Cruise Report

2020/8/7

The many Civilizations Wrapped in Mysteries and Secrets

Approximately 440 kilometers southeast of Lima, between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, you can find the land of Nazca, home to a number of giant ground paintings better known as the Nazca Lines. Today we will board a small plane to fly over these paintings. The scenery of the Nazca area, where complex sand patterns spread over this desolate land, is also a big highlight.

Fascinated by the magnificent landscape, you will start to see a series of works of art drawn by ancient people, monkeys, condors, spiders, hummingbirds, aliens and geometric patterns start to appear one after another. Its enormous size and sophistication are amazing. There are various theories about the purpose drawn, they talk about astronomical reasons rituals, or even to call the rain, and while no one can be sure of the real reason, having these theories in mind while you admire the lines will leave you a deeper impression.

The city of Cusco, which means “navel” in the Quechuan language and is famous as the gateway to Machu Picchu, was the capital of the Inca Empire and the entire city is registered as a World Heritage Site. The outstanding masonry technology, which is said to be the crystallization of the wisdom of the Inca era, surprised the Spaniard Conquerors. Even when a new Western-style city was built after the suppression of Cusco, the elaborate Inca stonework was used for the foundations of other buildings, such as churches. The place that shows the high degree of the technology achieved by the Inca is the twelve-angled stone. An stonework made with lost methods and techniques, where “one razor can’t pass”, amazes us but leaves wondering the purpose of its creation.

The Machu Picchu Ruins

Machu Picchu is called the “City in the Sky” because it is located in the mountains of the Andes and the existence of the ruins can only be confirmed from the sky. The ruins consist of a temple and a residential area, with terraced fields on the slopes.

Other than the magnificent scenery, where stone ruins appear in the deep mountains, the city’s functions, it’s sophisticated stonework, and the technical capabilities are just overwhelming. You can see how nature was incorporated to contribute to their lifestyle and the advanced technology that made it possible.

By all means, see this wonderful scenery full of mystery and romance with your own eyes, feel the wind of Machu Picchu, and imagine the people who lived here.

A Mysterious Civilization that fills you with Romance

Pyramids built thousands of years ago, the Nazca Lines, and the Inca Empire that ruled a vast area. From the desert coast to the highlands of 3,000 meters above sea level, the Andean people have created a unique culture in a diverse environment.

However, many of the civilizations that blossomed in the Andean land didn’t had a writting system, even though they were highly developed, and the existence of money and wheels has not been confirmed even now. And many of the mysteries are still unsolved, as many clues have been lost forever due to the Spanish conquest. However, even in the present age when science and technology have been developed to higher degrees, the Andes and it’s mysteries keep calling us back time after time.