Ruins and ruins to be plunged by the "bombita"

For photos, start from the bottom up and read descriptions 1-16. Sorry we are still learning this blogspot thing...

1.Our first stop up the mountain was Tambomachay. The elevation is in meters (you can do the math!) This was our highest stop of the day.
2. Tambomachay was known as a religious site for the Incas. Here they venerated the very precious resource: agua
3. Puca Pucara was just across the valley and served as a resting stop for Inca and Quechua alike who could lay low before the long journey to Pisac. Here the doorway indents signifying a portal of religious importance to the room we entered.
4. Travelers and pupils could study this rock formation which closely modeled the outline and geography of Machu Picchu (Where we will be hiking next week!!!)
5. A communication tunnel at Sacsayhuaman (Pronounced "SexyWoman")...Ivan barely managed with his claustrophobia issues.
6. Here is the actual seats that the governing Inca King would have sat if he happened to be in this part of the Empire. Obviously a woman would never have set next to him, but rather one of this 200+ wives! Kristin obviously is treated as an equal (ivan says: she has obviously over stepped her bounds) haha
7. We crested the hill at Sacsayhuaman and were amazed by the gigantic stones that were labored into place by more than a maintained 20,000 slaves who labored for over 50 years to not even be completed since the Spaniards came and used both stones and slaves for their cathedrals (insert cynical Ivan comment here...)
8-9. The largest stone weighing over 135 tons!! This took several thousand laborers (without the use of the wheel or John Deere) to move this into place. Legend also says many men were crushed when the stone would accidentally topple over. Also, set in the stone wall is the paw print of the Puma or the representative icon of the terrestrial plane or earth and men. Also set in stone were a llama, alpaca and a snake.
10. This door led to the religious quarters and the 3 gigantic military towers that the Spaniards both massacred the remaining Inca soldiers and then toppled the towers.
11-12. Both pictures are of the same sacrificial room. The silhouette is both the emblematic condor and (rotate right) a llama head. This room was emotional for Kristin since countless little baby llamas were sacrificed upon the alter.
13-14. Shots of Old Town Cuzco from above.
15-16. After a full day of trekking through 4 amazing ruin sites we pigged out Peruvian Style! Chicarrones y pollo a la plancha con jugo de banana! YUM!
Four hours after the meal, Ivan inquired the whereabouts of the "bombita"...this was of course his second inquiry for the necessary tool. Maybe tomorrow (day 3) Kristin will surprise him with his very own "travel" bombita...hehe

We were planning on visiting more ruins in the Sacred Valley tomorrow, however the campesinos are blocking the roads in a strike against Cuzco's government, but especially the water district who plans to divert some necessary water. The strike will heavily impact the tourist industry (example trips to Machu Picchu are canceled tomorrow)