My parents came to visit me and I had the most amazing time sharing my life here in Peru with them. We adventured all around Trujillo, my site, and then headed off to Cusco and the Sacred Valley to enjoy some Inca culture. But first, we visited Chan Chan, the largest pre-Columbian community in the Americas, and the largest adobe city in the world. It was built and used by the Chimu people around 1300 A.C.
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| 4 steps of fish |
The "offices" area of Chan Chan was built like a labyrinth, so that invaders would not be able to find the chambers of the priests. The animal or geometric shapes carved at the base of the walls indicated which hallways lead the way out and which hallways lead to dead ends.
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| Follow the fish, they lead the way out of the maze! |
Chan Chan had over 300 fresh-water wells that served the population of over 60,000 people.
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| Well water source |
After Chan Chan we ventured off to visit the other Huacas (temples) around Trujillo. We took the "local" bus, a taste of real Peruvian life for my parents.
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| Enjoying a local bus ride |
We also visited the Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon), built by the Moche people around between 0 - 600A.D. The original paint on the walls is still there, though only in some parts where the walls had been buried and other levels of the temple build on top of them.
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| Original painting |
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| Here you can see the levels of the temple, each were built on top of one another |
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| Intricate carvings representing slaves, spiders, and other sun gods |
After our adventures around Trujillo, we explored the city itself. We went to the archaeological museum, the central market, visited the remaining mansions from the colonial period, and saw the raising of the flag in the main square.
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| Flag raising ceremony in Trujillo |
After Trujillo, we were off the visit my site! We also have ruins in my site from the Virunese people, who lived here around year 0. We went to visit the "Castillo Tomabal" (a castle), and saw the remains of pottery that was found in the area.
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| Ceramics of the Virunese Culture |
After learning about the local cultures of the northern coast of Peru, we were off to Cusco to learn all about the Incas!
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| Cusco |
On the way to Ollayantambo, we stopped at an animal reserve where we got to see rescued animals such as parrots, llamas, vicunas, alpachas, pumas, and condors.
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| Dad and Parrot |
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| Pumas |
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| The Sacred Valley of the Incas |
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| At a weaving demonstration of textile production (same process the Incas used) |
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| Incan stormwater system |
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| In Chinchero at the original Incan walls |
In Ollantaytambo, we visited the Incan ruins. Very impressive! The carved faces into the mountainsides, aligned their farms in the shape of a sundial, and build huge retaining walls to farm the hillsides in the surrounding area. The engineering was also top-notch: each stone was carved as to support those around it, so the sides of each stone were all in compression with one another. The walls are built from huge stones, and have survived many earthquakes.
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| Climbing the stairs at the Ollantaytambo ruins. |
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| Examples of large carved stones |
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| Face carved in the mountainside |
Once we were done seeing the sites in Ollantaytambo, we were off the Aguas Calientes, the last stop before the final bus to Macchu Picchu! The only way to get there is by train.
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| Train station |
Finally the big day had arrived! We woke at 4am to have a quick breakfast and get in the bus line to head up to Machu Picchu. There were A LOT of stairs to climb at Machu Picchu, and my parents climbed all the way to the top like champs.
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| Climbing the stairs |
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| We made it! |
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| What a good lookin' family at Machu Picchu!! |
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| Huge walls |
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| The process for cutting the large stones included sawing with ropes and creating small notches in rocks to break them. |
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| Ceremonial 3 windows |
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| Rocks at Machu Picchu carved in the same shape as the surrounding mountains |
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| Condor temple, as rocks that look like a Condors wings |
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| Original Inca trail to Machu Picchu |
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| On my way to the sungate, looking back at Machu Picchu |
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| Original Inca bridge |
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| So scary! |
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| Best dad in the whole world! |
After our adventures in the Sacred Valley, we were back in Cusco to explore the remains of Incan and Spanish colonization in the city.
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| Qorikancha, in Cusco |
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| Qorikancha is an Incan temple that was later modified and used by the Spanish |
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| I have no idea how you would cut that |
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| Left wall: Incan. Right wall: Spanish. Which is nicer? |
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| Mix of Incan walls and Spanish facades. |
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| Cathedral in the main square |
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| Ruins at Sacsaywaman |
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| Huge stones! |
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| Main Plaza, Cusco |
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| Famous 12-sided stone |
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| Performance of typical Peruvian dances |
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| Incan salt beds at Salinas |
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| Incan agricultural experimental center at Moray |
After out Cusco fun, we were off to spend some time in Lima. We went to the Musero Larco, and saw some amazing displays of Peruvian culture and history.
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| Mummy (a person is curled up inside) |
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| In the "storage rooms" of the museum, where there are over 50,000 clay pots! |
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| More storage |
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| Gold from the Chimu people |
Lima concluded our trip, my parents were off back to the USA, and me, back to my site to get back to work. I have a composting latrines and improved cookstove project that I am currently working on. Updates on those projects to come!
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