Ollantaytambo Fortress (i.e. Fortress of Treacherous Stairs)

Path from the fortress to
the top of the mountain

Austin and Dr. Brown walking through a
 small gap between two buildings

We finally started our journey through the Sacred Valley, the breadbasket of the Inca, starting in Ollantaytambo. We first toured the ruins of the Ollantaytambo fortress and got to see how the Inca had constructed the fortress. We learned that the Inca weren't fond of wide walkways.










Throughout the ruins we kept seeing the signs of the Inca's drainage system. There was an elaborate system of canals and pools scattered throughout the site. These canals kept the water from eroding the terraces away. They also help to make watering pools, most likely used for water gathering or bathing.

Canal by the main stairs

3 tiered fountain

   

watering pool

 These were what the Inca used to disperse water down the mountain to the right places and to get water to different terraces for the various crops they would plant and cultivate.  I'm still hoping that we get to see the break-down of one of the terraces at one to the ruins we are still going to before coming home. The Inca had to be pretty advanced to have the ability to build and structure places like the fortress. The thought process and planning that it must have taken would be incredible, especially without the help of the technology we have today to do these things for us (ex: computer simulations).

This will probably be the case at the rest of the places we are going, but my favorite part is the amazing views. The valley seemed to be made up mostly of farm territory and that was positioned near the Urubamba river. It was gorgeous and we of course took it as a chance for more pictures. Luckily I got to catch my breath after the intense trek up the hill before we took the pictures. I probably looked like I was about to keel over before.

Farms by the Urubamba river