{"id":6965,"date":"2019-04-28T19:33:22","date_gmt":"2019-04-28T16:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/padureanu.com\/uncategorized\/drumul-soarelui-catre-cusco-si-valea-sacra\/"},"modified":"2019-10-11T23:57:17","modified_gmt":"2019-10-11T20:57:17","slug":"drumul-soarelui-catre-cusco-si-valea-sacra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.padureanu.com\/en\/travels\/peru-en\/drumul-soarelui-catre-cusco-si-valea-sacra\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Route of the Sun to Cusco and the Sacred Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back in the time of the Incas, the Route of the Sun or Ruta del Sol<\/strong> was the main road connecting the two symbols of this civilization: Lake Titicaca<\/strong> and the Sacred Valley<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This is the road followed by the legendary characters, Manco Capac<\/strong> and Mama Ocllo<\/strong>, sent by the supreme God, the creator of the Inca universe, Apu Con Tiqui Viracocha, <\/strong>to bring civilization to the Andean peoples.<\/p>\n

Now, this road, measuring 385 Km, is an important touristic route connecting two large cities from the Southern part of the country: Puno<\/strong> and Cusco<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Ruta del Sol<\/strong> can be traveled on in two ways: by bus, on the road, or with the tourist train.<\/p>\n

The tourist train travels several times per week, and a ticket costs somewhere around 200 and 300 dollars. This is an option used only rarely, given the long duration of the trip.<\/p>\n

The most used option is by car, through one of the several tourist agencies operating on this route, an option that we also went for.<\/p>\n

The drive takes 10 hours, by bus, and includes stops to the most important archaeological landmarks on this route.<\/p>\n

Our journey started from Puno, via Juliaca, Pucara and then reached the tall Andean plateau, guarded by high mountains on either side.<\/p>\n

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The landscape is one of an alpine meadow or steppe, whichever term you prefer, which seems to be endlessly extending in the distance.<\/p>\n

On both sides, there are local communities, which generally live from animal farming (lamas and alpacas) and live in clay cottages, covered in metal sheets, spread here and there, on the plateau.<\/p>\n

La Raya<\/h2>\n

The highest peak of the road is La Raya<\/strong> pass, at an altitude of 4332 m.<\/p>\n

From up here, in the distance, you have a view of Mountain Apu Chimboya.<\/strong> ‘Apu’ is a prefix used for any tall mountain or place\/thing in Quechua<\/strong> language.<\/p>\n

Chimboya<\/strong> peak has an altitude of 5489 m and, from this mountain the famous river Urubamba <\/strong>springs. However, in this region the river is called Vilcanota<\/strong>, according to the denomination in Aymara language.<\/p>\n

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Here are some pictures of La Raya<\/strong>, the highest point on Ruta del Sol<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Like in our country, here, in a parking lot on the side of the road, tens of traders are gathered, tempting you with traditional products, made of alpaca wool of various colors.<\/p>\n

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Route of the Sun – La Raya<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Route of the Sun – La Raya – The parking is full of traders selling local products<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Locals owning an alpaca will allow you to take photos with the animals for a few soles<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Photo with the alpaca :)<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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La Raya – With Mountain Chimboya in the background<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Along the journey, in addition to the stop for food, which was included in the fare, the tourist route comprises of a series of visits to several archaeological or tourist attractions.<\/p>\n

They are the following:<\/p>\n

Pukara Museum<\/h2>\n

Located at 3900 m altitude, in the vicinity of the town with the same name, the archaeological site Pukara<\/strong> is the most important ceremonial center on Altiplano<\/strong> plateau.<\/p>\n

This is where the Pucara<\/strong> was developed and it corresponds to the “formative period”, somewhere around 400 AC.<\/p>\n

The site includes a series of “pyramids”, located at the foot of a mountain, probably used by this warrior people as fortifications.<\/p>\n

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Pukara Museum<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Pukara Museum<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Pukara Museum – Patio<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Catholic cathedral close to Pukara Museum<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

Raqchi – Temple of Viracocha<\/h2>\n

The archaeological site of Raqchi<\/strong> includes a series of constructions from the Inca period, erected in the honor of the almighty God, Viracocha<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Next to the actual temple, at the entry, the site also includes partial reconstructions of the dwellings where locals used to live, as well as a series of circular warehouses where the Incas would store the agricultural crops in between the seasons.<\/p>\n

For us, this was the first contact with the Inca religious architecture, characterized by the formidable attention to details. The remaining rocks of the temple are shaped to join each other perfectly, without requiring any plaster and the shape of each rock is different.<\/p>\n

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Entry in the Archaeological Park Raqchi<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Raqchi – Temple of Viracocha<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Raqchi – Inca foundations, no plaster<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Raqchi – Columns which once supported the roof<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Food warehouses<\/div><\/div>
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Homes of the humble locals<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

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Andahuaylillas – Saint Apostle Peter Cathedral<\/h2>\n

The cathedral is called, as an exaggeration, of course, the ‘Sistine Chapel of South America’, its name coming from the extremely rich mural paintings on the ceiling and altar.<\/p>\n

Being rich indeed, sometimes even too rich, they highlight a mixture of cultures resulted in Peru, following the Spanish invasion.<\/p>\n

The local symbols (sun, snake) are intertwined with Christian symbols, in a mind-boggling cocktail, probably needed to impress indigenous populations.<\/p>\n

Cusco – Tourism capital of Peru<\/h2>\n

As you get closer to Cusco, the landscape changes, step by step, and the wide meadows are replaced by deep valleys, where the route continues in hairpin bends.<\/p>\n

Towns also become more colourful and well-organized. You finally start seeing more modern, plastered and painted houses.<\/p>\n

The access to Cusco<\/strong>, as in Lima, is difficult, given the congested traffic. For this reason, it takes almost an hour to arrive in the city center.<\/p>\n

After a 10-hour drive, we arrived in Cusco<\/strong>, quite tired, somewhere around 5.00 P.M. Still, we hurried to go out to get a feel of the local atmosphere.<\/p>\n

This gave use the chance to admire “in the moonlight” the beautiful colonial architecture and the outstanding historical vestiges.<\/p>\n

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Cusco, Plaza des Armas at night<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Plaza des Armas at night<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Plaza des Armas at night<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Cusco, Temple Qorikancha<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Down the town centre streets, which are still unchanged. You can see the foundations<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Cusco, Temple Qorikancha with the current cathedral built on top<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Cusco, Plaza des Armas at night<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Patio accommodating a Hostel<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Cusco, Palace of Justice<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Cusco, Plaza des Armas view from the window of ‘La Estancia Andina’ restaurant<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

The former capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco<\/strong> is a pretty town, with narrow and picturesque streets.<\/p>\n

The old town centre’s appeal is given by the old, short, single floor homes, with wooden balconies with sculpted details.<\/p>\n

The skillfully lighted facades, during the night, caused a strong impression, particularly by contrast with the extremely poor areas that we visited in the last days.<\/p>\n

After an excellent dinner at “La Estancia Andina<\/strong>” restaurant in Plaza des Armas, where we had one of the local dishes, alpaca stake,\u00a0 we went to bed,\u00a0 eager to start exploring the city and its surroundings, on the second day, first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n

Qorikancha- The Inca temple of the sun<\/h2>\n

Any tour of Cusco<\/strong> starts with this defining landmark for the Inca civilization.<\/p>\n

Qorikancha<\/strong> means the\u00a0‘golden book’<\/strong> in Quechua and during the Inca time this was perfectly true, the temple walls being literally covered in gold.<\/p>\n

Chronicles mention that the walls, floors and ceilings were covered, upon the arrival of Spanish conquistadors, with 700 massive gold sheets, each weighing about 2 kg.<\/p>\n

The temple also had massive gold altars, dedicated to different Andean deities, the mummies of the Inca kings being also buried here.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, as of the 16th century, the Spanish invader destroyed most of the temple, eager to wipe away the Inca kings and the old religions, considered pagan, from the memory of conquered populations.<\/p>\n

Using the stone of the old temple, they built the monastery and Dominican church that exist today. Moreover, given its strategic position, on a hill, military facilities were built to accommodate Spanish garrisons.<\/p>\n

It was only after two strong earthquakes, causing the colonial constructions to collapse, that the Spanish started appreciating the skill of Inca architects, because the only walls standing were those remaining from the Incas.<\/p>\n

So, for reconstruction, they kept the original foundations, thus resulting in this combination of styles that we can admire to date, in Qorikancha.<\/p>\n

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Qorikancha – Entry through the current monastery of Santo Domingo<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Earthquake-resistant Inca walls<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Some walls are inclined towards the inside or the outside, to better support the structure<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Rocks are carefully shaped, using wooden moulds, then put in position, where they can be perfectly assembled with the others.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Alcoves in the temple walls<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Reproduction of how the Incas saw Viracocha, the faceless god, the creator of the Universe (shaped as a shapeless oval).<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Our Group in the Santo Domingo Monastery courtyard<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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In the Santo Domingo Monastery hallways<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Courtyard of Qorikancha temple<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Exterior wall of Qorikancha temple<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

I would recommend visiting this site only with a well-prepared guide, explaining you various details of the Inca culture and civilization, in parallel to the remaining ruins.<\/p>\n

We had the fortune to be accompanied by a great guide, Maria Cristina, fluent speaker of Quechuan, who is extremely proud of her Inca origins.<\/p>\n

This video shows her pronouncing in Quechuan the full name of the Viracocha god, the creator of the universe for the Incas.<\/p>\n