Day 52 – Inca´d out

This morning we set out to visit the Inca sites closest to the city. We had been told that taking a taxi to the furthest site and walking back was the best option and good training for the trek.

We reached the first site, Puka Pukara, just after 9. The weather was overcast but not as cold as it had been in the mornings. The site is that of an Inca defense for Cusco. Sections within the remains are clearly defined and the views from the outcrop it stands on are impressive.

Just down the road was our second stop, Tabomachay, an Inca resort. Climbing the path to the ruins caught me short of breath but its not as bad as as yesterday. The ruins feature a series of fountains set into the hillside. I´m sure there´s a story behind them but I didn´t find them that impressive.

Following the road back to Cusco we walked for another two or three miles before reaching Q Enqo (or Kenco as Tom calls it). En route we saw houses being constructed out of traditional materials – mud bricks and round wooden beams.

Q Enqo was a sanctuary for fertility. A phallic monolith marks the entrance to an amphitheater carved into the rocks. In one corner there´s an entrance to underground caves where giant carvings have been made in the rock. Sitting outside, having a snack, we were approached by the son of a local shaman. He talked about our fortunes and energy but strangely didn´t try the hard sell on his stone totems. To be honest I thought he was going to try and pick pocket us.

Continuing down the road we stopped off at the white statue of Jesus that overlooks Cusco. At night you can see him from town lit up against the black sky. Best view of the city so far.

Leaving the messiah we scrambled down a hill to the last Inca site of the day, Saqsaywaman. This site is known for marking the head of the puma, the outline of which marked the Inca city of Cusco. Its most notable features are the teeth like constructions and polished rocks.

I´ve got to admit to feeling a bit Inca´d out after two days of sightseing. But we have seen seven sites so far, making the most of our tourist pass.

We returned to town via the steep cobbled path.

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