Inti Raymi

Well, yesterday was the big day in Cuzco. The culmination of a week of festivities.
The highlight is a re-enactment of the Festival of The Sun ceremony of the Incas.

When I arrived in Cuzco I learned that seats were sold, but they were sold out months ago. So I had to join the locals. The ceremony takes place at Sacsaywaman , which is a formidable fortress on the outskirts of Cuzco. It is a 30 - 50 minute walk according to the guide book. What that doesn't tell you it's all uphill, and that's to the entrance. From there it's another half hour of steep steps. To get a good seat I left at 9, got there at 10:30, 3 hours before the start. I found a nice spot. The site is a natural amphitheater. I was beat, lay down and actually slept. The problems started when the ceremony started. All of a sudden a group of teen age punks appeared and stood on front of my group. I didn't see a lot of the ceremony, and left before the end, in disgust.
The walk back was almost as bad as the walk up, slippery stones, steep steps. I collapsed into bed, and slept.....
LONG DAY