picchu. Curved wall of the Temple of the Sun, Machu Picchu. Irrigation system, Machu Picchu. Terraces, Machu Picchu. Terraces, Machu Picchu. View of Urubamba River from Machu Picchu. Llama, Machu Picchu.

Inca Trail

This is a steep trail, partly following original Inca routes and paved with stones set by the Inca. The natural setting is stunning, and a few Inca ruins are visible from the trail. If you are passionate about hiking, then I recommend the 4-day trek along the trail.

The Inca Trail, not a stream. Inca Trail. Porters climbing the steps of the Inca Trail. Valley and mountains, seen from the Inca Trail. Flowers and mountains, Inca Trail.

Ruins at the side of the Inca Trail. Ruins at the side of the Inca Trail. Wi?Wayna ruins, near the Inca Trail. Ruins at the side of the Inca Trail. Inca ruins with a train passing by, seen from the Inca Trail. Ruins seen from the Inca Trail.

Sick woman carried by a porter on the Inca Trail. Donkeys at the side of the Inca Trail. Graveyard at the side of the Inca Trail. Shrine at the side of the Inca Trail. Wet and matted dog on the Inca Trail. Camp at a campsite near the Inca Trail.

Red, orange and green moss found on the Inca Trail. White plant seen on the Inca Trail. Moss-covered tree. Plant seen on the Inca Trail. Stream with moss-covered log at the side of the Inca Trail.

Flor de un D? an orchid found on the Inca Trail. Epidendrum secundum, an orchid seen on the Inca Trail. Pink flower seen on the Inca Trail. Pink flowers seen on the Inca Trail. Pink flowers seen on the Inca Trail. Pink, spiderlike flower seen on the Inca Trail. Elleanthus, an orchid seen on the Inca Trail. Yellow and pink flower seen on the Inca Trail. Pink flowers seen on the Inca Trail.

Lima

Lima, the capital of Peru, has outstanding colonial architecture and one of the most interesting color palettes of any city I've visited.

Parroquia de los Sagrados Corazones (Templo de la Recoleta), a beautiful blue church, Historic Center of Lima. Red and blue buildings, Calle de Serrano, Historic Center of Lima. Orange building, Calle de Serrano, Historic Center of Lima. Calle Quilca, Historic Center of Lima. Orange building, Calle Lampa, Historic Center of Lima. Light fixtures on an outdoor passageway, Historic Center of Lima. Green building with clothes hanging in the window, Pasaje Jos?laya, Historic Center of Lima. Pasaje Jos?laya, Historic Center of Lima. Peach-colored building, Historic Center of Lima. Purple, yellow and green building, Calle Domeyer, Barranco neighborhood. Jir?e la Uni?a pedestrian street, Historic Center of Lima.

Barranco

Barranco is a bohemian neighborhood with art galleries, bars, clubs, and a setting overlooking the beach. I saw a flyer advocating vegetarianism here (a rarity in Latin America).

Purple and peach buildings, with yellow flowers. Calle Domeyer, Barranco neighborhood. Flyer against Especismo (Speciesism) by <a href="http://www.especismocero.org">www.especismocero.org</a>. Calle San Martin, Barranco neighborhood. Calle Saenz Pe?Barranco neighborhood. Bus, Calle San Martin, Barranco neighborhood. Old gas pumps, Calle San Martin, Barranco neighborhood. Graffiti beginning "Esta es mi letra", Calle San Martin, Barranco Neighborhood. Paseo Chabuca Granda, Barranco Neighborhood. Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), Barranco neighborhood. Plaza San Francisco at night, Barranco Neighborhood.

City Center

The historic city center has beautiful plazas and colonial buildings. It is also one of the cleanest downtown areas I've seen.

Fountain, Plaza de Armas, Historic Center of Lima. Plaza San Mart? Historic Center of Lima. Yellow buildings, Plaza de Armas, Historic Center of Lima. Iglesia de San Francisco, Historic Center of Lima. Bus stop, Estaci?ir?e la Uni?Historic Center of Lima. Building near the Plaza San Mart? Historic Center of Lima. Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, Historic Center of Lima. Buildings near the Plaza San Mart? Historic Center of Lima. Mountain behind the Plaza de Armas, Historic Center of Lima.

The Malecón

These cliffs above the Pacific Ocean contains paths, parks and excellent views.

El Malec?Miraflores neighborhood. El Malec?Miraflores neighborhood. View of the beach, El Malec?Miraflores neighborhood.


More photos: View all photos in the directory /photos/peru/.
Eve Andersson (eve@eveandersson.com)

Comments

Beautiful photos eve!

The rock streets of Ollantaytambo reminded me of Panajachel a little bit. I had never seen such woolly llamas! I also liked the tree with the wind shape.

Thanks for sharing your pictures!

-- Pedro Liska


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