LLAMA LLAMA SALT & LAB

In the morning, as promised, we got picked up from our hotel by Milton (our 'private driver') we drove with the day before.
We set off - pretty much the same way as yesterday - in the direction Ollantaytambo - towards Salineras. These are salt pans, which have been in use since the pre-Inca times. The salt comes from a naturally-salty stream which springs from a mountain.

Salineras, view on the pans form above:

Salineras:

The stream is directed by a complicated network of canals through a system of pans (i.e. rectangle-shaped ''baths'', of the size of 3x4m each (more less).
When I said the stream was salty, I meant REALLY SALTY. So salty, that in no time we were both covered in a white salt layer - together with our cameras and clothes. Whatever you touched, was salty - I felt like a salty-Midas-king .

the salty stream:

the pans:

salt:

Haha, that was actually paradise for me (ones of you who know me well KNOW, that I have a bit of a salt-addiction ).
Little crystals of salt were to be found everywhere. It was quite hard to walk through the pans - only along the very narrow paths. It all looked very cool. On some pans, the READY ones, there were workers who were scratching the white salt layer off - until the red soil would show.
They told us that from each pan, 20-30 kg of pure salt could be obtained every 2 weeks. And there were 3000 pans which were still in use. Do your maths

After the Salineras, we went further on, through the town Maras to Moray. Moray was true Inca laboratory. Although it looked more like some aliens had made it

The Incas dug a system of terraces - concentric circles - getting smaller and smaller.

Due to a very special microclimate in that spot, they could achieve temperature differences of even 2-3 degrees C between different terraces (of 1-2m deep). They used this ''lab'' to test different types of crops - on how they would grown in various conditions.

It was VERY cool to look at, and VERY tiring to walk through. Walking down wasn't even that BAD. It was just difficult - as the steps between the terraces were of the Inca type = they were pieces of rock sticking out of the wall. Funny funny! But walking down was a PAIN! Especially that it was definitely above 25 degrees and the weather was really nice.

me in the middle:

After Moray we went back to Cuzco with our friend Milton

on the way:

Cuzco, Plaza de Armas:

at our hotel in Cuzco (los Marqueses):