Bzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzz. That´s the sound of mosquitos. Bzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzz. Dollar-sucking mosquitos. Bzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzz. You´re in Peru´s tourist zone: which pretty much makes you a quart-sized Ziplock full of blood and you`re flanked by mosquitos. Bzzzzzzzzzz. Suerte.
Up until now I havn´t been in too many tourist-intensive areas, and I have to say it´s been quite nice. But in the summer of 2000 I visited Rome and Athens and quite taken; swore i´d hit Peru and the Yukatan to see the remains of other great empires. It was a major factor in deciding the route of this trip.
So for better or worse I found myself in Cusco; the defacto capital of the Inca. The first great Incan king, Pachacutec, laid the city´s grid in the shape of a puma; wicked. Cusco lies in the pass to “The Sacred Valley”¨; where you couldn`t swing a dead cat back in the day without hitting an Inca in a loincloth. The thing i`d most like to impress upon people who haven´t visited Peru is it`s not just Machu Picchu: the entire valley is full of testimonials to this advanced and beautiful society. From my hotel in Cusco, I biked over the pass and started viewing different ruin-sites. And yes, bicycle is the way to experience the Sacred Valley. Without window glass or diesel fumes, I saw the valley as the Inca did; the sound of the river and the smell of the plants coaxing me around every turn…
The first thing you notice when you visit an incan city or fortress are the huge terraces that surround the area. That`s not for the worlds biggest game of Slinky (but thanks for fantasizing with me). The terraces are for crops: the Inca grew most of their food within city limits. Local food production allowed them to work close to home (slackers) and facilitated food security for the empire. The also had the dankest, freshest veggies that drove the ladies from the neighboring tribes crazy. You can´t deny the brilliance of all this and i`m left wondering when our modern societies are going to start growing food closer to home… hmmmmmmh, I wonder if anyone is working on that…
The road ends at Ollantaytambo, and I parked the bike. The cobblestone pueblo still uses Inca-era aqueducts which flow river water through throughout the town. I climbed to the top of the fortress and viewed the surrounding ruins. The Spanish got spanked when they tried to invade this one: arrows and spears rained from the steep cliff walls and sent conquistadors retreating. From my clifftop perch, I tried to imagine South America if the Inca had won. Without colonialism would there be more peace and justice in latin america? Would we be living in harmony with nature? Would the Taco Bell dog speak Quechua or Aymara? My head swims in possibilities…
Since there´s no road to Machu Picchu, the Peruvian government is kind enough to provide a train and price-gouge the eyes out of any tourist wishing to board it. They`re shameless in their treatment of visitors up here: blood-suckers swarming… But as I entered the gate and saw the glory of Machu Picchu for the first time my cynicism was crushed: absolutely unbelievable. :0
Too beautiful to be a utilitarian city, they think Machu Picchu might have been a spiritual center and summer home for Incan elite. The king`s palace is way up on Huayna Picchu (the super-pointy peak you see in the background of the classic Machu Picchu picture). There’s fountains still running on spring water through the middle of the city, and though the climate is perfect, you can see snowy peaks in several directions.
I hiked back down the hill to Machu Picchu village: Aguas Calientes. It was dinner time. The menu read ” La sopa hoy es Criola (noodles). Segundos hay lomo saltado (steak), arose-cubano (plantains-veggie), truches fritos (fish), y ´cuy´”. ” I didn`t know the last one, so I had to ask. Mosa, una pregunta: que es “cuy”? The answer set me back in my seat: Oh dear… ah man, that`s just… oh my…
Guinea Pig: It’s whats for dinner.
Now. I’m from Missouri and all, but rodent splayed-prone on a plate with his cute furry paws still attached? It´s a bit much. However, I realize not everyone can drop it all and travel to Peru. So, I’m willing to take one for the team if democracy wills it… We’ll vote to see if Luke eats Guinea Pig or not. You have to enter your name and NO VOTING TWICE. The best part about this polling software is it tracks your home address so a assault-team black-clad, AK-47-toting, SF-based animal rights activists will bust through the windows of your house if you vote for the death of a Guinea Pig. Vote wisely: a cute furry animal`s life depends on it. :)
http://perpetualharvest.biz/poll.htm
–Lucas
