Choquequirao to Machu Picchu : Choquequirao and Pinchaunuyoc (Day 3)

Choquequirao

Choquequirao ('Cradle of gold' in Quechua) is known to many as "the other Machu Picchu". The city was built by Inca Pachacutec successors Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1471-1493) and Wayna Capac (1493 - 1527). It was probably one of the entrance check point to the Vilcabamba region, and also an administrative hub serving political, social and economic functions. The Manco Inca dynasty also used this fortress to resist the Spanish from 1536 to 1572. (Source: http://www.peru.travel/en/culture/archaeology/choquequirao-1122-2-567-4.1.14)

The clouds were low when we started out from our camp. Very soon, we passed by stone walls, the first semi-restored houses and the priest's house. 

Stone wall along trek

Priest's house on higher grounds
and overlooking both sides on the canyon

We climbed higher to the ceremonial plaza dedicated to sun worship. From the plaza we had the first glimpse of how big this lost city could have been. The restored houses, terraces, warehouses and aqueducts appeared right below us:

Buddy, José and I at Choquequirao

According to the Peru tourism office, only 40% of the city has been evacuated. Under the thick forest vegetation lies farming terraces built by experienced farmers who knew what to plant at the different altitude. Even more amazing was how the Incas used aqueducts to direct water from the glacier springs across the mountains into the city. 

From the ceremonial plaza, we also saw the only trek that led us in. It would have been the only access back in the ancient times too:

The only way in 

Our tiny tent

We descended from the clouds to explore the restored buildings.

José explained that it would appear that these were 2 storey houses, with the second floor used to store food. The large windows on the top floor allowed for air circulation and kept the food dry. The niches in the wall on the ground floor are thought to be used to display mummies.

José also pointed out some of the flaws of the restoration works. Many of the restored doorways and windows are rectangular instead of the traditional trapezoidal Inca style. Some of the stonework around the aqueducts also do not match.

We saw some stone tools made of stone lying around:

We sat on the plaza and chatted with others whom we have met on the trek. Noticed the lack of tourists in my earlier photographs? Well, that was because there were only 9 of us (the 3 of us and 2 groups of 3 independent hikers) on the grounds and we have met on the previous days. There were no officers, no tourists. Just us and 2 dogs.

(A side story about the dogs: the boys had picked up the first dog at Cachora and when they crossed the river, a horny male dog joined them at Santa Rosa. Horny male could not stop his horny attempts made on female dog for a second - hence guy in black is trying to push horny male dog from female dog hiding in between his legs.)

We had only seen the restored thus far. Next came the best part of Choquequirao - the original llama walls. We first had to walk down the terraces: 

Each step is this high:

We walked across the terrace and to the next hill and Voila!:

The llama walls

There is a shepherd:

with his llamas in the mountains:

The Incas worshipped the sun and had everything important built facing the east. The llama wall, on the other hand, faces the west. José told us a story of how the Incas, trying to escape from war, could not bring their llamas along with them. They built the wall of llama instead and each evening, watch the llamas come to life in the setting sun. He also told us how the llamas on the walls looked like babies at the bottom rows, slowly growing up, finding a partner and forming a family. What do you see?

So, the bad news have been: 

- the present Choquequirao site we saw is probably 90% restored and 10% original - what was restored were probably rubbish

- and personally, it was a shame I did not visit the walls in the previous evening

The good news are:

- the llama walls are originals and unique

- 60% of Choquequirao on the mountains that have not been excavated and there is still hope to do it right!

- there was no entrance fee to Choquequirao

- we had the whole place to ourselves (later, I would discover that it is impossible to take a photograph in Machu Picchu without a tourist in it)

I like what is untarnished in Choquequirao. Do go to Choquequirao before it becomes the next Machu Picchu.

Pinchaunuyoc

From Choquequirao, we hiked over a ridge to Pinchaunuyoc. 

Valley viewed from Choquequirao

We did not see any spectacled bears as I would have hoped but saw more new plants and stone tools.

The Pinchaunuyoc campsite came as a surprise - our own terraces!

Pinchaunuyoc

Buddy and I went down to the bottom of the terrace and I lost count of how many steps there were after the 300th or so step.

View from the bottom of terrace. Our tents, circled, on the top left corner of this photo

When we climbed up, we forsake the normal stairs and took the protruding stone steps on the wall of the terraces instead. I found it easier than climbing the stairs.

At our camp, I took off my shoes and my feet were promptly attacked by the flies. More woes awaited. It turned dark quickly and began to rain after dinner.

It rained and stopped for half an hour, rained harder and stopped and rained and stopped... I woke up every hour to check if my tent was leaking. Then I found my day pack wet, with a pool of water nearby. I quickly put the day pack in a plastic bag and everything else in zip lock bags and into the duffel bag. I proceeded to dry the water on the ground sheet in the tent, checked if my foam mattress is wet (thankfully it was not) and the source of the water. I could not find the source of the leak and went back to sleep.

Top of tent was getting very wet

The next time I woke up, I found that the bottom of my mattress was soaked with water and the water has travelled up and my sleeping bag was wet. Faint! The other side of the tent where I dried earlier has miraculously stayed dry. Initially I had wanted to sit on my mattress till dawn but it was only 3am! I struggled to stay awake for a while when a brilliant idea struck. I put my poncho on my mattress, put on my waterproof jacket and pants and slept on the poncho without my sleeping bag. 

Finally - daybreak