Day Three Afternoon

This afternoon we traveled along the Urabamba River to the World Heritage site of Ollantaytambo. The town dates from Inca times and has been continuously inhabited since then. Above the town are terraced fields and a temple to the sun god. The temple and terraces were never finished due to the fall of the empire to Pizarro and the Spanish.

Carole stands next to an Inca wall in the city Carole stands next to an Inca wall in the city	One of the narrow streets Note the drainage ditch on the side The homes on either side date from the Inca times One of the narrow streets Note the drainage ditch on the side The homes on either side date from the Inca times	This family sang us a song, for a fee This family sang us a song, for a fee	Women like this come from the highlands around town Women like this come from the highlands around town
A typical street scene A typical street scene	Carole observes finely cut stone at a street intersection Carole observes finely cut stone at a street intersection	A niche in the wall on a street A niche in the wall on a street	The inside of a typical home reveals many guinea pigs The inside of a typical home reveals many guinea pigs
The variety of grains and potatoes in the typical home The variety of grains and potatoes in the typical home	All the streets in this town are laid out in a perfect grid pattern All the streets in this town are laid out in a perfect grid pattern	All walls are wider at the base This town has survived centuries of earthquakes with no damage All walls are wider at the base This town has survived centuries of earthquakes with no damage	Around this town are located terraced fields and storehouses Around this town are located terraced fields and storehouses
In this picture you see the terraced fields and at the top, a temple In this picture you see the terraced fields and at the top, a temple	Here Carole stands at one of the main entrances of the town identified by the double inset of stone Here Carole stands at one of the main entrances of the town identified by the double inset of stone	This huge stone forms the corner of one the streets This huge stone forms the corner of one the streets	The river flows through the town and also was diverted down some streets for the town's water supply The river flows through the town and also was diverted down some streets for the town's water supply
This temple was the earliest one the Incas built It did not have the fine cut stones of the later one next to it This temple was the earliest one the Incas built It did not have the fine cut stones of the later one next to it	Carole begins the climb past the agricultural terraces to the temple at the top Carole begins the climb past the agricultural terraces to the temple at the top	A view of Ollantaytambo from the terraces A view of Ollantaytambo from the terraces	The new temple has huge finely cut stones that fit together perfectly The new temple has huge finely cut stones that fit together perfectly
Carole at one of the main temple gates that was never finished Carole at one of the main temple gates that was never finished	Royal niches where idols and offerings to the gods were places Royal niches where idols and offerings to the gods were places	Notice the complex shapes of the stones that were shaped by hand and fitted together perfectly Notice the complex shapes of the stones that were shaped by hand and fitted together perfectly	Carole at a finished gate The trapozoidal shape is earthquake proof Carole at a finished gate The trapozoidal shape is earthquake proof
Looking across from the temple are ruins of storage buildings where grain, dried potatoes and meat were stored for hard times Looking across from the temple are ruins of storage buildings where grain, dried potatoes and meat were stored for hard times	This seat was being cut for the Inca King when the site was abandoned This seat was being cut for the Inca King when the site was abandoned	This huge stone was carried up to the mountain designed to be part of the temple This huge stone was carried up to the mountain designed to be part of the temple	This huge stone was dragged down one mountain and up a ramp to the top of another The ridge was used to attach ropes. It would have been removed later This huge stone was dragged down one mountain and up a ramp to the top of another The ridge was used to attach ropes. It would have been removed later
Here is the remains of the ramp that Incas used to drag the rocks up to the top Here is the remains of the ramp that Incas used to drag the rocks up to the top	The rock slide on this mountain was the location of the quarry where stones were cut and dragged to the temple The rock slide on this mountain was the location of the quarry where stones were cut and dragged to the temple	Another side of the temple wall composed of six huge stones Another side of the temple wall composed of six huge stones	Local girls eating jello Local girls eating jello
On the way back from Ollantaytambo we saw the salt mine we visited the day before On the way back from Ollantaytambo we saw the salt mine we visited the day before	Our late lunch was at a restaurant in Urabamba that featured a great buffet including these traditional desserts Our late lunch was at a restaurant in Urabamba that featured a great buffet including these traditional desserts	Carole enjoying her first course of appitizers Carole enjoying her first course of appitizers	We ate on a terrace that overlooked the Urabamba River We ate on a terrace that overlooked the Urabamba River
Live music at lunch Live music at lunch