Inca Heartland: Cuzco

Finally, we've arrived at the place where everything is more interesting. Everything about the Incas is so interesting yet so mysterious. There are so many questions about them that people don't have the answers to yet. We don't know too much about them but what we know about them is so fascinating. The stonework of the Incas is just phenomenonal. The stone walls are put together without any other materials like cement. They carved the stone so finely that each piece fits nicely atop one another. Even Seismic activity is taken into account. After centuries, these structures still stand so finely. Well some of them since the Spanish destroyed a good amount of them when they conquered the Incas.

The city of Cuzco has so much history but also so lively. There are so many cathedrals that were seen but also has the life of cities that I love about. Of course, the sun has makes it so much better to be here.

oh, did I mention about the food. There are many tropical fruits that can't be found anywhere else. I have also developed a real liking for papayas here. They're actually quite delicious though the smell is quite funky.Looking upon the amazing stonework of the Incas at the Saqsawaman. Obviously, the sun just makes it so much better!

This is where we visited today-
Temple of San Blas: The cathedral that the Incas built when the Spanish came. Lots of it is gold in color. The delicate designs are carved out of cedar tree (which is apparently really rare nowadays) and plastered. After they are painted with gold leaves which makes everything thing look real shiny, gold and elegant.
Qurikancha: Another cathedral. It was originally an Inca temple and the Spanish built a chapel atop of it and destroyed parts of the Inca temple when they conquered the area.
Basilica Cathedral: The main cathedral of Cuzco. It is 3 churches built next to each other and can walk through all of them without coming out of each one. Again, the gold decorations and carvings is the main attraction. The Spanish really liked bright and shiny decorations and ornations especially when it comes to religion. Even the Catholic statues like the virgin mary and Jesus are clothed with outrageously intricate outfits that are gold and shiny.
Saqsawaman: Another Inca site. Probably the highlight of the day. It is thought to be a forttress when the Spanish came but it is actually a water reservation/tank. I actually don't understand how that works considering the interesting thing about this place is the zig zag construction of the walls along a hill. The water tank is destroyed when the Spanish came which was a piece of evidence that it was actually a water reservation but the stone construction of the zig zag walls is definitely something to note.

But, I've to admit the Spanish interpretation of Catholic characters is a bit too much for me. It appears to me more creepy than glorifying. The paintings are so extravagant to the point where it is a little scary.

Anyways, here are some pictures. There isn't much pictures of the cathedrals and its inside because taking photos was not allowed (which is almost every part of the morning city tour):

1. Breakfast at the hotel. What a nice medieval set up looking out into the courtyard with the sun shining.
2. Inca stonework. If you look closely, there is not cement or any other material whatsoever that sticks the stone together. Its simply assymetrical large pieces of stone carved nicely to fit each other. And, if you look closely at the corner of the wall, every other stone is not two stones attached to each other. It is actually one piece of stone carved out to be a corner for stability sake. What an amazing and smart concept.
3. Thats my father at the courtyard at the Qorikancha.
4. Stalking people with my camera outside the Qorikancha. On the streets of Lima.
5. At the Plaza D'Arma. Lovin' the blue color everywhere!
6. More people stalking. At the Plaza D'Arma.
7. At amazing stone walls at the Saqsawaman. The amazing wall and the beautiful sun shining.
8. It ain't a day without a group picture. Viewpoint of Cuzco.
9. My father insisted I take this photo of him. At the conference room/chapel of the hotel. It used to be a monastery thus all the religious elements in the background. And this is how it looked like in all the cathedrals we visited today. Bright and shiny!
10. Cuzco at night. The main cathedral. There was a folk festival to celebrate the schools of Cuzco.

Tomorrows going to amazing! Onto Machu Picchu!
Oh, and train rides are so classy. lol

see ya,