The holy valley is first of all prominent due to the ancient ruins of Machu-Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Tambomachay lost on the mountain slopes. But besides them, there are other wonders hidden on those slopes, uneven and abrupt, with numerous fractures.
One of such fractures near Urubamba town (that means "flat ground" in Quechua) attracts by numerous "cells" looking like honeycomb from afar. It turns out to be a salt mine Salineras, from where Peruvians have been extracting salt for centuries. From the bowels of the earth the salty water is springing and flowing down the canal it forms such reservoirs, where later it evaporates leaving only sparkling crystals for people. Here are hundreds or maybe even thousands of cells, small and big. And each family has their own plot of land and maybe more than one.
But not everything is so simple. There are some fine points. For example, depth of the plot shouldn't exceed 30 cm. Reservoirs built in the form of polygons are surrounded by stones and farmers strictly control a water level inside. Color of salt that may vary from white to brown depends on their skills. The spectacle is undoubtedly beautiful thus attracting tourists going by. Peruvians, knowing that, ask for a token payment letting them go down to the plots and see them closer.
The town itself is not big and seems even smaller when is looked at from the slope. Though it's considered the biggest in the holy valley. Down we can see the Urubamba river flowing among the hills. In the city there is a football field where in June all citizens come for a festival El Señor de Torrechayoc for dancing and playing football.
Leaving the town - you may see a rock with a strange inscription on it - DIMA711. But nobody can say why this Russian name is written there.
Urubamba valley
The Urubamba river
The intricate system of canals
The salty water flows down the canal. "Farmers" just have to control the water level in a reservoir.
Salty town
So many various cells
Blooming cacti - local plants.
Waiting for tourists...
Local musicians
In the town
The inscription on the hill asks many questions answering none of them.
Urubamba settlement is biggest in the holy valley Urubamba.
via OlgaVar
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