🌀 My trip to Peru was very impulsive – I felt a sudden urge, and it took only two weeks until I was on a plane to Lima. So this modern interpretation of the Chakana replaced my talisman six years ago.

⛰️ I bought this Andean cross from an old man on a hill in Sacsayhuaman. My intuition led me, on my first day in Cusco directly to this mysterious place, where an estimated 20,000 people once worked on its construction. I sat with the man on the hill for about half an hour, and he explained his interpretation of the Chakana to me, along with this site, which was likely used for military and ritual purposes.

🌐 The original Chakana existed about 2,000 years before the rise of the Inca Empire. The triangle is a modern variation for tourists; however, it symbolizes the trinity of the condor (upper world), puma (this world), and snake (underworld), and perhaps the three moral principles "do not lie", "do not steal", and "do not be lazy". The four planes represent the cardinal directions, seasons, and stages of life. It has 12 edges, like the months of the year. In the center, as a unifying element of origin, is the sun, a central deity.

🏔 The traces of the Inca were visible throughout my entire journey. Rock carvings, often with animal motifs, can be found on almost every mountain. Every mountain is alive, and many are sacred. It was a deeply nature-connected, inquisitive, organized, and spiritual culture. In Quechua, "Chakana" roughly means "acting as a bridge". The old man told me – even if it was his imagination – that the Inca at Sacsayhuaman would repeatedly undergo ritual cycles of the cosmos here before setting out to other places, like Machu Picchu. My journey also led me toward Machu Picchu a few days later, and the pendant accompanied me on this exciting adventure.

🧭 A few months later, I created "megagroundsloth," and to this day, I wear this pendant daily because, for me, it’s not only a powerful memory but also a symbol of guidance and encounter.

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A little farm near Sacsayhuaman.
✨🦙🦙✨

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I still find photos of my very favorite travel ever 😊
Taken at Laguna de Piuray!🗻

Oh Peru.. such a beautiful country! 🤎
Not only these alpacas are dreaming far away...
✨🦙🦙✨

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Power to the people ⚡

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At the Hidroelectrica train station. You can reach Machu Picchu only via train or on foot. On my way to Machu Picchu Village (Aguas Calientes) I walked from Hidroelectrica along the railroad tracks. On my way back I took the train. I had a first class ticket, but didn't even know about that. I didn't notice that I entered the wrong compartment. We already started when I figured it out. After about half of the journey the train had to make a stop and a train attendant ran with me to my compartment. There I was completely alone except for two other passengers and the service staff.😁

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Sacred garden of the Coricancha temple. Spanish chroniclers describe it as a garden of golden plants with leaves of beaten gold, stems of silver, solid gold corn-cobs and 20 life-size llamas and their herders all in solid gold. Also many other animals like colibris, snakes, butterflies and even spiders formed a detailed garden of gold and silver. Gold was considered the "sweat pearls of the sun" and silver the "tears of the moon".🌞🌚

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Coricancha "The Golden Temple" with Convent of Santo Domingo above. The Coricancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire. It was destroyed during the Conquista. It must have been very impressive with lots of gold decorations. The remains form the foundation of the convent. There is a museum inside which also includes art collections (Cusco School and contemporary art). The green area is the sacred garden. The man in the white shirt is just leaving a small archaelogical museum, which is located directly under the garden.

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That's on my way from Santa Teresa (Machu Picchu) to Cusco (capital of the Inca Empire). I traveled with a colectivo, that's what the collective buses are called in South America. The whole trip was an adventure. A little later, when it was already dark, we stopped in the middle of a winding road somewhere in the mountains. We had to push the bus for it to start again. Most of the other passengers, although native, hardly spoke Spanish. Not every Peruvian speaks Spanish as a mother tongue. Quechua is the most spoken language in some regions. When we finally arrived in Cusco, it was after midnight. I remember how excited I was when I finally got to the hostel.😁

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The narrow path to Mount Machu Picchu.🙃

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Burning palo santo in front of a mirror.
I discovered this "holy wood" in Peru. Bursera graveolens beguiles with a sweet soothing scent and has a nice relaxing effect. It contains a lot of resin, so it burns very well. Palo santo is closely related to frankincense. Both belong to the plant group of torchwoods. The smell is quite similar.

The intensely fragrant smoke is supposed to drive away bad energies. Shamans and medicine men use it for ritual purification and healing. People use it to clean their homes of bad energy. In fact, mosquitoes and moths don't like it at all.

In Peru, no trees are cut for harvesting. The twigs and branches are collected from the ground. I don't know how this is handled in other countries.

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