The Chullpas, Sillustani, Peru

If you're an Ancient Aliens fan, then you'll already know what a Chullpa is, if you're not, then click here for Wiki.

At 3,830M or 12,556 ft, like everywhere else in The Andes, what looks like a 10 minute walk, is actually more like an arduous, oxygen gasping, half hour hike, that requires a half hour rest when you get there.

No, I wasn't kidding about the half hour break when you get there.
The roadway down the bottom there, is bordered, on both sides by market stalls, set up by the local peoples, selling locally manufactured wares, the obligatory "Been There, Done That T-shirts & stickers, and more importantly, yummy food.
Oh yeh, and at the end of that road, yes, you guessed it, that's where you have to park.

You'll notice that there are two distinctly different types of Chullpa's.
The monolithic, perfectly fitting, rectangular blocks of the ancient peoples that history wont teach you about, but the locals will, and the loosely fitted rocks of varying shapes and sizes of the more recent Inca peoples, already in a very bad state of deterioration.
Yes, I agree, that makes perfect sense.

The brickwork like structure on the left, and to the rear, is exactly that, and is a modern day reconstruction. The mounds on the right, embracing the skyline, are of Inca construction. What's left of the monolithic construction on the left, the half complete one on the right, and the 12M (39 ft) tall centre piece, are pre Incan in origin.

This broken chullpa, has been infilled in recent times, to prevent further collapse.
The Shaman, and dear friend of mine, whom I was travelling with, is in consensus with the local history, in that this tower exploded, from the inside out.


What's on the other side of the summit?
I'm glad you asked :)

This island in the middle of the lake, is privately owned, and is sufficient in size to have wild pumas roaming on it.


and looking straight down, from the edge of that ridge, onto the bank of the lake

A local farmer has his day shack set up


and in closing, here's a dead tree :)



Well, that's my selection for today folks. If you enjoyed these photos, be sure to check out my previous posts, and follow me, to see my daily selections.
Tomorrow I'll be uploading my selection of photos from a rescued animal sanctuary that I visited, on the outskirts of Cusco, The Incan capital of Peru.

Peace.