Looking back up as the site hugs the contours of the slope - these terraces were only built on slopes with favourable aspects to maximise the growing potential...

Llama and calf...

Intipata & Llamas...

Calf up close...

Winaywayna (also known as 'Little Machu Picchu')

The steps and the Sun had taken its toll and only a few of us took the short walk to Winaywayna (which means 'Forever Young' in Quechan).

The site is on a truly vertiginous slope...

Well preserved dwellings...

The very impressive cascade of Inca fountains...

Part of the channel to the fountains still in working order...

The fountains take their water from the stream in the centre of the picture; it's moved across the contours of the slope to the right in channels and the fountains drop it down to the dwellings lower down the slope...

Miche on one of the terraces...

Me in a typical Inca double layer doorway...

Did I mention that the slope was precipitous?

I don't fear heights, but just looking at this photo makes my stomach lurch (though that may be the memory of the under-ripe fuchsia berry that I ate at the site - I'll spare the detail)...

Miche & the super steep terracing...

Looking out to the Urubamba...

Kristine in an Inca window...

Miche enjoying its trapezoidal wonders too..

Well, if everyone else is doing it...

Who wouldn't be tempted to sit in one and enjoy the view?

 

Next - Day 13 - part 3 - Final steps & Sun Gate (Intipunku)

Next - Day 14 - Machu Picchu


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