Painting the Town Red with the Jeffries

On the Jeffries' 2nd day in Lima, we visited the Ancient Ones. Our guide and friend, Graciela, hired a van and driver to take us to San Isidro and Mireflores for the day.


These statues represent the age-old method for making adobe brick. The progenitors of these Ancient Ones still follow the same methods today as the pictures in the Road to Cusco Blog show. These brick makers would have lived about the time of Christ and for 700 years until they were conquered by the people who lived just east of La Molina. The Purochuco pictures show their lifestyle. Margaret and Ted and the kids visited Purochuco on Sunday after Sacrament Meeting.


Huaca Huallamarca, a restored pre-Incan religous site, is located in San Isidro, not far from the offices of the Lima Central and South Missions and a couple of blocks from the first property the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owned in Peru. Huallamarca was occupied from 400 BC until about the time of Christ when they were conquered. Then the pyramid was used as a cemetary. It is a sacred site where the mumified remains of Princess Huallamarca, a noble woman, are buried.

We have been by it often but never had the time to visit. It took the Jeffries coming to Lima to get us there. The climb is steep but the effort is really worth it. The views are spectacular and we had a rare, perfectly sunny day. Because it doesn't rain in Lima, the site is perfectly preserved.

These original bricks were found only about 20 years ago when the site was discovered. The huaca or sacred site is surrounded by 100-150 year-old stately Colonial style mansions, businesses and grand hotels. Only in the 1970s did Lima begin to protect the ancient sites.

This is an artist's rendition of what Huallamarca must have looked like. On the back side to the left of the picture is the burial grounds which are open for view now. The mumified bodies were discovered wrapped in cloth and lying in the fetal position. Many still had hair and fingernails, and the cloths they were buried in had retained their colors.

Emma, Spencer, and Kate are at the top of the ramp. Our guide is walking down the ramp. The burial sites are to the right and the visitors' center is at the bottom on the right. This picture really doesn't show the steepness of the ramp, but it does show the proximity of large homes and apartment buildings just across the street.

This is just one of the many baskets found by archeologists at Huallamarca.

We are fascinated by the various cactus plants we see all over La Molina. I asked Emma to pose because she was studying these particularly healthy plants at Huallamarca.

This foto is a study in perspective. Margaret is on the ramp just a little over half way to the top. Ted is to the right and Emma, Spencer and Kate are against the wall. Dad and I are in the foreground. Spencer is nearly 5' tall. Emma is 5' 7", Ted is 6'2", Margaret is 5'6", and Kate is 4'. Dad is 5'6" and I am not quite 5'. Fun picture!

After spending more than an hour at Haullamarca, we went to Mireflores where the Wari people lived for 700 years after Christ. This huaca called Pucllana is massive, maybe in area about the size of two large city blocks. The inhabitants of this site, the Warii, conquered the people who lived at Haullamarca. These people were then conquered by the people who lived at Purochuco. Then in the 1400s they were conquered by the Inca.

Ted and Emma are standing on the sidewalk on the far side of the site. Across the street are houses. Imagine having the view of an ancient site out your front window.

We had climbed to one of the levels when I took this picture of Margaret. You can get a sense of the grandeur of the site. When you look closely, you can see the formed bricks which together make the great mound. Before this site was uncovered, it looked like any other brown dirt and rock cerro or hill of which there are many in Lima. We often wonder aloud how many of the cerros reaching into La Molina and other districts of Lima like fingers are really sacred pre-Inca or Inca sites.

This pot was found intact. The colors are rich. Designs like these, The Nasca Lines, are found etched over a large area on the mountains about four hours south of Lima. The Nasca Lines can only be appreciated by plane.

This is the front view of Pucllana and only a fraction of the site which extended south and included a zoo and an herb garden. This was a fascinating site because the garden and zoo represented the kinds of herbs, plants, reeds, trees, and flowers used for cooking, for medicine, for making reed boats, for the wood for building material, and for the plants for dying cotton and the wool of the llama. The zoo was clean and neat. There were guinea pig, the ceremonial food of the pre-Inca, llama, vicuna, sheep, monkey, and goats, and wild turkey.

This picture shows recent, ongoing excavation as well as how close the city is to the site.

Spencer's strength wowed us!

This picture shows the enormity and expanse of the site and another view of ongoing excavation. Some of the land to the back side of the picture was reclaimed by the city in order to excavate.

We had been to the top and were headed back to the ground level and the garden when I took this foto. The picture doesn't show the yellow color, but the original 1000-year-old paint, a lucuma or orangish color, is on the lower wall to the left.

This is an original wall. Our English speaking guide was really good with the kids, allowing them to touch and explore. However, the grown ups had a hard time understanding her and Graciela had to explain more than once what she had told us.

These are burial tombs for the chiefs or leaders. The common burial ground was in San Isidro where many mummies were found.

The tours of the two sacred sites took about four hours. We were a tired and hungry bunch, but we had had a perfect touring day of sun and warm air, warm enough to be comfortable. We headed for Larco Mar for a great buffet lunch at Mangos--all foods Peruano. Then we headed to the Inca Market...but that's another story.

Some Inside Boat Scenes

Our first morning Javier came early, about 8:30am, to take us out on Lake Titicaca. Everyone was still feeling headachy and nauseated, but we had eaten some breakfast, drunk the coco tea, had a little oxygen, and were ready for him. It was cold when we started out but, by mid day, we were down to short sleeves. It was a delightful day even though it took most of the day for everyone to recover, especially Dad. So...do we look like Grandma Hess and Grandpa Slingerland? I was a little shocked to see this picture. Grandma would get a good laugh out of it, for sure.

Emma found Coke helped settle her stomach. Actually, it settled mine as well.

As Michael would say, "Nice boat!" The bathroom is the door to the right--not so bad either.

The seats were comfortable enough to stretch out on for a nap which some did later in the day. Ted and Kate were enjoying some Dad and daughter time.

Hmmm Is our boat captain taking a nap? Spencer's at the wheel, lookin' good.

Kate is doing quite well driving the boat with a little help from the boat captain.

Sicuani

Sicuani is an Inca burial site just outside Puno. The towers are the burial tombs. A body was sealed in the the tower and a level was added to the tower. Felix is pointing out the access or doorway into the tower. Imagine even knowing which stone to remove to find the entrance to the tomb. The first body was found just inside this opening. Another body was found a little farther up in the tower. The cemetary was field of towers. In addition to the towers there were great circles--sun dials or clocks which give true time even today. Even today the Quechua people use the grounds for sacred rites and occasions.

This picture shows the one of the larger towers. The blocks of stone are massive and, like other Inca structures, the great blocks are placed together without mortar.

Emma and I are standing in front of one of the burial towers. The top has crumbled. The ground is littered with the blocks and stones from the towers. Felix said some stones were taken to build other structures. The site has been protected since the 1900s.

This picture gives a better idea of the number of towers and their sizes. We hiked on a path that goes up and around the site. At times the climb was difficult because of the depth of the steps, just rocks in the dirt.

Ted and Spencer are standing on either side of one of the great blocks which has fallen from the tower. You can get a better idea of the size, weight, and shape of each stone and how the Inca fit the stones together to make the walls hold together.

Margaret is standing in the field of stones. There are more small structures off to her right. Also, a long stone wall is to her right.

Felix told us that the wall of stones is ancient but was constructed after the the time of the Inca which spanned 500 years.

These pigs weren't one bit concerned with us. We wondered if they belong to the family who runs the market and rest rooms on the site.

All the tourist sites have markets, some quite grand. This one was quite good. This is where Margaret and Emma found their hats.

High Adventure Part II The Uros Floating Islands

One of the personal experiences which made our ten-day trip really meaningful was meeting a family who lives on the Islas Flotantes or Uros Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca. We had only arrived the night before and were still suffering from some altitude sickness, but most of us recovered enough to really enjoy and appreciate meeting an LDS family whose family for generations has lived on the islands. Two islands are home to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Felix, our guide from Puno to Cusco, knew the three-generation family and took us to meet them. The first picture shows the Islanders' mode of transportation, the reed boat, in the shape of a seahorse which has significance we didn't quite understand.

After leaving the port in Juliaca, we traveled through a narrow channel until we we reached the open lake. We passed islands of grazing cattle and llama. The uninhabited islands' reeds are harvested to strengthen or build up the inhabited islands which have to be re-reeded or replenished every three months. To replenish the island, the reeds are cut and then tied into bundles which are dried in the sun. Then they are laid across the old reed in a criss cross fashion. Every ten years the islanders have to abandon the island because it eventually sinks.

The Islanders hope a tour boat of people will visit them. If they want visitors, they line up along the edge and wave. With as may tour boats as there were on the lake, probably every island was visited sometime during the day. The Islanders rise with the sun and go to bed when the sun goes down.

Our experience was very educational. The young father is pointing out the layout of the Uros Islands.

The islands are actually anchored so they will not move far. In the upper middle of the picture, you can barely see the anchor line.

These fish are not for eating...exactly. I asked the young mother how she used the fish. She said they are boiled to make a broth to which vegetables are added.

The Islanders sell the crafts and textiles they make. While we were being taught about island life, this woman worked on her embroidery. She told us it takes her about eight hours to make a small rug or wrap.

These reeds are freshly cut and green. The are edible as a vegetable as well and usually eaten in a soup or stew.

Every island has a tower look out. The young man showed us how the reeds are laid to give strength and depth to the island.

This is a section of island cut in half to show how the island looks in the water. He explained to us that the islands can be joined together or divided, depending on the needs of the families.

Emma was really excited to meet the Young Women president of the local ward. Emma has just gone into Young Women. She turned 12 on July 6.

We were invited to go into the bedroom of the Young Women president and change into the clothing worn on the islands. We had great fun choosing hats and skirts. The grandfather came in to help us choose the hats and decorative pom poms. The hats are heavy and itchy. In fact, the clothing is heavy. There are no zippers or buttons, only ties.

Emma is dressed in the Young Women president's clothes. They are really quite colorful. They are worn year round for warmth and protection from the sun.

Well, here are the two old folks. Don't you love Dad's tassles? My hat is noteworthy as well.

This Young Woman, daughter of the YW president, wanted me so much to buy this colorful rug with the condor design. I wanted to as well, but we were at the beginning of our trip and I didn't know how I could pack it home. I bought only a small mobile which is hanging on the bulletin board near the computer. However, Spencer bought a beautiful tapestry, a rug of deep blues, browns, and blacks to hang on the wall of his new bedroom.

Felix explained that life on an island can be quite dangerous for little children. Unless they are with their parents or grandparents, they can play only in the center of the island. They are bidding us farewell as we take a turn around the island on their reed boat.

This is the kindergarten school building.

In this picture you can see the construction of the reed boat and the reeds along the edge of the back side of the island. Someone lives in this house. We saw laundry lying on top of the roof of the house. Most of the houses are made from the woven reeds as well. We can imagine it is really cold in the winter, especially at night.

Kate is watching the young father guide the boat. We were still suffering from nausea from the altitude sickness, but there was so much to see and do, the kids seemed to forget how sick they were. Dad, on the other hand, missed the reed boat ride. He went back to the tour boat to lie down.

This is the back of the elementary school house. We couldn't get a shot of the front. When the children reach high school age, they go off the island for school and return at night. Imagine! The school bus is a reed boat. Some Islanders do have motor boats. We didn't see evidence of this family having a motor boat, however.

This is a fun shot of a boat being paddled by a man or woman standing up. We are somewhere around the island.