Peru – HurricaneMaine

Cusco

Cusco was the heart of the Inca Empire from the 13th to the 16th century. After the Spanish conquest in 1533, Cusco became a colonial city. Its Inca foundations were added to with European influences, which are seen in its baroque churches and plazas. What is interesting is after a devastating earthquake, 30% of all of the Spanish builds collapsed but only one block of Incan blocks cracked.

Views around Cusco.

We took a city tour to look at local Incan ruins.

This was used to determine the winter solstice in June. It still shows direct sunlight for 20 min on June 21.

The rainbow (arcois) Temple. All 3 Windows line up perfectly.

So how does Incan architecture work so well. Internally there are female and male stones that fit perfectly. This is a female stone.

Unfortunately baby llamas didn’t drink all day just for photo ops.

Saksaywaman was an Incan temple complex that was renamed after conquest by the Spaniards. It means eagles feasting due to the amount of dead bodies from the battles. The Spaniards dismantled the Incan temples to cut the blocks and make churches instead.

Q’enqo is a mausoleum for the dead. The dunes below are super cold. The platform is used for disemboweling and stuffing the insides with plants while the cubicle spaces are used for storing remains. The flat stone is many degrees cooler than the surroundings.

Tambomachay is a place for rest from runners. These people delivered news between incan villages. The springs and spaces provided rest.

Puma pucara was a place to check in when moving between incan villages. This was found where the road separated in 4 different ways.

On the 23rd started the Christmas markets here. Some great artists and also selling typical wares.

This cool dog came up to me, sat down and leaned against me. I tried to feed him but he just wanted attention.

On the last night we also took a cooking class. Always a lot of fun.

We started out making a pisco sour, the drink that originated in Peru.

Alpaca meat with roasted potatoes and chimichurri sauce

Local fruits with cheromoya cream sauce.

Dried aborted alpaca used in ceremonies.

The Incan developed a way of freeze drying potatoes for preservation. The resulting dishes had nutrients but not much taste .

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, is a masterpiece surrounded by breathtaking mountains. It was built in the mid-15th century during the reign of Emperor Pachacuti. It is high in the Andes, and is a testament to the Incan architecture and use of agriculture including aqueducts for water flow through the city.

The town was abandoned in the 16th century during the Spanish conquest when the people fled to Vilcabamba (the Spaniards destroyed that city). The Incans destroyed a portion of the Incan trail so Machu Picchu could not be found. A farmer later found it but did not realize its importance. It remained largely hidden until American explorer Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911. The terraces for agriculture and temple foundations were intact.

The route to get there seemed complicated but actually was quite easy though long. After 1.5 hr van ride on windy roads, followed by a 1.5 hr train ride with spectacular scenery, the final 25 min to the site from Aguas Caliente was with it. It truly is a beautiful place to visit.

The trapezoid shape of the windows provided strength from settling.

Pools of water were used to magnify the sun and determine the solstices and the equinoxes.

Temple. The largest stones were often used for the most important buildings

After 2.5 hours of exploring we took the bus back to Agua Caliente to have a delicious lunch and walk around. Then followed the 1.5 hr train ride and 1.5 hr van ride to return to Cusco. A magnificent but long day.

Lima

I arrived late at night in Lima and had almost two full days to investigate. I stayed in the hotel Continental Lima in the central historic district. Beautiful area. The traffic on some streets is horrible but similar in other cities.

The next morning I walked to Miraflores which is along the Pacific. Along the way I snapped pictures and visited shops. The Spanish architecture always is amazing.

Finally I made it to Miraflores and walked along the malecón along the ocean. The whole trip was a nice walk through neighborhoods. I love to people watch and look at architecture.

I then walked along the malecón towards love park.

There was an Incan archaeological sure nearby called Sitio Huaca Pucllana.

Earlier in the day I decided to join a night tour. Even though Lima is much safer than Quito, I would not go to some places myself late at night. Darwin was a Spanish guide (I decided to do the tour in Spanish to up my language skills. He was a great tour guide, letting me stop for a pisco sour which was invented here and listen to some Christmas music.

https://youtube.com/shorts/XrjyKTMFroQ?si=GxTMhEBIrWeYd4ZF

We also viewed a local artist show depicting the birth of Jesus

The plaza mayor de Lima

During Independence Day this fountain spouts Pisco sour instead of water. People can bring a cup!

From the 16th to the 19th centuries, a distinctive tradition emerged among women known as the “tapadas limeñas.” These women wore a unique ensemble that allowed them to move through the city with a degree of anonymity and freedom uncommon for women of that era. They could interact in public spaces without being easily recognized which gave independence and social mobility.

Despite attempts by authorities and the Catholic Church to prohibit this practice—viewing it as morally and socially disruptive—the tradition

Today, the legacy of the tapadas limeñas is remembered as a unique aspect of Lima’s cultural history, symbolizing a period when women cleverly navigated societal constraints to assert their presence and autonomy in public life.