Cusco to Puno

A full day of travel and activities as we traveled from the Inca capital of Cusco to the lakeside town of Puno. 

The first archeological site, Raqchi, was an Inca site with a Wari influence. The Wari were one of the pre-Inca tribes that were absorbed during the Inca expansion. The site had the remains of a huge temple and 150 food storage silos. The central wall of the temple is 15m high and is still standing. The bottom three metres are brilliant Inca stonework and the remainder is adobe and wood. It is amazing that it has survived earthquakes, the conquistadors and 500 years of weather... Small sections of window have been rebuilt to reconnect the pillars and the foundations of the other walls and pillars are still visible. It is an impressive site.

From there it was not far to a great buffet lunch, beginning with a delicious quinoa soup. We then loaded up our plates with salad and veges, barely leaving room for the beef or chicken. I don't think any of us touched the rice or pasta. After a few days of limited veges it was nice to have such an ample supply available.

Outside there was an interesting ritual going on. We had arrived to lunch just as what looked like a funerary pyre was being lit. The pyre was surrounded by a circle of robed and chanting people reminiscent of similar scenes in Nepal. By the time we left the pyre was well alight and the ceremony was continuing. Our guide told us that it was a Jewish group of Peruvian descent who were making an offering of a sacrificial lamb. Not something you see every day.

The scenery on this trip is absolutely stunning. The wide valleys with eroded rolling hills have given us a glimpse of rural and small town life in Peru. The fields are a patchwork of colours, with barley, wheat and quinoa in different stages of production. Occasionally we pass a woman wearying the traditional bulky skirts, cutting bundles of wheat or barley to be tied and stacked in neat pyramid bundles in the fields. Other women carry large bundles on their backs in brightly coloured blankets. The backdrop to all of this is the occasional 5500m snowy peak.  Plans of catching up on some much needed sleep were postponed while there was so much to see out the window.

In the hour between lunch and the pass we climbed 800m leaving behind the wheat fields and entering alpaca territory. The pass, at 4300m, is the boundary between the regions of Cusco and Puno.  Life in the small communities in this area must be tough and the adobe brick houses are built small to combat the cold in the freezing winter months.  In the absence of trees in this area, dried dung is the main source of fuel and heating.  

Crossing the pass we left the valleys of Cusco behind and entered the drier and opener expanses of the altiplano.

Our final stop was at some pre-Incan terraces. We skipped the terraces and headed into the small town.  Cynthia and Andre added to their handicrafts collection while Peter, Jane and I checked out the local market.  We found lots of meat (and sheepskins) and the car tyre sandals many of the porters were wearing on the Inca Trail (a bargain at NZ$5 - they would never wear out, but they may take a while to wear in!).  We also found some good fruit including a bean-like thing that was a bit like eating cocoa beans from the pods.

The final stretch was two hours on the bus, arriving in Puno around 5.30pm after a full, very scenic day.

Hazel