It was cold and rainy when we arrived in El Tombo, so Jo and Meg haggled over and purchased two very nice hooded, polar fleece frocks for only $14. Here you see the Sisters of Perpetual Anguish escorted by their native guide, Rosa, on the path to the bath, Banos de Coyoctor, a Santuario Inca. Even though it may now be referd to as an Inca Sanctuary, these carved rocks were well worn before that better known race came and conquered the native people. The Canari had been worshipping their Sun God on this hillside for so long before hand their leather soles had worn out steps into the rock faces.
Quick! Somebody cue the llama!
If you're a builder, note the soffett construction of bamboo.
This then is the obligatory, omni-present "Tourist Information" center Rosa's local government maintains for us, the picture-taking, jabbering gringos. It is complete with a scale model;
very old, serpent petroglyph;
height differential demonstrations;
and various life-sized, cultural dioramas with costumed re-enactments of important holidays and practices.
This is Grandpa making a little home-brew and wearing the little white bowler the Canari are recognized by.
Mom is sewing the corn behind Dad with his wooden plow and imaginary oxen (Ministry of Tourism budgetary considerations, don't cha know) as they till and plant the Andean rocky soil.
This is interesting in that I saw the same venerable street scene in Moscow, Russia. That being a guy with a chained, wild bear and a collection cup. Call it archtypal Man's early attempts at "Another Roadside Atraction". N.B. about the spelling mistakes...I haven't found a good English dictionary yet, principally I'm am against spellcheck and I'm too lazy to stop, so there.
Not that you can read it, but here is a bilingual posture explaing why it is O.K. for someone to chain up a bear and walk around collecting money from those wiling to donate of which I am not one.
The Canari (400-1532) are a Pre-Columbian race (read that before Christopher Columbus) and were already an advanced civilization here in Central Ecuador when the Inca marched up from Peru.
Today, the path they took North is known as the Inca Trail or Ruta Inka, but the Canari had established it originally. The Inca simply used it to expand their empire.
The average altitude here is 3160 M (10,368 ft.) with some hills? reaching 3806 M (12, 487 ft.). The really high peaks are the many snow-capped vulcans that make up the north-south runing avenue of the volcanos. - Jo just called me from the rim of one of those, so we should have some spectaculor shots to share when she returns...if she doesn't fall in trying to compose the perfect image. - Other statistics for the region are an average temperature is 54 degrees, a population of around 58,000 in an area of 1800 KM2 (700 sq. miles).
The average altitude here is 3160 M (10,368 ft.) with some hills? reaching 3806 M (12, 487 ft.). The really high peaks are the many snow-capped vulcans that make up the north-south runing avenue of the volcanos. - Jo just called me from the rim of one of those, so we should have some spectaculor shots to share when she returns...if she doesn't fall in trying to compose the perfect image. - Other statistics for the region are an average temperature is 54 degrees, a population of around 58,000 in an area of 1800 KM2 (700 sq. miles).
The Inca conquered many native groups, but the Canari never lost their ethnic identity. In fact, when the Spanish Conquistators came in 1530 the Canari viewed them as liberators from Inca tyranny and joined them in wiping the pushy Peruvians off the face of the Earth.
The Sun God, Raymi, is worshipped with a Summer Solstice festival, Killa, even today. Although they have done away with the sacrificing of vestial virgins by buring them alive, much to Rosa's relief. The earthly King would sit in the bath carved into these rocks and fresh water would cascade down from above warming in the June sun in order to cleanse and purify him before addressing the gathered multitudes.
Quick! Somebody cue the llama!
If you're a builder, note the soffett construction of bamboo.
This then is the obligatory, omni-present "Tourist Information" center Rosa's local government maintains for us, the picture-taking, jabbering gringos. It is complete with a scale model;
very old, serpent petroglyph;
height differential demonstrations;
and various life-sized, cultural dioramas with costumed re-enactments of important holidays and practices.
Here's a shot I took earlier this year on the streets of Cuenca of this guy's descendant still partying on.
This is Grandpa making a little home-brew and wearing the little white bowler the Canari are recognized by.
Mom is sewing the corn behind Dad with his wooden plow and imaginary oxen (Ministry of Tourism budgetary considerations, don't cha know) as they till and plant the Andean rocky soil.
This is interesting in that I saw the same venerable street scene in Moscow, Russia. That being a guy with a chained, wild bear and a collection cup. Call it archtypal Man's early attempts at "Another Roadside Atraction". N.B. about the spelling mistakes...I haven't found a good English dictionary yet, principally I'm am against spellcheck and I'm too lazy to stop, so there.
Not that you can read it, but here is a bilingual posture explaing why it is O.K. for someone to chain up a bear and walk around collecting money from those wiling to donate of which I am not one.
Well, time to go teach my 15 YO's English and that most Americans are just like me.
Chau,
Tony
No comments:
Post a Comment