Cemetery and Burning Man

Leaving the mill museum — I decided to check out a cemetery that was kind of on the way back. I asked the taxi driver to stop a bit so I could have a look see. With no further ado:

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

Arequipa Area Cemetery

It was nice of Arequipa to stage a Burning Man fireworks display for my last day visiting the town. I did not know how 'they' knew — but here are pictures of a fireworks display that I happened upon on my last full day in Arequipa:

Yanahuara Fireworks Display

It might be hard to see — this fireworks display is a giant bamboo man with several different fireworks fuses, the fuses were light one string at a time.

Yanahuara Fireworks Display

I didn't take a picture — but before this main man was lit there where little displays that were lit off. This were bamboo structures that when the fireworks were lit would spin, throw sparks, and fire a mortar off up into the sky. What is newsworthy is that these were held by young kids, maybe ten years old. The kids had as sweatshirt draped over their head and then held the fireworks above their head!

Yanahuara Fireworks Display

This was the last of my last full day in Peru. The next day would be chores, packing and such before a taxi to the airport in the early afternoon.

I think I will do maybe two more posts, one of all the different cars, truck and other vehicles I saw in Peru, and one of all the dogs and other pets. 

Maybe I will finish tomorrow... 

Outer Arequipa — Yanahuara

My last Peruvian day was spend exploring an area of Arequipa that I guess would be a suburb or such.  The name of the place is Yanahuara, I imagine that it was it's own town until it and Arequipa grew together.

Yanahuara Potted Plants 

Yanahuara is rather pretty, nice architecture and nice landscaping (nice landscaping here is only in isolated areas) and all.

Me Posing in an Yanahuara Alley

Here is my yellow self posing in an alley...

Yanahuara Fountain

Deep Fried Pastry Treat in Yanahuara

A tasty kind of donut treat. The restaurant owners (in the background) must have been five generations of women.

Arequipa Mill Museum 

OK — I know that I am losing it — as this mill museum was not the same location, or even probably the same day, but what the hay! This is a restore, water powered flour mill located about an hour outside of Arequipa. The building are made of that volcanic rock and are very light, spacious and beautiful! Since it is a museum it was very nicely decorated and landscaped.

Arequipa Mill Museum 

Inside of the mill. You can see one of the stones to the right. The grain went into the hopper above the stone, and a shaft went down through the floor where a water sluice hit a wooden paddle and turned the stone.

Arequipa Mill Museum 

Inside the same building. You can just about see the curved roof that all of the buildings that are constructed out of this stone have — very nice!

Ancient Old Tree and Water Sluice

Here is a water channel. There seemed to be three, two went under the building to drive the stones and this one went out and around.

Arequipa Mill Museum

Arequipa Mill Museum

Peru is very religious — and almost all public and private areas have some type of religious display. Almost every building has a metal cross on it's roof.

Arequipa Mill Museum 

As I have said — Arequipa has plenty of water! Water is often flowing here, there and everywhere!

Arequipa Mill Museum

Arequipa Mill Museum

Arequipa Mill Museum Vendors

Arequipa Mill Museum

To be continued — Burning Man and a cemetery...

Machu Picchu

Yes, the train, busses, and all was to get to Machu Picchu!

This is pretty much the entrance to Machu Picchu -- and the classic shot. I don't know what elevation we are at -- but I must say it is certainly easier exploring Machu Picchu than Pisac! It was also warm and I was dying in my coat after a bit. 

This shot shows the steps! Up, down, repeat. Tiring -- but not nearly as bad as at Pisac. Pisac is at 11,000 foot elevation, I think Machu Picchu is under 8,000. Made a big difference. 

Here is the Inca water system. The guides like to mention that the Inca water system is still working after some 500 years, but I am a bit of a skeptic. I know that restoration work is on-going -- and I imagine the water system has had some work. 

The stone work is incredible! The fit is exact, and all done with just wood and stone. 

A lot of walls are still standing after hundreds of years, with no maintance in earthquake country. The Incas used a lot of construction procedures to ensure earthquake resistance -- one surprising technique was building the walls with loose stones. I would think that that would not work -- but tight fitting loose stones allowed the walls to flex and jiggle during an earthquake. 

The buildings must have had pole and frond or grass roofs.  

This was their church. There are three windows in it -- all facing north -- and all aligned with the sun's winter and summer solstice and the equinox. 

It seemed crazy how much work they did on steep slopes. I understand it was for several reasons: to control erosion, add grazing land, and also to make the place easier to defend. I guess if one thinks that this work was gradual over 100s of years, then more understandable. 

The classic mountain peak of Machu Picchu. I remember thinking that this is kind of the 'Campbell Water Tower' of Machu Picchu!

Not too many wild critters seen in Peru. Other than the condors, eagles and llamas -- alizard, this guy, some butterflies, small birds was about it. 

 

Had to try to get a photo of this llama grazing in front of the mountain peak. 

While some of the trails were crowed, many of the spots were empty and gave you 'room' to think and let you mind wander -- not so at the entrance to Machu Picchu! The cafe, gift shop and all were jammed. Think Disneyland!

My S/ 2 orange juice drink at Pisac is S/ 11 at Machu Picchu!...