May 28: Erika writes about the Natural World in Cusco

While swerving through the mountains of Cusco, I could feel ‘it’.
This ‘it’ was something that sat deep in my throat. ‘It’ made my head
sway and took my breath away, literally. This ‘it’ was altitude.
Altitude became my constant companion on my journey throughout Cusco.
It accompanied me as I viewed the primary natural resources of Cusco.
The mountains and agricultural resources surrounding the Cusco area
overwhelmed my senses and broaden my understanding of the natural
world in Peru.

The mountains overwhelmed me with their beauty and broaden my
understanding of Peruvian relationships with the mountains. My photos
do not do justice of the rolling mountains around Cusco. They ranged
in color, from brown to white and were accented perfectly by the sunny
blue sky. Each new mountain I hiked, showed me new rugged landscapes.
This beauty is something that can only be truly experienced on a hike
through Cusco. The mountains did not stop with their physical beauty,
but extended to their influence in Peruvian culture. I learned from a
guide at Ollamtaytambo that the religion of the Incas was related to
the mountains and nature. This guide was even able to point out
outlines of faces in the rock that the Incas believed to be gods.
These mountains not only served the Incas for religious purposes, but
also for architectural necessities. For example, the surrounding
mountains produced rich stone quarries for the Incas. This allowed the
Incas to have the raw materials necessary to build their grand
terraces, temples, etc. It didn’t take long to appreciate the physical
beauty of the mountains, but I now understand the deeper meanings and
uses for the mountains by the Incas.

The agricultural resources surrounding Cusco delighted
different senses and exposed me to deeper cultural meanings. The first
agriculture resource I ran into around Cusco was Alpacas. I could hear
Rae Ann shouting on the bus enthusiastically, ” look at the cute
Alpacas over there.” This sentiment drew my attention and my camera to
them. Although they are interesting animals, I quickly learned that
they serve an important purpose for textiles. While learning about
weaving practices, I discovered that items made of alpaca wool are
highly attractive for tourists. Because of this, many native artisans
specialize in different blankets, clothes, etc. made of alpaca wool.
The second natural resource passed in the bus was rows and rows of
corn. This large kerneled corn could be found in meals at restaurants
or in the various cicha beers tasted at the brewery we visited. It was
impressive to see the pride the locals took in these two natural
resources.

In conclusion, the natural world was evident in the areas
around Cusco in the mountains and natural resources present. I not
only see the beauty in the mountains, but now understand the religious
and architectural purposes of them. The agricultural resources, corn
and alpaca wool, were essential to the past and present economy of
Peru. As I endured the altitude around Cusco, this feeling reminded me
of the mountains and resources that make Cusco so unique.