MORE FROM PETE - BASED IN CUSCO

Documenting a little more from Pete -  After his project at Taricaya, Pete flew into Cusco where he joined the Inca Project at Huyro which is about a 5 hours bus trip from Cusco (the closest big city to the Project) Huyro is in La Convencion province and is a 3 hour journey from Project Abroad's main office in the Sacred Valley.
Volunteers spend time working alongside Peruvian experts on archaeological activities. After hiking up to the ruins the work involves clearing and preserving ancient Inca walls and terracing systems in order to understand the Inca people more thoroughly.  One of the other jobs the volunteers do is to help map the ruins and they also have the opportunity to explore ruins that are well off the beaten track as well as remote communities. In Huyro  they were also clearing a section of the original Inca road .

 

Not sure they are doing much mapping or digging in this photo, but this was taken working on the archaeological dig near Huyro

 

The Volunteers at work

The Volunteers who work in Huyro live in a shared community house with other volunteers and the local Projects Abroad staff.   All the  volunteers are expected to help out with activities like looking after crops, harvesting tomatoes, feeding the chickens and ducks, helping to maintain the out-buildings and taking turns with the washing up after dinner or lunch!

 

Pete having a nap on the corn.   

Domestic duties

 

Looking after the chickens and the ducks 

 

Chilling out after hours.  

Most weekends the Volunteers would bus it into Cusco for a some recreation time.  Time to catch up on their washing and meet up with some of the other volunteers from the area.  Cusco seems to be where most of them congregate even those comeing from the Eco Rainforest Project also. 

Cusco is one of the oldest cities in Peru.  The modern day city of Cuzco is located in the Andes Mountains of Peru  and was founded, according to legend, by Manco Capac, the founder of the  Inca civilization. Unlike many ancient capitals, Cuzco was primarily a governmental and religious capital, with few residential structures. Cuzco was the Inca capital city, from the mid 15th century up until it was conquered by the Spanish in 1532. 

  

 Sprawling Old city

Still lots of evidence of the religious capital.

 

 Lots of evidence of the original Inca Civilization in Cusco and Urubamba

 

 Cusco is also noted for all the Festivals they have - all very colourful.

 They have lots of markets

 Very social -  one of the delicacies is Roast Guinea Pig (shown above).  Not sure that I could handle that one. 

The Inca part of Cusco is still visible, in its many plazas and temples as well as massive remnant earth-quake proof walls

 

It is also the hub of where a lot of the foreigners met up together after their different projects.  It is also where they meet if you want do do the Machu Picchu tours.  

Think this just about brings up to date Pete's travels so far....  He is traveling with a couple of German guys at the moment and they will be on the road a bit more now rather than based in one area.

Also got a few more Photos from Pete today from his visit to here.  

 

He seems to have a real love affair with these guys.. Every photo he sent today had photos of the Llama's in them.  

 

 

 He seems obsessed with these guys.  He always has been, even back home here, the kids always enjoyed going up and visiting Roy the Llama up on top of Mt, Tambourine.

A couple more photos of Pete on the trek up to Machu Picchu.

 

 

You can tell he is impressed by his visit to Machu Picchu and the Llamas by his new FB status.  Just love it.  

Still have a couple of posts to catch up on.  Strawberries and Chloe's friend Hannah's 21st Birthday which we all attended last Saturday night.  Will be back tomorrow to try and catch up.  Lots happening this month.