Ruin Nation

While most people are here for one ruin only, the big one, Machu Picchu, there are actually dozens of Incan ruins scattered around the Sacred Valley, including one that's just a short, gasping walk up from Cusco.

looking down at Cusco from Saqsaywaman

Saqsaywaman - literally pronounced "sexy woman" - provided much of the stone for the Spaniards when they built their own homes and churches so only about 20% of the structure is left.
But what a 20%.

Saqsaywaman

I didn't hire a guide (the entrance fee of about $25 had left me feeling a little sticker-shocked), but there was clear evidence of the outstanding craftsmanship of the Incan stonemasons in the terraces and stairways.

stairway at Saqsaywaman

Most seem to agree that Saqsaywaman was an Incan fortress, and some writers speculate that it was built to represent the head of a puma, with the city of Cusco shaped for its body. Nowadays, you can't see the "head" if you are standing in the "body", but you CAN see the nearby statue of Jesus, bright white and illuminated.

Saqsaywaman, with white Jesus on the hill on the left

Having honed my huffing and scrabbling hiking technique on Saqsaywaman, I headed to Ollantaytambo, a tiny town literally dominated by the Incan ruins towering above it.

view from the top of Ollantaytambo

Looking at, and climbing up, the huge terraces, it was easy to understand how the Incans had won a rare and short-lived victory against the Spanish conquistadors at this site.

much easier going down than up

Part of the upper walkway was taped off when I got there, but fortunately one of the guards, Walter, opened it up for me so I could fully appreciate the sheer size of the terraces. (That red dot in the distance below? That's Walter.)

terraces of Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo also happens to be the town where you need to get the train to Agua Calientes (which is trying to rebrand itself as Machu Picchu Pueblo). So after a very satisfying couple of hours wandering around the ruins, it was all aboard to head ever closer to the most famous Incan ruin of them all.

PeruRail train to Agua Calientes