Photos from Recent Trip to Peru

[sury]

Came back from a 10 day wonderful trip to Peru (Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and Lima).
The people are wonderful and ever so friendly. Made us feel welcome everywhere we went, whether
touristy or not. This is the first time I did a trip without a long zoom. All photos are with CZ16-80 lens
on A77M2

These "models" are very common in Cusco region who thrive on posing for you for a tip
of (1 Sol, S3=US$1). Sometimes with their babies and often with a Llama. This was taken from our taxi.



Cusco Cathedral.


A local artisan in a textile weaving center explaining the native dyes and how they extract them from roots, flowers and fungus.
That red color comes from the parasite on that Cactus blade (white stuff). Fascinating stuff, rub it in your hand and it turns red.

[jbtaylor]

Love the colors.

[ValeryD]

Very good!

[the_hefay]

Beautiful Sury. I look forward to seeing more.

[Birma]

Glad to hear you a good trip. Nice pictures. I also look forward to seeing more

[sury]

Continuing with the trip...
From Maras Salt Fields....





You can read about these salt mines here....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maras,_Peru

This one is from Moray - an agricultural lab (according to our guide). Given the micro climates created at different levels of terraces the Inkans were supposed to have cultivated different crops to find the optimum conditions.


Few more details at ....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moray_(Inca_ruin)

[sury]

Pisac ruins.







Some information about Pisac....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%ADsac

[sury]

Machu Picchu ....The peak at the back is Wayana Picchu which we climbed.



They mastered the art of snug fit.... It is this kind of craftmanship that made their structures mostly earthquake proof
in addition to having trapezoidal structures.


Aerial view of Machu Picchu from WayanaPichu. The hike to WayanaPichu was one of the most strenuous and dangerous
hikes I have ever gone on. Often the climb needed to be made on 4 limbs, steps at times were wide enough to put your foot
parallel to step and about 15 inches (22.5cm) high. Incans did not believe much in switch backs or zig zag to gain height and often preferred a straight climb up.

[the_hefay]

Excellent shots and what a great experience. I'm glad you made your way up the peak with your camera. It makes for an interesting view that's not often shown.

[sury]

Here is the testimony to Inca's archtecture... A stone with 12 angles - shows their obsession with perfect fit



From the Raqchi ruins...On the way from Cusco to Puno. Supposedly bigger than Machu Picchu complex.


Some additional info. here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raqch'i

Mount Chamboya (snow clad mountain in the distance) in Peruvian Altiplano

Peruvian Altiplano information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altiplano

[Birma]

Wow Sury, some epic pictures there of epic places! I'm also glad you put in the effort to get up to those high places as the pictures are great. Thanks as well for the background information- very interesting. They certainly knew a thing or two about stone masonry.

[aster]

.
Hello Sury;

Wonderful photos of great instances here, Sury. Amazing of you to climb all the way up there.
Love the shots of the architectural and the cultural subjects, the terraces and the masonry and many others are indeed testimony how good a perception and mathematical mentality they had.

Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the rest.

Yildiz

[Ossie]

Sury

Great shots! Machu Picchu is on my bucket list and your images just add to my enthusiasm to visit it and the country. Not been to South or Central America and hope to do so in the not too distant future.

Thanks for posting

Keith

[sury]

Thank you JB, Valery, Jeff, Andy, Yildiz and Keith for your comments and kind words.

Here are some more from Lake Titicaca.
A catamaran type boat made from totora reed



Floating Island with a fishing pond in the middle.


Floating Islands or Uros as they are collectively called are made from Totora reed. They dig up the base from the lake which floats
because of the roots of the reed carrying air. The base (essentially cubes of dirt and roots) are tied together to make a floating island and anchored. The base is then covered with layers of reeds and small shacks are built on top of them. These shacks have Satellite TV connections solar powered lighting etc. So they do not lack for some modern conveniences.
As you can see in the photo belowwhich demonstrates the structure of a floating island of Uros.



You can read more about it here...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uru_people
About Lake Titicaca
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Titicaca

[sury]

Couple of more from Uros

An observation tower.


A small island or an islet?


Part of the tour we went on to an (regular) island called Tequile and on the way back saw this ingenious use of a pair of
flip flops as the hinges of a door. Brilliant, I should say...




More info. on Tequile Island.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taquile_Island