Ancient Kuelap

To celebrate Ben's (our newphew) 12th birthday we went to Kuelap, a ruin matched in grandeur only by the more famous ruins of Machu Picchu yet receives remarkably few visitors. The drive to Kuelap was stressful to say the least -- switchback single lane roads that climbed up and down mountains with no guard rail -- we found it worked best to not look out of the vehicle's side windows. At one point we needed to stop for about an hour while a road was being repaired from a big mud slide and at another point we had to stop and wait for a couple of stubborn bulls to be herded off the road, sure that our van would rammed. Kuelap is in the process of being recognized as a world heritage site and is apparently one of the most significant and impressive pre-Columbian ruin in South America.

The main entrance was designed for easy defence.

The site was divided into hierarchical areas.

The pre-Inca natives were warriors who chose a high vantage point.

More material was used here than at the Great Pyramids.

Decorative foundations

Each house had its own tomb at the center for secondary burials.

Our day was topped off by going out for a fancy birthday dinner in the nice city of Chachapoyas. Ben giggled as he ordered the special of the evening, a whole roasted guinea pig. We teased him that it was a bit like an initiation into manhood.