The first visit to Peru was deliberately planned and chaperoned through an advertised trip purchased online. The intimidation of the news, the scare tactics of travel books, as well as the uncertainty of language barriers (I knew almost no spanish words at that time) - persuaded me to take advantage of the marketed Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley eight day all-inclusive tours. Targeted to Americans in the United States, the tour boasted of promises to witness guided grandeur and culture, while providing some historical information along the way. For the most part, it certainly did. However, when the antics and abrasiveness of other tour group members irritated me, I took a chance and requested a 'solo escape' with permission from the guides. And that is when my deep relationship with a foreign place called Peru with descendants of the Incas, began.
Machu Picchu is the most popular and well known of sites, of course. Oddly enough, I was only about eight years old when I first read a story about the legends of the Andes gold, and heard about Machu Picchu. A few National Geographic specials later, I was hooked on the vivid imagery of history and legends, the great Inca people standing against the Conquistadors, the amazing cities in the mountains. Little did I know what my childhood desires would spark. My first trip to Peru in 2005 was planned like the typical tourist visit, beginning with the 'group tours' to Machu Picchu from Cusco. What a surprise, as there was so much more. At Machu Picchu, I naturally requested the guides if I might depart from the group and walk alone among the city ruins and the trails. It was the first time I felt at home in the world--- as a peaceful feeling enveloped me and I became very absorbed into my excursion. I walked back and forth, through the clouds in the early morning hours, then repeated the Inca trail from Inti Punku (an entrance gate) to the central portion of the city, just to experience that again during the full sun hours. I even traversed the cliffs to Huayna Picchu ("baby mountain") quickly, just to see the amazing prowess and ingenuity of the Inca architecture, and of course, the splendorous view.
photo album @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/11709045@N04/sets/72157624248372732/
After another trip to the north in previous years, this year (2010), I decided to go back to state of Cusco. But I heard of another place, a more intriguing one that still remains clouded in mystery and controversy. And this time, Cusco became more than a vacation journey. It became a place of discovery and a second home.
Choquequirao:During 4 days, I took the opportunity to finally go to Choquequirao (the spelling varies, depending on who writes it). I heard of this place 3 yrs ago, an incredible visionary remnant of the last of the Inca hideouts during the end of their empire. Indescribable in words, it is nestled on the side of a mountain in the western end of the state of Cusco, Peru, just past the Apurimac river (which divides two mountain sections entirely). To reach this hidden treasure, it is necessary to travel 5 hours from Cusco to the closest rural city of Cachora by bus and/or taxi, then either backpack or request a mule porter service and guide and maneuver through the most treacherous narrow switchbacks I ever experienced. Due to my asthma in cold climate, I also required a horse (or the typical mule type animal the locals prefer). From Cachora, it is another day and half journey on foot, over two mountains, across a bridge over the Apurimac River, then over another mountain and peak, through another valley. 32 kilometers on mostly 60 to 70 degree slopes. To this day, with all of our modern conveniences and technology, it is impossible for cars or boats to even get close, as the river is full of level 3 and 4 rapids (according to my local guide) and the mountains are far too steep for any car or a non-sure-footed animal. My guide was a local from Cachora, speaking only spanish, which added to my experience as I needed the additional study. He is young, excellent at his work, and very stoic (true to his Inca heritage) when he had a slight accident (his thumb nail came off when it got caught on the saddle). Alberto, full of the heart of the local rancheros, quick and able on these harsh trails and good with horses and mules. He never even complained when the mules worked the ropes loose during the night and fled 6 km until he ran uphill to catch up with them. He said I actually was rather capable and quick on the path when my asthma was not bothering me (during the desert, jungle and hot portions).
The journey is amazing. Peruvian eagles flew by, hundreds of species of butterflies fill sections and if one is fortunate, a cloud of butterflies and dragonflies will occasionally come by in a flutter of colors more brilliant than rainbows. In these mountains, in the span of 6 to 8 hours of trekking, one experiences all seasons and temperatures. Danger is everywhere, as recent signs of avalanche are very evident and constant. Wasps and bees the size of a hand span may pass by, and blood sucking gnats (called 'mosquitos' there) attack any unexposed skin dozens at a time without repellent. Vampire bats may attack the livestock at night. The midday sun is burning and the hot areas are dry and parching. The land is a continuous blur of desert and jungle, clouds and earth, river and mountain, summer and winter, danger and beauty. A sudden late afternoon wind can bring temperature shift downward of 70F or more, in minutes. Even the lines of night and day become confused in space and time as crossing one side of the mountain into valleys or peaks will lengthen or shorten the morning and afternoon hours. Ice cap peaks are near by and because the altitudes are between 1800 (at the Apurimac River) and 3500 meters (on certain mountain peaks en route), you literally sleep in the clouds. One of the encampments near the river (Chiquiska) was in jungle-like conditions, with fresh guayabanana, banana, chirimoya, limon, and sugar cane. The tents were posted in a grassy opening with so little light pollution that I had forgotten how many stars do exist. Another encampment was so cold (Maranpata), it felt about 35 degrees at times, until the clouds enveloped and provided some humid temperature enclosure. The mountain water is so fresh, I drank from the waterfalls and streams. The water tasted strong of mountain minerals, with a slight and pleasant calcium and phosphate aftertaste. Locals sell bottled drinks, offer herbal mate and chica (made from sugar cane, offered in an encampment called Santa Rosa) along the way. Some of the journey is on extremely dry, sandy, slippery stones with paths only a foot wide on the cliffs. I trusted the horse more than myself on parts, yet other parts, it is impossible on horse back, it is necessary to guide and work with the horse to have enough balance to continue.
The reward... is a visage unimaginable until you finally reach the destination. A city on a slope so steep, it completely encompasses jungle, top soil, mountain desert plateau with plains, all in one. Every necessity grows there. The city itself is another 3 or 4 kilometers of walking slopes and stairs where excavated, though one person mentioned it is excavated only about 12 square kilometers (of the known sections. They believe the vegetation overgrowth is so severe, there is much that is unknown). When viewed from the opposite mountain side, the view of the city extends from the bottom to the top of the mountain with a vast enormity that completely overwhelms the spirit. The vision of the city is like a mirage, as the night clouds become a natural shroud that envelops the city until the sun sets it free again. The superiority of mountainous trekking and architectural feats of the Incas are plainly clear -- for this difficult 2 day journey is necessary to truly understand the determination and faith of the Inca people in Pachamama and themselves. Only about 20% to 30% of the ruins seem excavated, as the government does not have enough money or capability to do more at this time. It is necessary to do all of it manually without modern machinery here, or threats of avalanche and vibration destruction are always present. But what is excavated, is an amazing example of an advanced people that existed simply with nature and the presence of their unbreakable spirit remains in the silent testimony of the now abandoned city. Amazing water canals, building constructions of granite and quartz mix with an early form of cement, precision architecture, giant terraces for specific agriculture operations, giant storage chambers... government buildings, sacred buildings, bathrooms (YES, they had bathrooms with segregated water flow to have proper hygiene), and secrets.... many secrets, lost. And YES, a pair of condors flew overhead as I experienced all of this. One cannot even begin to imagine what this journey is like--- it is a soulful experience for those who dare to undertake the entire leap of faith themselves. This is a place to be experienced more than once-- to sit with the complex ecological system just a little longer (without disturbing it!), to see what else has been uncovered, with great hopes it remains in the balanced status it was found.
Pictures of the journey and Choquequirao (that do little justice to portray the reality) @
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11709045@N04/sets/72157624137443293/
I also learned again (especially traveling more as a 'typical latino' rather than american), the Inca people are alive and well. The culture and tradition is not gone, just not in the 'open'. It has matured into a new reality, a new drive. One realizes the Inca also conquered (mostly in peaceful manners) and assimilated a grand collective of their predecessors, who chose to believe in life. They learned how to utilize and adapt the best from the worst. They learn to make trades, concessions, so life may continue. When the Conquistadors and Franciscans came to punish them for their amaranth and Pachamama--- the Incas fought, then they silently intertwined their beliefs and lifestyle into the new world of the conquerors. The church frescos quietly boast of hidden Inca traditions as symbols of serpents and sun often crown well above the figures of Christ and Virgin Mary. Even their original food source choices, llama, guinea pig (cuy), maize, potato, quinoa and amaranth, for example—are selected for survival. Some have mentioned to me, modern science has found quinoa and amaranth will even grown in soil contaminated with radiation. They are very proud to mention how Peru has donated to testing labs and nuclear stockpiles, and imagine the Inca tradition continuing in the future. They know there is life and there is death--- but the cycle can continue and does so with respect returned to the will of nature no matter how much is contaminated or destroyed by modern ways. They know fully well that nature is not afraid to rebalance and conquer when insulted, but rewards well when understood. They also know peace in life is achieved by peace with nature.
Peru is a testimonial to the potential possibilities of human survival in harmony with all of nature. There is rawness and purity that brings calm and a quiet here, as is the respect to life and death; this is to know a reality of life that most modern conveniences have helped us to forget. The need to listen to nature is never fully forgotten still—even though imported Eucalyptus and pine trees, cows, sheep and ducks, and companies likes Coke, Pepsi, Nestle and Frito Lay’s has done so much to infiltrate the entire country sides---there is little wasted to litter and always the thought to pay attention to what is useful and adaptable. There is even talk of rejection of the use of fertilizers by the farmers because they noticed that modern fertilizers started to destroy the soil conditions.
With all I’ve learned of the people and their history, I know now, those who learn the survival secrets of the Inca, are those that will survive wars, famine and natural disasters and will carry the legacy to the future of all humanity.
Coming soon, I hope to cover the other surrounding sites of Cusco:
Tipon, Picillacta (pre-Inca), Chinchero (pre-Inca and Inca), Sacsayhuaman and “Christo Blanco”, Urubamba Valley (Sacred Valley), Ollataytambo, and even the city of Cusco (and Qorikancha, within).
note: More information on Machu Picchu and Choquequirao is readily available on the web-- but there still exists considerable amounts of dissention on the historical facts of both sites with experts in Peru as well as print. Much of the architectural discoveries are fairly consistent, but there are differing theories on the actual use of certain facilities or some food storage methods, or the use of watch towers, for example.
Thanks to my friends:
Juan Carlos Machicado Figueroa (guide, specializing in Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman, Ollataytambo, Urubamba and Pisaq areas; languages English and Spanish), has published books in the subject of Inca archaeology, history and architecture. He can be reached @ inka2000@hotmail.com directly for more inquiries.
Mary Jean Ordoñez Valle (my dear hostess and friend of CASA HOGAR, the best hostel experience in Cusco if one wants to stay with locals! http://www.guesthousecusco.com/,
also found on AirBnB (http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/31399?price=20.0&r%5Bcity%5D=Cuzco&r%5Bcountry%5D=PE&r%5Blat%5D=-13.525&r%5Blng%5D=-71.9722222&r%5Blocation%5D=Cusco%2C+Peru&r%5Bnumber_of_guests%5D=1&r%5Bprecision%5D=city&r%5Bseo_city%5D=cuzco&r%5Bseo_other%5D=pe&r%5Bstate%5D=Cusco&r%5Bsubmit_location%5D=Search) , “Mary Jean in Cusco” ---- very clean, reasonable, excellent service and terrace view of Cusco and able to assist as a guide herself--- the most helpful ‘mama de mundo’ (mom to the world!) ever!!!! languages: Spanish, English, French).
David Mancilla M. (tour operator @ Macaw Adventure in Cusco, covering most of the historical and adventure tourism in the surrounding areas; multiple languages Spanish, English, French).
davidmacawadventure.com
Alberto Mollendito (guide, located in Cachora, specializing in the history of Choquequirao, regional hiking/mule tours and camping arrangements; language Spanish)
