A Hodge-Podge

Since Choquequirao we've been having a grand old time meandering about and mostly taking it easy. We spent another few days in the Cusco area checking out the Sacred Valley, which runs northwest from the city towards Machu Picchu and holds more significant ruins from the Incan Empire. First we stopped at the ruins in Moray which archaeologists hypothesize were used for agricultural experimentation, specifically to test crop vitality in different climate zones, whose conditions were mimicked by the successive terrace levels.

From there we walked to the nearby Salinares. This collective salt mine has been used continuously since Incan times. Each pool belongs to a family who harvests the salt for personal use and extra income. A system of small aqueducts carries water from a spring above down through the complex so that each plot can be flooded with salt rich water then left to evaporate, leaving fresh salt behind.

Later we stopped for a night in Ollantaytambo, a town inhabited since Incan times and still built upon original Incan stone foundations. In true cheapskate style we scrambled up a hillside to sit at some patchy ruins (free entry) and watch the the tourists walk through the larger paid entry ruins across the valley. From there we headed to another small town called Pisaq and hit their famous Sunday market. The central square, and all the narrow cobbled streets leading up to it, were full of vendors selling weavings, clothing, jewelry and other such touristy stuff, but the central square is also the place where campesinos from the surrounding countryside come to sell their wares. Lovely fruits, veggies, dried herbs and spices, natural dyes and all manner of household goods could be bought.

Upon return to Cusco we learned we couldn't travel to Arequipa, as hoped, owing to road blocks in nearly every direction out of the city. For weeks people had been protesting proposed goverment acquisition of land for resource extraction by foreign companies, but when a bloody confrontation between natives and police led to dozens of deaths in northern Peru in early June, the whole country joined the fight. Recently the government overturned the controversial legislation and roadblocks were cleared, but by the time we left Cusco we had only one way out, and that way led to Lima. So there we went.

Arriving in Lima was a bit disappointing. We'd heard pretty much nothing good about the city, but had nonetheless figured we could find something to do in a place that big for a week until we flew out. Lima is not so bad, but not good enough to spend seven days in. One day was sufficient to check out Pizarro's tomb, the creepy but intriguing catacombs full of intricately arranged bones at the San Fransisco convent, and a museum on the Spanish Inquisition.

The next day we hopped a bus to Hauraz, where we can now be found. Huaraz is busy, bustling and maybe even a tad chaotic. Our hostel is a bit sketchy, but that has nothing to do with the ladies selling live guinea pigs and chickens out of bags on the street outside. Actually, that's my favorite part about this city. In the Mercado Central across the way you can find just about anything you need, including a two course lunch for less than a dollar.

Though we didn't have time to do one of the big trekking circuits we'd originally planned to, we did get into the Huascaran Park yesterday for a lovely hike up to Laguna 69. Though a rare bought of bad weather graced us with snow and rain at the higher altitudes it was nonetheless beautiful.