Ollantaytambo

We climbed about 300 steps to get to the top of the fortress. Ollantaytambo is one of the most important astronomical sites in all of Peru.

The Incas carved the profile of a king's head into the rock mountain. (Look in the center of the picture on left of mountain.) It is also a Puma head. (See the 2 jagged rocks sticking out of the mountain, just above the head, those are the puma's ears, and the king's head is the puma snout.) At summer solstice, the sun emerges just where the kings eyes are.

This is the mysterious Princess spring. The young Inca girls would be required to pass their hand over the water, and if it stopped flowing, then everyone could tell that they were a virgin. Our guide showed us, and it actually worked. The water did stop! So, that means, either he was a virgin, or there is some mysterious physics principle at work there.

Although Peruvians are becoming more modern thinkers, they are also strongly influenced by their traditions. For example, many houses have small crosses on top; that indicates the occupants are Catholic. However, they also have an object next to the cross, like cattle. That is a good luck charm which they hope with bring them luck in that particular area.