Today we had a free day to explore Ollantaytambo, so we opted to hike up to see more of the Inca ruins in the hills surrounding the town.
The town is filled with little cobblestone lanes that are as beautiful as the hills themselves. This led to the tiny nondescript gate that led to the hike to the food stores.
We headed up to the food stores – a striking structure on the side of steep hill about 150m above the town. These food stores were designed with ventilation and cooling systems to ensure that the grain stayed at exactly the same temperature the whole year round. It is believed that when the Spanish arrived, there was food and grain that would sustain the Inca people for over 80 years stored in the hills. They clearly focused on community and sustainable living, over immediate consumption!
It’s hard to imagine how steep the mountain is, and how difficult it must have been for the Incas to get the food up and down. It’s also unlikely that tourists would be allowed to climb up here in Australia!
On the way down, we explored the hills and got more great views of the Valley.
This afternoon Alex and I headed over the train line that heads to Machu Picchu, and over the Urubamba River to get another perspective on Ollantaytambo. The ruins looked beautiful in the sun, and while our hike this morning had seemed high, it didn’t look it from the other side.
You can just see the food stores about 1/4 of the way up the mountain on the right hand side of this photo… gives you some idea of the scale of this landscape!
Tomorrow (Thursday) we start the 4 day hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu so will be disconnected for 4 days. According to our guide Day 1 is easy, Day 2 takes us over Dead Woman’s Pass and is tough, Day 3 will be easier, and Day 4 we reach Machu Picchu. It sounds like a challenge, and that’s exactly what we’re here for!
Love M & theBunch x
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