Took a tour with Llama Path. US$20 for transport and guide. 08:50 meeting time to finish around 14:30.
First stop was at Centro Textil Urpi in Chinchero. The place was run by a family, they process and weave alpaca wool and run a demo on how they process. It’s amazing to know they use only natural materials – grated roots for detergent, cactus aphids for the red colour, various leaves and flowers for yellows and greens and blues, lemon to dilute and alum to set the colour.
Bought a gorgeous alpaca blanket here (in muted gray and white). It was a good salestalk, i didn’t even haggle.
Off to Moray, a laboratory of sorts used for growing various crops. Each level in the terrace is a different temperature. I don’t think it’s in use, no plants i could see. Parts have eroded so we’re unable to access. Reminded me of the rice terraces in the Philippines.
The roads around here are not paved, it’s dusty and narrow, with only space for 1 vehicle, and sheer cliffs on the other side.
Maras is a terraced salt bed carved on the cliffs. Still in use by several communities to get salt from the salty volcanic water. And i thought you can only get salt from the ocean. They produce the highly prized pink salts here.
Entrance fee was 7 soles, not included in the boleto turistico ticket. Guide didn’t even bother giving us our change. Wondered if he thinks it was his tip.
And lunch/dinner was a mixed peruvian grill consisting of cuy(guinea pig), kidneys, beef heart, steak, trout and potatoes. And a ‘normal’ pork chop just in case we find the grill inedible. The heart was actually not bad, still with a slight jelly texture on the outside, but still tastes a bit like normal meat. The cuy was mostly skin and bones, chewy skin and smoky meat with a little of that off taste you get in lamb.
Displaced 