Crossing the Sacred Valley: Chinchero to Moray and More
March 15, 2015
By Karen and Duane Sherer Stoltzfus
Peru SST Co-Directors, 2014-2015
Early on Monday morning, students said good-bye to their Cusco area host families and we made our way into the Sacred Valley by bus, accompanied once again by Amadeo, our faithful guide.
Our first stop included an opportunity to upgrade our wardrobes or, in many cases, the wardrobes of those we love. Chinchero is a textile capital at 3,800 meters, or 12,467 feet, above sea level. It is home to many textile workshops that provide a living to local families.
A young woman shows us how wool is cleaned and dyed using a variety of natural dyes to make a wide range of colors.
A young woman welcomed us to a small weavers shop, where she and others demonstrated the process of cleaning, softening and coloring llama and alpaca wool. The natural coloring agents included corn (purple), a cactus parasite (red), and eucalyptus (green).
Our host reminded us that there’s a commercial aspect to this educational stop by holding up a bone and asking what it was from: cow? puma? llama? No, she said, the bone was from “a tourist who didn’t buy anything.” (Actually, she said, the femur bone was from a llama — who didn’t buy anything).
We also visited a colonial-era church that now sits on the foundation of what was once an Inca temple. “Here is where I plan to have my wedding — it’s beautiful,” Amadeo announced.
Christian holds up a large rock in Chinchero.
Amadeo pointed out the nearby valley where an international airport is scheduled to be built, allowing visitors to bypass Lima and arrive in Peru in the middle of the Sacred Valley.
We also wandered the grounds beyond the church, which included more terraces, and impressive views of small fields and big mountains.
After leaving Chinchero, we took a short-cut across rough terrain, passing solitary shepherds tending their sheep and other animals, to arrive at the archaeological site of Moray.
Our group poses for a photo after climbing into the basin of terraces at the archaeological site of Moray.
Moray features an agricultural experiment station way ahead of its time with more than a dozen concentric terraces arranged in an earthen bowl, each terrace lower and more protected than the one above. Incan plant scientists used the terraces to simulate growing conditions at various elevations and climate conditions.
There’s a difference of 15 degrees from the bottom terrace to the top, Amadeo said, a gathering coolness that we felt as we descended to the bottom terrace.
After another brief stretch on dirt roads, we arrived in Urubamba in time for a late lunch, which included an ice cream treat for dessert before our last bus ride of the day – to Ollantaytambo. Next stop: Machu Picchu.
Noemí Loayza welcomed us to our quarters at the lovely Las Portadas hostal, where we had a chance to relax and play sapo (a coin toss game) in their hideaway garden. Her husband, Leopoldo, who served as our bus driver for the week, cultivates beautiful flowers throughout the grounds of the hostal, including a sweet-smelling white flower called trompetas de ángel, or angel’s trumpet.
Students were given the remainder of the day to explore the charming village of Ollantaytambo, before sharing a meal together and collapsing into bed for a good night’s sleep — breathing fresh mountain air.
Cleaning the wool with a natural soap.Spinning the fibers.Weaving the fabric.Here are a variety of the natural dyes used to make the stunning colors used for local textiles.Some of the yarns after they have been dyed.Demonstrating how wool is dyed using a natural dye.Some of the dyes can also be used to color lips.Wool is hung to dry after it is dyed.Some of the many shades made with the natural dyes.Weaving a table runner.The adobe church in Chinchero sits on the site of a former Incan temple.Local artisans sell handmade items along the sidewalks outside the church and museum in Chinchero.A gateway to the square in front of the church.One of the narrow streets in Chinchero.Walking to the church, past one of many shops in Chinchero.The museum across from the church in Chinchero.The door to the colonial church in Chinchero. Photos inside the church are forbidden.Some of the paintings that remain on the walls outside the church in Chinchero.Another view of the Chinchero church.A close up of the paintings on the outside of the church.A brief rain shower brought out at least some ponchos as we walked the grounds around the church.View from the side of the church with local women in the distance.Two young women in local dress walk across the grounds to the village.The adobe church in Chinchero from the grounds below.A view from the church grounds in Chinchero, to the mountains beyond.Walking down to the terraces in Chinchero.Walking down to the terraces in Chinchero.Terraces in Chinchero.Terraces in Chinchero, with sheep grazing way below.Walking through a large rock formation in Chinchero to the other side.GC men on the rocks in Chinchero.Micah on the rocks in Chinchero.Ike walks back through the rock formation in Chinchero.Christian holds up a large rock in Chinchero.Amadeo explains.Another view of the church in Chinchero, from below.There are lovely views along the back roads to Moray.On the bus to Moray.On the bus to Moray, a woman walks along the dirt road with her donkey.On the bus to Moray.Driving through a small town near Moray – it’s often a tight squeeze!View of a shepherdess with her animals along the road to Moray.On the bus to Moray.Uh oh – another bus! There’s not much room to back up.Looking down the side of the mountain we are climbing, as we try to get out of the way of the other bus.Woman sitting alongside the road on our way to Moray.Many sheep along the roadside in this part of Peru.Arriving in Moray, there are a few maps posted for our information before we head in for our visit.From the parking lot, we can see that it is raining in the distance.The Moray agricultural experiment.Walking down into the terraced basin.Walking down into the terraced basin.We pose for a group photo after climbing into the basin of terraces at Moray.Another view of the Moray agricultural experiment.Sector Q’echuyoqmuyo.Maria poses on the ‘floating’ steps in Moray.Ike poses on the ‘floating’ steps in Moray.Micah poses on the ‘floating’ steps in Moray.Another view of one of the Moray agricultural basins.Another terraced basin, in more rustic condition.Climbing back up where the temperature is cooler.A view from the top.A view back at the top.On the road again – this time toward Urubamba and lunch.Visiting and eating lunch in Urubamba.Visiting and eating lunch in Urubamba.The Urubamba town square.Elizabeth plays sapo at our hostal in Ollantaytambo.Jo plays sapo at our hostal in Ollantaytambo.Maria takes a turn at sapo at our hostal in Ollantaytambo.Ammon and Jo watch while fellow students play sapo.Ike plays sapo at our hostal in Ollantaytambo.Ike retrieves the sapo pieces from the homemade wooden box.Up above our hostal is the colca site we will climb to tomorrow.Elizabeth plays sapo at our hostal in Ollantaytambo.The garden at Las Portadas is full of beautiful flowers cultivated by Leopoldo.A view of students in the garden of our hostal, and the mountains that surround it.The town square in Ollantaytambo is simple but welcoming, surrounded by mountains – and many pleasant cafes.
