Ruins of Ingapirca

All along the side of the road merchants were preparing to sell their cooked pigs!

Beans, rice and corn were prepared along with a serving of pork.

The corn is pretty bland.  It's a hard dry corn that is boiled.  Ecuadorians call it choclo.

First the outside is toasted!!  The chitlins are the best part.

Nothing is wasted!  Everything cooked and sold on the side of the road.  On the weekends vendors average about 2 pigs a day.

We finally arrived at the Ingapirca ruins.  This is an ancient city of the Canari Indians.  They worshipped the moon and were a matriarchal society.  Eventually the Incas, under Atahualpa conquered them.  The Incas were sun worshippers with headquarters in Cuzco and Quito.

This flower is indigenous to Ecuador and is found frequently throughout the highlands.  When brewed it the drink is a strong hallucinogen.

Indigenous house reconstructed at Ingapirca.

Burial area!

Mano and Matate for grinding corn!

The holes in the rock reflect the light of the moon and indicate times for planting and harvesting etc.

Thirsty pup!

1,000 lb. rocks that are perfectly fit together!

Ancient temple.  The alcoves held golden idols that reflected the sun at different angles to indicate time of year.

The doors were all trapezoidal in shape