Two weeks in Cusco, Peru. 6/22 - day 11.
Chinchero -
Moray -
Las Salineras.
Chinchero (bus s/2, 45 min. elev. 3762m) was once Inca Tupac Yupanqui's country resort. Inca terraces, still in use by the local farmers. The small Spanish church (closes noon-1) is complete covered by colorful murals.
The tiny village of Maras is 4km west of the main road between Urubamba (~10 min) and Chinchero (~20 min). Beautiful scenery: snow peaks of Vilcanota Mountains, planted rolling hills, kids walking home from school (5km?) along the long dirt road, together with donkeys full of loads.
Hitched a taxi (s/55, probably was ripped off) to visit
Moray (s/5, 8km NW.) and
Las Salineras (s/5, 7km N.). Moray consists of three sets of concentric terraces (still farmed with potatoes, oats, and ...), in the natural depressions of the earth. Believed to be an agricultural experiment lab even before the Incas. Temperatures were said to be up to 15 degrees higher in the lower levels. However, I couldn't feel that.
Apparently, local potatoes tasted salty. There's an underground stream so saline that white crystals form on the rocks alongside the water. The water is also quite warm. The pre-Inca salt pans, 4000
pozas (shallow pools), dug into the hillside, still produce salt today.
A quick stroll and meal in the busy yet unimpressive town of Urubamba (elev. 2871m) in the valley. Caught the bus back to Cusco (last one leaves at 7pm). I must have eaten something bad, had a terrible fit in the bowel an hour later on the bus.
Chinchero (bus s/2, 45 min. elev. 3762m) was once Inca Tupac Yupanqui's country resort. Inca terraces, still in use by the local farmers. The small Spanish church (closes noon-1) is complete covered by colorful murals.
The tiny village of Maras is 4km west of the main road between Urubamba (~10 min) and Chinchero (~20 min). Beautiful scenery: snow peaks of Vilcanota Mountains, planted rolling hills, kids walking home from school (5km?) along the long dirt road, together with donkeys full of loads. 
Hitched a taxi (s/55, probably was ripped off) to visit Moray (s/5, 8km NW.) and Las Salineras (s/5, 7km N.). Moray consists of three sets of concentric terraces (still farmed with potatoes, oats, and ...), in the natural depressions of the earth. Believed to be an agricultural experiment lab even before the Incas. Temperatures were said to be up to 15 degrees higher in the lower levels. However, I couldn't feel that.
Apparently, local potatoes tasted salty. There's an underground stream so saline that white crystals form on the rocks alongside the water. The water is also quite warm. The pre-Inca salt pans, 4000 pozas (shallow pools), dug into the hillside, still produce salt today.
A quick stroll and meal in the busy yet unimpressive town of Urubamba (elev. 2871m) in the valley. Caught the bus back to Cusco (last one leaves at 7pm). I must have eaten something bad, had a terrible fit in the bowel an hour later on the bus.
