The city of Cuzco is 11,000 feet above sea level. We arrive in Cuzco
and take a few hours off to acclimate, and then wander around. Cuzco was
the center of the Inca empire. In the main square (Plaza de Armas) schoolchildren
show off their dancing ability during a parade on Sunday.
Here we are having lunch at Chez Maggy's, a pizza place in Cuzco. You
are seeing about one half of the entire restaurant in this shot. Many
of the restaurants we ate at seated less than thirty people.
In the afternoon we go on a short walking tour of the city of Cuzco.
Unfortunately, the Spanish built many of their cathedrals on top of Inca
sites. This view is from a church that is for the most part built on the
Temple of the Sun. Note the irony of building a temple of the "Son"
on top of a temple of the "Sun." These are calendar stones of
some sort arrayed in the field.
Note the workmanship of these walls. This is Luis, our guide for Inca
information, who joined us in Cuzco.
Some stones showing the joints.
This corner is the only exposed part of the original Temple of the Sun.
The native people "adopted" the Catholic religion and many
practices, but made their own interpretations of much of it. Outside,
they decorate the crosses with garments to "keep Jesus warm."
An original Inca street that was part of the summer solstice ceremony.
Much of the Inca calendar centers around June 21st to June 24th, just
as the Christian calender centers around the end of December.
Off the Plaza de Armas, the largest church in Cuzco.
A shot across the Plaza de Armas. Most main squares are named this, because
it means the "Square of Arms." The four corners of the square
are where the cannon are housed.
