Pachacamac

We recently visited the nearby huaca (sacred place) Pachacamac, a museum and huge archaeological site just south of Lima that dates as far back as 200 A.D. and remained in use (by various groups for various purposes, but most often as a religious center) for more than a millennium. Only when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th century was the site abandoned.

The Pachacamac visit whet our appetite for more South American history. Last Wednesday we traveled to Cusco, where we have been learning about the Inca Empire and exploring some of South America´s most fascinating archeological sites. We also had the opportunity to do a health-education workshop and help construct a house foundation in a nearby village that were severely damaged by floods almost 18 months ago.

We´ve got a busy schedule these days, including a visit to Machu Picchu. We´ll post much more—including photos from our trip—after we return to Lima on Wednesday afternoon. In the meantime, here are some pictures from our visit to Pachacamac.