Ingapirca - Inca Ruins

Another road trip - this time to the Inca ruins of Ingapirca!  It was absolutely fabulous!!  And we had magnificient weather, which I have heard doesn't happen very often.  Again, Mick and Kathy were nice enough to invite us along for the day.  Take a look at these pics:

Take a look at that beautiful blue sky!!

Another overview of the ruins (notice the castle in the background)

Kathy talking to our guide, Carlos.  He did an excellent job of explaining everything. 

Kathy checking out the tree with flowers that are used to make the date rape drug.  (I'm not sure what it is called.  Mick kept calling it the "date rape tree".)

Another view of the ruins

Carlos explaining the uses of this plant (I forgot what it was called.  I guess I should have taken notes.)

This rock was lined up so that on June 21st (the summer solstice), the line runs directly east to west through two sections of the buildings.  The summer solstice was very important to the Incas.  They have a huge festival there every year on June 21st.

The llamas run wild through the ruins.

This area was the kitchen where they ground up the corn to make a corn liquor drink.

Pat and Carlos next to an Incan calendar (each hole represents a day of the month)

This pic was as we approached the "castle"

We were on top of the castle where the priest would talk to the prince.  It was really fascinating because there was a big niche in the rock where the priest would stand back in.  And directly across from him, the prince would stand in another niche.  They could whisper very softly and still hear one another.  We tried it and it worked.  Carlos said it was how they could talk to one another without anyone else hearing.

The view from on top of the castle

Another view from the castle

We had a wonderful day at the Inca ruins, but we are always glad to get back to Cuenca.  We look forward to our next day on the road.