Ruins and villages

On Monday we went first to the ruins of Ollantaytambo, and the unfinished Temple of the Sun. The water system and ritual baths were very interesting. The hike to the top of the ridge was steep but short. The town was having a celebrations, with music and native costumes.

We took two hour bus ride up a switchback road to Accha Alta, to visit another textile village, at 12,800 feet in elevation. Lunch was at the village. These villagers do somewhat different types of weaving; a lot of shopping took place. We also received the skeins of yarn that we had helped dye. We made a stop at an overlook to see another ruin, and admired the alpacas. Many people live well above treeline.

We returned to the same hotel, the Taypikala Sacred Valley in Urubamba. Walking around the beautiful grounds, we saw a separate meeting room. We were told that they had Shamanic gatherings there.

Tuesday we started our day with a visit to the handicraft market of Pissac. We bought a few small things, including the two bulls and a cross found on the roof of many buildings here; the bulls represent the indigenous religion and Pachamama.

Sandi Shearing a llama

We continued to the village of Chauyatiri, at 12,460 ft elevation. There were a many weavers at work when we arrived, in their native costume. Sandi participated in shearing a llama with a knife. She also learned an edging stich from a young woman. 

Receiving line in village

Embroidered skirt

Sandi bought this piece

The lady teaching Sandi a stich

This village did not have electricity until 2017. It is amazing to see the houses on the hillsides, farming the terraces that may be pre-Inkan.

We visited briefly the ruins near Pisac; the most notable features were the terraces and the looted tombs cut into the hillside.

Thursday was a free day in Cusco. Sandi had meetings with the textile folks. Richard went to the regional museum; the most interesting thing was the rebellion of Tupac Amaru against the Spanish in 1780. This was a kind of Inka revival movement; Tupac had noble blood, and he is still an icon for native rights. Although the rebels had some initial successes, the rebellion was put down, and Tupac was quartered in the square in 1871. There is a huge mural in the museum depicting his execution.

When Sandi got out of her meetings, we went to the Maximo Laura museum and gallery, where we saw impressive tapestries with bright colors. One of Maximo's students was working on one of his pieces in the back of the gallery. We continued to the Inka museum, which had a special exhibit of Maximo Laura tapestries.

We saw many children and adults in costume for Halloween. The streets were crowded as we walked to our farewell dinner. We were headed to Lake Titicaca the next day. The rest of the group was going to Lima and then home.