Ollantaytambo - Peruvian Ruins

When I visited Peru last year I was lucky enough to see a variety of Incan ruins and ancient structures. They were all amazing. One that I found particularly interesting was Ollantaytambo. This particular ruin was very close to the sacred valley of the Inca. This glorious spot is located near the Urubamba river, flowing through Peru, . This river was used by the Incas a great deal and was considered sacred because of the water which sustained the lives of the people.

The Incas had a masterful way of moving water around the mountains and keeping it from destroying what they built. They had channels that ran all through out the mountains, creating vast irrigation systems. This way even though the river was a way off they could still use the rain water for the crops. The guide on our tour explained to us the use of astronomical bodies in the harvesting of the plants. The seasons are so similar, there is the wet season and the dry season essentially. There was a fountain at the base of the structure that the sun shines directly upon for the summer equinox, this marks the beginning of the rainy season in the summer, because it's below the equator it begins December 22. I was there towards the end of the Dry season in the end of October, but the land still looked green and bright. 

 In Ollantaytambo there were great storage houses on the mountains. It was interesting how it was strategically located in between two mountains. The Incas built into the mountains instead of around them. Their way of working with nature instead of against was how they sustained themselves and built these great structures that have survived today, long after earthquakes, weather, and time have eroded many "modern" buildings. The terraces that they carved into the mountains were magnificent. They were so tall, at least six feet and this was a great way for them to grow the potatoes, corn, and Quinoa, staples of the Incas. These terraces were built by people that were a little over 5 feet in height on the average, the fact that the terraces are so tall was quite an accomplishment. The storage houses were a great deal up in the mountains and they were easily seen by the people working on the terraces or living the villages below. This keep the supply safe from possible invaders. 

This was a place I would return to in a heart beat. Everything about it was amazing. The entire structure when seen at a distance is shaped like a female llama and a baby. The Incas were famous for revering three animals, the snakes, representing the underworld and knowledge, the puma, representing the earth and the way we live in the present, and the condor, representing the heavens and the next life. So, why a llama? My theory is, the llama helped them build this structure and they owed a great deal to these creatures. After all, they didn't have the wheel or an alphabet, so who else would help them, aliens?

www.trip-peru.com