The Sacred Valley... Ruins and Villages

Back in Cusco for a few days to reaclimatise and plan our week in the Sacred Valley. Cusco was one of the main Inca Cities in days gone by, and guides like to imagine it was layed out in some sort of vague pattern that resembles a puma. The old town is pretty, full of Inca walls and colonial buildings, and good to spend a few days. It's all quite touristy, with plenty of gringo bars and restaurants, and the usual mix of the sun hat wearing tour groups and the dreadlocks and stripy pants brigade. The city is overlooked by the ruins of an Inca fortress/temple which is a short walk from the city (the Lonely Planet advises you against this as it assures you you'll be raped, robbed and murdered).

Collectivo to Pisac, an attractive small town 30km from Cusco, home to a fabulous handicraft market and to the ruined Inca citadel of Pisac. Arrived for the celebrations of the new bridge being opened, the old one was severely damaged in the huge floods that damaged so much of the valley's towns, and closed Machu Picchu for months. Also arrived on the mid week market day, where there's a mix of good quality handicrafts and a regular small town market.

Trekked up to the ruins of Pisac, which is a ruined Inca city high on the mountains. The walk there takes you through terraced mountain sides, and really gives you an appreciation of the size and effort that the Incas put into their cities (why build huge agricultural terraces when there's a plentiful fertile valley floor?). Alas, much of these questions will remain unanswered, as the Spanish conquistadors wiped out all vestiges of the culture, in the name of JC.

Off down the valley to Ollantaytambo, which another Inca village, which is still actually inhabited, and has been continuously since Inca times. Took a taxi to ruins at Moray, which some believe to be an agricultural terrace testing area, where different crops were evaluated at different elevations. Visited the nearby salt pans and colonial villages... ready for Machu Picchu!

Disappointed to see interpretation and management of the Inca ruins hasn't really improved over the past 10 years (though revenue gathering has!). Interpretation of these amazing sites is still in the hands of poorly trained and informal guides, who are limited to pointing out main features and imagining various rocks and shapes represent condors, serpents and pumas (the Incas were expert rock carvers – if they wanted something to look like a condor/serpent/puma I'm sure they would have).

Link to the pics here!