Off The Deep End

Outside of Cusco there are numerous Incan sites that hardly anyone visits. Luis told us that Machu Picchu attracts most of the tourists and therefore most of the government funding for access and development. In the afternoon after visiting the pre Incan ruins we drove far up into the mountains to Tipon which is the site of the Water Temple.
The Incans brought water in man-made channels from miles back in the mountains to flow through a series of canals and waterfalls in a terraced temple area. The hydrological engineering was amazing; that these people without the benefit of modern technology could have constructed this marvel and furthermore that it is still functional after thousand of years.
The small area of the valley comprising the temple was terraced and mostly open. There was no evidence of structures or buildings aside from the terraces. Crisscrossing the terraces were small channels of flowing water. The channels split and converged at various junctions and formed waterfalls where they flowed over the terraces. The effect was almost magical.