Cusco contains over half a million people, and it looks like it from this panorama view. Many of the houses are perched on the surrounding hills, made of mud bricks. Cusco is in an active fault area, known for earthquakes. Maybe building codes aren't that bad an idea after all . . .
The afternoon was spent visiting the Qorikancha (Sun Temple) that I mentioned yesterday, the Circuito Religioso Cusco Basilica Catedral, and Sacsayhuaman. Our guide, Dalmiro, said to remember it by "translating" as sexyhuman. Hmmm.
We were dropped off from the bus beyond and above the ruins, and walked in on an Inca trail. It was a great way to see it rather than just fighting the hordes of visitors at the entrance.
It's impossible to give it justice with any photo. I just liked this one because of the clouds in the distance, the "modern" statue of Christ that overlooks the city and is brilliantly lit at night, and the brown hills in the distance.
But Sacsayhuaman was exceptional, with stone ruins on either side of a large field/courtyard. The stones were huge and amazingly fitted together.
Being a very amateur photographer, I didn't get any reference for scale in the picture. You can barely see some people on the left side, but they don't give you the feeling of immense scale that you feel if you were there on the spot.
The rock on the left corner must be at least 30 feet high and is carved in a curve around the corner. And then look at the second layer. How did anyone even get them up there without a crane?
We saw lots of decorated cars/vans/trucks. Dalmiro said that the vehicle was blessed when a person got a new one. It didn't have to be a new car, just a "new" car for the owner.
Looks like a good tradition to me.
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