Like an Inca 2

As part of our abortive attempt to start the trip to Machu Pichu we visited some Inca settlements. These included Chinchero, Moray and Ollantaytambo. All of them reveal cultivation methods used by the Incas.

At Chinchero there are a number of terraces stretching down the hillside so that crops could be grown without the soil eroding; at the top of the hill where there would almost certainly have been a religious ceremonial centre there is now a church which has its interior walls and roof beams covered with naive floral and religious painting. At Moray there are three huge terraced depressions in the ground which are truly amazing.

The theory is that these were used by the Incas as a sort of open-air nursery or experimental plant laboratory where plants could be grown at different altitudes as each level is said to have its own micro-climate. It is a very atmospheric place and some people describe it as ‘mystical’ – undoubtedly the surrounding scenery is stunning. The third site was at Ollantaytambo (where the nearby modern town of Uubamba is now a scene of devastation following the floods and landslides) where once again there are numerous huge terraces where food was grown - the valley was appreciated by the Incas due to its special geographical and climatic qualities. It was one of the empire's main points for the extraction of natural wealth, and the best place for maize production in Peru. High up on the mountain side on the opposite side of the valley, carved in to the rock are huge storage chambers.