taking the pisac
with macchu pichu to come, we set out into the sacred valley to enjoy the hors d´oeuvre of the inca ruins at pisac. as it was a sunday the weekly market was in full swing, but i managed to wrench vicki away from the beads and stuffed llamas and set her on course up the slope to the mountaintop fortress. pisac is at the bottom of a valley, surrounded by rolling green andean peaks, one of which is topped by some inca watchtowers and ceremonial structures. although lower in altitude then cuzco, it is still high enough to make gasps for oxygen when clambering up the mountain path completely unforgiving. i enjoyed the hike as we climbed up and past inca terracing, all the while with the watchtowers looming above, but it was absolutely knackering, especially in the midday heat. i certainly lost some love from vicki when we met some friendly yanks who were hiking down, having got a cab to the top: maybe the more sensible option but who wants to be sensible when you can be a wreck. after a long sweaty slog the view down the valley from the watchtowers made it worthwhile although it was disappointing as always on reaching the structures to find that a number of them had been rebuilt. no matter how carefully and lovingly these reconstructions are performed, and in this case it wasn´t particularly, i always feel slightly cheated when i view ruins that have been reassembled, all straight edges and bright new stone. personally i´d much rather have things left as they stood and let the imagination fill in the blanks, but unfortunately i seem to be in the minority on this.all in all a good, if tiring, day out and one that whets the appetite for macchu pichu. i have a horrible feeling that after all the hype and build up it may end up being a bit of an anti climax, but it is undeniably a site which has to be seen, and one which i hope will disprove my cynicism.
posted by bicrom @ 6:23 pm
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