On 18th left Puno at 8.30PM arrived in Cusco at 5.00AM, we were supposed to arrive at 3.00AM but on the way our bus got stopped at some kind of customs check point, where they examined locals taking some stuff to Cusco. It gave me time to listen to 4 hours of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy audiobook. Checked in to Hotel Royal Qosco -- 15 soles/night. Hotel is okay...

Sept 20th, 2004

Took a trip to Sacred valley near Cusco. The Sacred Valley of the Incas, is actually the Vilcanota/Urubamba River valley. It is located about 10 miles north of Cusco Peru, and extends northwest through towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. This entire region, including Cusco, was the heart of the Inca civilization from the 14th to the 15th centuries.

First we visited the ruins of Pisaq. The archaeological complex of Pisaq has lots of original Inca terraces.

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It also has some structures (probably temples) in the form of flying bird.

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From the Pisaq we visited the town of Ollantaytambo. This archaeological complex was a big agricultural, administrative, social, religious and military center in the era of the Tahuantinsuyo. The Spaniards called it the Fortress of Ollantaytambo. But it is really a temple, Spanish called Fortress because they lost few battles here. This the only place where I found Inca statue so far, otherwise its always some spanish general....

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Also visited Chinchero, where there is a Church, which is built where there used to be Inca palace. The Church actually used the foundation of Inca palace. The guide told us there are lot of examples of this in Peru where Spanish went built churches on top of old Inca temples. I wonder if some day the Inca pride will rise in Peru and some of these churches will be converted back to Inca temples? All they need is ShivSena in Peru!!

Sept 21, 2002

Went on a city tour, visited place where there Both on the Sacred valley tour and during visit to

Visited the Dominican church and convent, which was built by Juan Pizarro
on top of important Inkan Temple demolishing it almost completely for adapting it to its new use. This Inkan temple used to havereal size animals in solid Gold, temple of the Sun where walls were covered with solid gold (58Kg) which spanish promptly melted and sent to their king!!

The original church was destroyed by an earthquake on March 31, 1650. Subsequently, the present-day structure was raised as well as the tower in 1780 with an elaborate baroque under direction of Fray Francisco Muñoz. On May 21st. 1950 another violent earthquake destroyed a large part of the convent and church as well as its tower leaving uncovered many Inkan structures and the interior area of the "Solar Round Building". By that time a strong "Indigenist Movement" suggested the relocation of the church and recovery of the Sun Temple; it is a pity that Catholic Church's political power did not allow that attempt for clearing the ruins of the major Tawantinsuyo's sanctuary. Actually UNESCO financed reconstruction of many churches in Peru after earthquakes, I wonder why...

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The guide on Sacred valley tour provided some good information. The Inca runners called Chasqui, relayed verbal and numeric messages to all parts of the empire from Cusco. The numeric messages consisted of knotted wool strings -- quipus. A quipucamaya (record-keeper) knew how to read these strings. The Incan runners used to run messages for two weeks a month. Each runner was equiped with a tambo -- a shell which he used to blow as he approached next stop -- tambo, where he would pass the message on. The Incans runners used to run 9Km/hr even at 4000-4500 meter! During the Incan empire they could always send message to every corner of their empire within five days, using the runners.