Blatts in Peru: Salineras and Maras: Peru´s Salt Mines and Inca Garden

We went the arduous way;  First we took a bus, then a minivan, then  the bus again, a taxi and a walk--  but it was all worthwhile to get to Salineras; the other-worldly salt reservoir in the Sacred Valley.   Here, hot, salty springs run down the mountain where the salt is collected in pools when the water evaporates.  Then, a hard-working, ten year old boy collects 60 pounds of salt, and carries it up the mountain to sell for cow licks.

We enjoyed traipsing around the crystlized formations and were mesmerized by the tiny stalagmites and glittering pools.

Next, our taxi driver took us to Maras,  near Moray, where the Incas built levels of terraced gardens to experiment with different types of soil and plants.    The rainwater poured down great aquaducts and collected in pools at the bottom, where the humidity was captured inside the giant, green bowl.  At least I think that´s what the guide nearby us explained.  He was speaking Spanish...

The sites were unique and strange, quite an opportunity to see a different side of Peru.  At the end of the day, we asked the kids what there favorite experience was.   The answer:  They both enjoyed eating at the small restaurant near the bus station, where they could watch some dramtic matches of Pro Wrestling on the TV!