recent years. I dig into trout ceviche,
sopa de mais (corn soup) and a tender
alpaca steak. For dessert, I try a Peru-
vian specialty: suspiro de la limena
(meaning “sign of a woman”), a deli-
cious caramel and liqueur meringue.
The next day, our driver delivers us
to a small hillside farming village,
consisting of a dozen tidy adobe mud-
frame homes. The morning sun,
peering between dark clouds, feels
intense—the way it always does
at these altitudes. The
entire span of the Scared
Valley is like a massive
outdoor monument
to Incan architec-
ture and ingenuity.
As respite for our
weary legs, our
plan is to walk
downhill to visit the
lesser-known ruins
earth. The slope unfolds
of Moray.
upon a sweeping vista of
As we follow a path
Suspiro
farmland. A woman sporting
through the village, our guide
de la limena
a bowler hat, the distinctive
Vigner Lozano points out
headgear of Quechua women, drives an
the curious rooftop bull-and-cross
oxen plough in preparation for spring
adornment found on most houses—it’s
planting. If it weren’t for the contrail of
meant to summon good luck for the
a jet traversing a patch of blue sky over-
harvest. Farther along, he pauses next
head, I’d feel as though I had stumbled
to an agave plant. A love-struck local
back into medieval times.
has scratched an amorous musing
The path contours a rounded ridge
into one of the leaves, which roughly
and Moray comes into view. A curious,
translates as, “I love the way you
extraterrestrial-looking installation
walk.” It makes me momentarily self-
of terraced amphitheatres, Moray is
conscious of my ambling gait.
unlike any other ruins I’ve seen in my
Exiting the village, we follow a creek
travels. While most visitors arrive en
of syrupy-looking water that gurgles
masse by tour bus, our guide has led us
down a ravine lined with eucalyptus.
on foot through the back door, giving
The fragrant but invasive tree has
us a spectacular bird’s-eye view of this
multiplied widely throughout the
Incan marvel.
Americas since being introduced from
“Researchers have found ancient
Australia. I spot two young men, bare-
pollen from different crops and also
foot, hoeing a field of dry, clumpy
soil types that come from many other
places in Peru,” Lozano explains. “It
Peruvian roof ornaments
is believed this was an agricultural
research facility where the Inca would
test different crops.” Though, he adds,
much mystery still surrounds Moray.
Was it a place of practical research,
spiritual worship or both?
As we descend into Moray, its scale
becomes more impressive; it is much
larger than it appeared from above.
Strolling on a terrace, I run my hand
along a wall of stones meticulously
placed long ago by Incan masons. »
The tiered terraces
of Moray
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