In mid March 2015, I began final preparations to say goodbye to my home in Calca. Part of that preparation involved leaving my isolation / retreat-mode behind and re-integrating socially in ways that were fun and magical.
This post is a short one, containing only 63 photos from my last couple of weeks in the Calca area.
As usual, the photos in this post are thumbnail images. Please click on any photo to enlarge it. The thumbnails leave much to be desired as far as colors and resolution – plus the thumbnails clip all of the edges. I use thumbnails for the post itself, because it gives people an opportunity to get a summary glimpse without downloading huge amounts of data for the high-res photos.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE TO HIGH RESOLUTION
I begin this post with a photo of me sitting by the river. My dear friend Diana took this photo while she was visiting in December, 2014. On March 17, 2015, she arrived back in Calca to take over my home – my River Playground.
Pisac Ruins – Finally
On March 18, 2015, my friend Annetteka was in town with her mother. I first met Annetteka in Valladolid, Yucatan, Mexico while I was recovering from a third-degree burn in 2010. She visited me a couple of times while I was in Guatemala, and now she decided to visit me for a day, here in Peru.
Her visit was a great catalyst for me to finally go see the Pisac Ruins, which are situated only thirty minutes from my home in Calca.
The ruins are on top of the mountain that towers over the town of Pisac.
These old Inca Ruins are quite spectacular.
My friend Annetteka and her mother Vibeka
Looking down from above.
Another view from higher up.
The ruins with the typical Inca terraces behind.
Exploring …
Terraces covered by nature.
Walking to a different part of the ruins.
Some traditional Inca Stonework on the walls.
The three of us having a blast.
And another of the same.
Looking down at some lower ruins (with some zoom).
Looking down with strong zoom. That area of houses on the valley floor is part of Pisac – a neighborhood called Rinconanda. I lived for about a month in a house down there, just left of center.
And another photo with full zoom, looking down at the town of Pisac below.
If you look closely, you can see a couple of tiny structures on the left ridge of this cliff. This mountain towers over Pisac below.
Annetteka, with Pisac behind, down in the valley. if you look closely, you can see a road zig-zagging up that mountain behind her. Just to the right of her head you can see the road disappear behind the mountain. This is the road that leads to Cuzco, which is on top of the mountains, on the other side of them, about forty minutes away by minivan.
Me, with Pisac behind me.
And another similar view.
Annetteka, enjoying the beautiful view.
More of the ruins below us.
The sun goes behind the mountain quite early up here.
Standing near the entrance gate, looking back toward the now-shady ruins.
Templo De La Luna
The “Temple of the Moon” is a small area up on the mountain above Cusco. During my time in the Sacred Valley, I had repeatedly heard about it, but never been to see it.
When Diana was here, I decided to go see it with her, spending the day there as we celebrated the Fall Equinox (Spring in the northern hemisphere) on March 20, 2015. I also had the pleasure of making a new friend, Mele.
Mele, Diana, and me … siting by the entrance to a small ceremonial cave.
Diana, sitting on the hill, outside. The Temple of the Moon is carved into a huge rock hill.
Looking from the same spot, out across the valley. Just above that trail over there is a ceremonial cave.
A natural cave in the Temple of the Moon.
A view of the temple area from one side. Mele is up there in the lower middle.
Mele and Diana, meditating on the side of the hill.
Diana …
Lares Hot Springs
On March 27, 2015, wanting to sit in magical hot springs one more time, I guided my friends Diana, Mele, and Todd, over the mountains on the two hour drive to Lares Hot Springs. I was there in November with Jeanette and have been craving a return visit ever since.
I first met Diana in Guatemala, and then at the “Temple of the Way of Light” during my retreat in Iquitos. I met Todd at the “Temple of the Way of Light”. He was my facilitator there. Diana and Todd met Mele at the temple, and I met her last week.
Since I have been here before, I only took a few photos get more information.
Looking down at the hot springs resort from a view area high up on the other side of the canyon.
Diana, sitting nearby, up at the lookout point.
Looking down and to the left. In the lower part of the photo is an artisan shop, and by it is a small fish hatchery. In the direct middle of the photo are some caves that you can barely see from this distance.
Zooming in on the middle cave. It is an ancient burial site.
A tiny bit less zoom. There used to be a mummy in there, but it is missing now. Two young local boys told us that just recently, someone had stolen it.
Todd (zoomed in) standing on another little lookout point below, and a couple hundred feet to our left.
I love the vegetation up here on this mountain side. All of it seems to be speaking to me as I walk by.
Diana, wrapped up because of the morning cold.
Todd, off in the distance, looking down toward the town of Lares.
Last night, at dinner, I gave some fish to the cat and one dog. Today, they just gravitated to me as I sat here waiting for my friends. This photo was NOT posed.
Another impromptu photo shoot.
Ankasmarca Or Bust
On the way to Lares, high atop a mountain prior to going over the 14,000 foot pass, we saw these ruins off to the left. Diana and Todd really wanted to come back and stop here on our way home. With as much as I have traveled, I was nervous about stopping here, because I didn’t know how we would get back to Calca. The rare buses that pass by here are usually quite full.
Todd and Diana told me they were going to show me another level of traveling, so I put my life in their hands.
The sign by the road.
Hiking up the trail.
A little sign as we get closer.
A view of the ruins in the distance.
And gorgeous natural colors.
This is a view from where we stopped to eat lunch.
Todd, Diana, and Mele. We pooled our resources and had tuna fish sandwiches, carrots, cookies, cashews, apples, and whatever else we could find in our bags.
I was eager to see the ruins, so I left my friends behind and began to explore.
This whole area is covered in partial ruins, most of them circular dwellings, built by ancient people.
Using my zoom to spy on my friends from above.
Zooming in on a local woman down below.
Looking to the right (up the valley). The mountain pass (14,000 foot) on the way to Lares is just to the left of that distant peak.
Looking across and slightly down the valley.
More of the ruins.
Very typical …
Zooming in from way above … they are still eating.
Zoomed in on a tiny friend below.
… and more ruins.
Finally, I got to the main part of the ruins – the part we saw from the highway. When I saw how steep it was, I decided not to walk down there.
You will need to click on the photo to enlarge it if you want to see the magical detail here.
Another sign as we walk back to the highway.
Me, Todd, and Mele … waiting for someone to pick us up. Several vans passed by, but they were construction vehicles and would not stop.
I was getting nervous as the sun was setting (after more than a half hour) and we still didn’t have a ride. It would have taken us many hours to walk back to Calca.
My friends just giggled at my silliness. Finally, a taxi cab pulled up to drop off a young boy. As it turns out, it was a collective taxi, with destination Calca, and we were the first three customers to begin the return journey.
Wrap-up
March was a fun and magical transition period for me – a delightful opportunity to hang out with friends while slowly saying goodbye to my special retreat-home of the last nine months.
Todd hung around for a couple of days, doing ceremonies with Diana and I.
Then, with my bags all packed, I sat out by the river on the morning of March 31, 2015. I was very surprised when, as I said goodbye to my playground, and as I reminisced about the profound healing that took place here, that I burst out into deep sobs. They were not tears of sadness – they were tears of deep gratitude.
My river playground in Calca served it’s purpose beautifully. As I later climbed into a moto-taxi, I was not even close to being the same person that moved here in July, 2014.
Copyright © 2015 by Brenda Larsen, All Rights Reserved