THE ALTIPLANO OF PERU IS HIGH AND COLD BUT OVER THE MILLENNIA ANDEAN PEOPLES HAVE MADE THE LANDSCAPE INTO THEIR OWN PLACE, WITH THEIR OWN CROPS, THEIR OWN ANIMALS, THEIR OWN CLOTHING AND THEIR OWN TEMPLES.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

[MUSIC] THE CENTRAL ANDES OF PERU IS HIGH COUNTRY.

WE BEGIN ABOUT 10,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND WE SEE FARMERS IN THEIR FIELDS.

AS WE GO HIGHER AND HIGHER, WE SEE PASTORALISTS AND THEIR FLOCKS, LLAMAS, ALPACAS AND SHEEP.

IT'S A LANDSCAPE OF HIGH MOUNTAINS, OF VOLCANOES, OF WATER, OF SNOW, OF GLACIERS UNLIKE ANY OTHER LANDSCAPE IN THE AMERICAS.

OUR JOURNEY BEGINS AT HUANCAYO, THE BIGGEST CITY IN THE PERUVIAN ANDES.

WE CROSS THE WILDS OF THE MOUNTAINS TRAVERSING DEEP CANYONS AND SNOW-COVERED PASSES.

I'M HOPING THIS MOUNTAINOUS ROUTE WILL GET ME TO THE INCAS SECOND LARGEST CITY, VILCASHUAMAN WHERE CHRISTIAN AND INCAN RELIGIONS CLASHED.

WE'LL SEE.

AS WE CLIMB, OUTPOSTS AND PEOPLE BECOME SCARCER.

HE'S ON HIS WAY TO MONTERRICO.

HE'LL WALK UNLESS HE GETS A RIDE.

HE LIVES FOUR KILOMETERS AWAY FROM HERE AND HE RAISES LIVESTOCK.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] AND HE BRINGS HIS ALPACA WOOL TO THE MARKET.

HE LIVES FOUR KILOMETERS FROM HERE AND HE HOPES THAT HE WILL GET A RIDE WITH TRUCKS THAT GO BY.

SO THIS IS FULL OF THE WOOL FROM THE ALPACA.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] EVERY NIGHT HERE IT FREEZES.

HE AND HIS WIFE BOTH KNIT AND WEAVE.

THIS IS A VERY COLD CLIMATE.

WE'RE AT ABOUT ALMOST 14,000 FEET HERE.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] OKAY, THIS IS CARRYING SOME MINERALS FROM A MINE THAT'S NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] SO THEY BRING EVERYTHING UP FROM THE COAST AND SOME OF IT COMES HERE TO HUANCA DE LICA OTHER GOES ON TO AYACUCHO.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] SO THIS WEIGHS 15 KILOS, THAT'S ABOUT 40 POUNDS.

THIS FELLOW SAYS THAT THE LLAMAS ARE MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THE ALPACAS AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ALPACA AND THE LLAMA IS THE ALPACAS ARE SMALLER AND THEIR EARS ARE POINTED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.

BUT THE ALPACAS ARE GENTLER.

THE ALPACAS AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO CARRY ANY BURDENS AT ALL BUT THE LLAMAS ARE REAL GOOD FOR THAT.

OKAY, SO AN ALPACA IS WORTH MORE THAN A LLAMA BECAUSE OF THE WOOL THAT THEY GIVE.

HE'S ON FOOT WAITING FOR A TRUCK GOING THE OTHER WAY.

WE'RE LUCKY, WE HAVE A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE FOR THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

AT THIS ALTITUDE AND WITH THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES THERE ARE NOT MANY SIGNS OF HUMAN HABITATION.

WHEN I SEE ONE, I HAVE TO STOP AND ASK, WELL, A FEW QUESTIONS.

SO HERE I AM AT ABOUT 15,000 FEET IN THE ANDES AND TRYING TO LOOK AT THE ORIGINAL RAMMED EARTH CONSTRUCTION.

IT'S A PERFECT SITUATION.

THEY EXCAVATE THE FLAT AREA FOR THE HOUSE AND USE THE EXCAVATED DIRT TO MAKE RAMMED EARTH, MIX IT WITH ICHU, THE GRASS FROM HERE, MOIST EARTH, RAM IT IN AND IT WILL LAST FOREVER.

AND TO GET DOWN I'VE GOT TO JUMP AND FEEL THE WALL AND IT'S VERY MOIST.

IT'S THIS THICK.

IT WILL DRY OUT BUT THE THICKNESS WILL HOLD THE WARMTH INSIDE AND INITIALLY THEY'LL PUT ON A LAMINATED TIN ROOF BECAUSE THAT'S THE CHEAPEST AND EASIEST.

BUT HE SAYS IN THE LONG RUN THEY WANT TO MAKE A ROOF OUT OF THIS ICHU GRASS WHICH WILL HOLD IN THE WARMTH.

IDEAL PLACE TO LIVE UP HERE IN THIS VERY HIGH PLACE IN THE ANDES.

THIS IS THE MAIN DOORWAY AND THE LENTIL AND IT'S A GOOD SOLID PIECE OF LUMBER.

HERE IS THE KEYHOLE WINDOW AND OVER HERE IS THE SECOND WINDOW.

THE HOUSE WILL HAVE ONE DOOR AND ONE WINDOW AND THEY HAVE TO USE SLABS OF WOOD TO MAKE THE WINDOW.

BUT THIS IS PROBABLY 16 INCHES THICK AND I ASKED THE BUILDERS AND THEY SAY IT WILL LAST LONGER THAN MOST PEOPLE.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S AS SOLID AND INEXPENSIVE AS A BUILDING CAN BE.

WHEN THEY'RE FINISHED, THEY'LL USE THESE POLES FROM ELSEWHERE TO HOLD UP A LAMINATED ROOFING AND WHEN THEY HAVE TIME AND MONEY THEN THEY WILL USE THE NATIVE GRASS AND THIS HOUSE WILL STAY WARM ALL THE TIME.

IT COULD NOT BE A MORE IDEAL SUSTAINABLE TYPE OF HOUSE CONSTRUCTION.

PERFECT FOR THE ANDES.

I'M GETTING A READING IN A SNOWSTORM OF 14, 911 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL IN THE MONTH OF MAY.

AND THIS IS SNOW.

THE ROAD SEEMS TO CLIMB FOREVER.

THIS USED TO BE A TRAIL FOR MULE TEAMS.

NOW IT'S MOSTLY BIG TRUCKS CARRYING SUPPLIES BETWEEN THE ANDES AND THE COAST.

AT ABOUT 16,000 FEET HERE IN THE ANDES THE AIR IS JUST CRYSTAL CLEAR AND BECAUSE IT'S SO COLD THERE ARE ALMOST NO PLANTS AND YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE GEOLOGY.

IF WE HAD BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN HERE A FEW MILLION YEARS AGO, WE WOULD HAVE SEEN CATACLYSMIC VOLCANIC EXPLOSIONS BLOWING THIS ROCK UP IN THE AIR, HUGE FLOWS OF ANDESITE AND THEN AFTERWARDS OTHER EXPLOSIONS THAT BLEW ASH EVERYWHERE AND BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A GREAT DEAL OF EROSION HERE, WE CAN STILL AFTER MILLIONS OF YEARS SEE THE EFFECTS OF THAT VOLCANISM.

THANKS FOR NO PLANTS, THANKS FOR LITTLE EROSION, IT'S A MAGNIFICENT VIEW.

FINALLY WE CROWN OUT AND BEGIN THE LONG, WINDING DESCENT.

IT'S GETTING DARK AND AYACUCHO IS STILL FAR AWAY BUT IT'S THE CLOSEST PLACE TO FIND FOOD, WARMTH AND SHELTER.

AYACUCHO SITS AT 9100 FEET ABOUT SEA LEVEL IN THE ANDES.

UNTIL RECENTLY, A TRIP TO THE COAST TOOK A COUPLE OF DAYS BUT WITH THE NEW HIGHWAY IT'S ONLY THREE OR FOUR HOURS AWAY.

AYACUCHO HAS BEEN THE SCENE OVER THE LAST THOUSAND YEARS OR SO OF NUMEROUS CONFLICTS, SOME OF THEM AS RECENTLY AS 20 YEARS AGO, INCLUDING ARMED STRUGGLE.

TODAY IT HAS BECOME THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF THE ANDES.

THIS IS THE AYACUCHO MARKET.

AS EVERYWHERE, IT'S A SOCIAL PLACE.

THIS IS REALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE HERE YOU HEAR MORE QUECHUA THAN YOU DO SPANISH.

IT'S A VERY NICE FEELING.

QUECHUA IS A MUSICAL LANGUAGE.

THE MARKET HERE IS PRETTY WELL ORGANIZED AND ACCORDING TO THIS IT'S BEEN HERE OVER 100 YEARS.

2006 THEY HAD THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.

EVERY SINGLE BOOTH IS MARKED ON THIS MAP SO NOBODY IS IN THIS MARKET RANDOMLY.

EVERYONE IS ASSIGNED AND HAVE PERMISSION, THEY HAVE A LICENSE.

HERE WE ARE IN THE SWEET SECTION AND ALL THESE VATS HAVE A DIFFERENT KIND OF PUDDING OR TREAT.

THIS ONE THEY CALL... MASAMORA.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] THIS IS A CORN BASED SWEET.

IT'S REALLY, IT'S GOT SYRUP IN IT.

THIS SECOND ONE IS RICE PUDDING BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] THIS IS A CONCOCTION OF VARIOUS FRUITS WITH A DARK PURPLE COLOR TO IT.

THIS IS A PEACH PUDDING AND ...

OKAY, THIS IS A PUMPKIN BASED.

...

OKAY, SO THIS IS NOT ONLY A PUMPKIN BASED PUDDING BUT IT STILL HAS THE PEPITAS, THE PUMPKIN SEEDS IN IT.

THIS IS AYACUCHO FARE, THIS IS POTATOES COOKED WITH CHILI AND COVERED WITH PARSLEY AND THE CHILI ISN'T TERRIBLY HOT BUT IT CAN BE.

... CHICKEN AND RICE IS AS POPULAR IN PERU AS HAMBURGERS ARE IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO THIS IS THE BREAD SECTION.

IT'S PRETTY AND IT'S SPECIALLY MADE HERE.

THEY HAVE LITTLE BOY BREAD AND THESE HAVE EYES AND FIGURES, HUMAN FIGURES AND IT MAY BE BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THIS SHRINE.

OKAY, SO THEY RESPECT THIS LITTLE SAINT, HE'S THE SAINT OF THE MARKET AND OF THE WORKERS HERE.

AND THIS LITTLE IMAGE WAS BROUGHT FROM EUROPE BY A MAN FROM AYACUCHO AND DONATED TO THE MARKET.

THE CHILD WHO IS DEPICTED HERE WAS AN ACTUAL PERSON WHO WAS ABLE TO SMOTHER A FIRE THAT THREATENED THE ENTIRE CITY, WHEREVER THE CITY WAS AND PERHAPS IT WAS PRAGUE.

THIS IS A VERY HIGHLY ADORED AND ADORNED NIÑA DE PRAGUE, CHILD OF PRAGUE.

THERE ARE NOT MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE YOU CAN RENT A CELL PHONE BY THE MINUTE BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY POOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD A NEW ONE, YOU CAN RENT ONE HERE FOR 15 CENTS A MINUTE.

THIS IS NOT YOUR ORDINARY GARBAGE TRUCK.

IT'S A GARBAGE TRUCK WITH MUSIC TO SHOW THAT GARBAGE ISN'T ALL THAT BAD.

THE PEOPLE OF THE ANDES ARE VERY CATHOLIC IN THEIR OWN WAY AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY HAS ITS OWN CHURCH.

THIS BARRIO IS KNOWN AS SANTANA AND IT IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR ITS WEAVERS.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] A DESIGN OF THIS SORT WILL TAKE HIM APPROXIMATELY 40 DAYS TO FINISH.

IT'S VERY TIME CONSUMING AND INTENSE WORK.

AL DON ALFONSO SULCA HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR OVER 50 YEARS.

HE LEARNED IT FROM HIS FATHER AND HIS FATHER LEARNED IT FROM HIS FATHER.

IN THIS BARRIO THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER VERY GOOD WEAVERS.

IT'S A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO SEEM TO PERPETUATE THIS CRAFT SPONTANEOUSLY.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] ALL OF THE COLORS IN THESE TAPESTRIES COME MOSTLY THE MOUNTAINS AND HE HAS STUDIED MORE THAN A HUNDRED OF THEM AND COME UP WITH THE PROPER DYES.

WHAT IS MOST UNUSUAL ABOUT THE WEAVERS OF BARRIO SANTANA IN AYACUCHO IS THEY HAVE INCORPORATED HUARI DESIGN, THAT ANCIENT CULTURE, AND MADE IT INTO A THREE DIMENSIONAL TAPESTRY.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] SO THIS IS A MARVELOUS COMBINATION OF A STUDY THAT THEY DID FOR YEARS OF ACTUALLY BUILDING PLASTICITY, THE THREE-DIMENSIONALITY INTO THE WEAVING ITSELF SO IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THAT KNOWLEDGE THAT CAME UP WITH THIS TRADITIONAL HUARI DESIGN MADE IN A WAY THAT LOOKS AS IF YOU COULD ALMOST WALK THROUGH IT.

BARRIO SANTANA IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN FOR ITS TAPESTRIES BUT OTHER ARTISTS LIVE AND WORK HERE AS WELL.

I'M SITTING BETWEEN STACKS OF HATS BUT THEY'RE NOT ORDINARY HATS.

THESE ARE FROM A VILLAGE CALLED CHUSCHI WHICH IS ABOUT SEVEN HOURS DISTANT FROM AYACUCHO AND THESE HATS IN THE VILLAGE ARE WORN BY BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE WOMEN WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR HATS HAVE FLOWERS UP IN HERE AND YOUNG WOMEN HAVE EVEN MORE FLOWERS SO YOU CAN TELL WHETHER THEY'RE MARRIED OR SINGLE.

SO IT'S THE ONLY TOWN I KNOW OF WHERE A GUY CAN GO AND TELL WHERE IT'S SAFE TO FLIRT AND WHERE IT ISN'T.

BUT THERE'S A DARKER SIDE TO THIS STORY AS WELL.

THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE OF CHUSCHI LIVED RIGHT AT THE POINT WHERE THE SHINING PATH GUERILLAS BEGAN THEIR BATTLE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT BACK IN THE 1980S.

THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE WERE CAUGHT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT GUNFIRE AND THE GUNFIRE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GROUP.

THE RED REPRESENTS SENDERO LUMINOSO, THE GUERILLAS.

THE GREEN REPRESENTS THE SOLDIERS OF THE GOVERNMENT.

THE BULLETS WERE FLYING EVERYWHERE AND MANY OF THE WOMEN LOST THEIR SONS AND THEIR HUSBANDS.

THEIR BACKS ARE FACED TO US BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BEAR THE REALITY THEY SEE.

THEY LOOK OFF INTO THE FUTURE AND TRY TO CONTEMPLATE MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THEIR COMMUNITY.

AYACUCHO IS BUT A STOP ON OUR JOURNEY TO THE INCA CITY OF VILCASHUAMÁN.

IT'S LESS THAN 100 MILES AWAY BUT IT'S A FOUR HOUR DRIVE AND THE ROAD IS MOUNTAINOUS AND ROUGH AND ALONG THE WAY ARE MANY THINGS TO SEE.

PROBABLY THE ODDEST PLANT IN ALL THE ANDES IS THE PUYA RAIMONDII.

THESE WERE SACRED PLANTS FOR THE INCAS.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] SO THIS PLANT IS, IN THE FIRST PLACE IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE LEAVES REPRESENT THE RAYS OF THE SUN THAT COME FROM GOD.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] IT IS USED FOR MEDICINE, THE LEAVES GIVE A NATURAL VARNISH, THIS IS A VERY USEFUL PLANT IN ADDITION TO ITS GREAT BEAUTY.

WHEN THESE DIE, THE TRUNK DIES FIRST AND LEFT BEHIND ARE THESE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF LEAF BASES AND YOU CAN JUST PEEL THEM OFF.

NOW LOCAL PEOPLE SAY YOU CAN USE THEM FOR PLATES.

I SUPPOSED YOU COULD IN AN EMERGENCY BUT WHAT'S NEAT IS THE WAY THESE ARE LAID ON.

YOU CAN JUST LIFT THEM OFF AND YOU CAN SEE THE CIRCULAR LAYERS GOING DOWN, THOUSANDS OF THESE, BUT THEY GIVE THESE PLANTS A SOLIDITY THAT HELPS THEM ENDURE FOR THE 100 YEARS THEY HAVE TO.

SO THIS HAS UP TO THREE MILLION SEEDS PER PLANT.

WITH THAT MANY SEEDS, WHY AREN'T THERE MORE OF THEM?

NOBODY KNOWS.

NOT FAR FROM THE PUYA RAIMONDIIS, THE SACRED PLANTS, THE INCA, THE KING LOCATED HIS SUMMER PALACE WHERE HE HAD HIS OWN SPECIAL LAKE.

THE INCA DEMANDED OF HIS WORKERS THAT THEY GIVE HIM A LAKE IN THE SHAPE OF A MOUNTAIN LION, A PUMA.

THE LAKE IS CALLED PUMA COCHA WHICH MEANS PUMA LAKE.

I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL TRAIL UP TO THE SUMMER PALACE BUT IT ISN'T.

THIS WAS MADE TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO VISITORS TO THE SITE.

INCA ROCK WORK WAS THE FINEST IN THE WORLD AT THEIR TIME AND TODAY IT'S STILL THE FINEST EVER KNOWN ON THIS PLANET.

BUT THE INCAS DIDN'T DO IT ALL THEMSELVES.

THEY LEARNED FROM THEIR PREDECESSORS, HUARI TO THE NORTH AND THE TIJUANACOS TO THE SOUTH WHO WERE EXPERTS, SPECIALISTS AT FITTING ROCK TOGETHER.

BUT AFTER THIS IS DONE YOU WILL NEVER FIND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AN EXAMPLE OF ROCK WORK SO COMPLETELY PRECISE THAT AFTER 500 YEARS AND A MULTITUDE OF EARTHQUAKES IT'S STILL IN PLACE, HAS NOT MOVED A CENTIMETER.

THE LAKE MADE THE LIFE FOR THE INCA DELIGHTFUL.

HE COULD SEE IT FROM HIS DEFENSIVE STRUCTURE AND ALTHOUGH HE HAD MANY WORRIES ABOUT ATTACKS FROM HIS ENEMIES, AND THEY WERE MANY, THAT THIS WAS AN IMPREGNABLE FORTRESS.

IT WAS FULL OF THE GREATEST LUXURIES AVAILABLE TO ANY HUMAN BEING ON THE PLANET.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS NOW BELIEVE THAT THE INSIDE WAS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH GOLD AND SILVER.

THE INCAS CARVED THESE MASSIVE BLOCKS OF ROCK EACH WEIGHING MANY HUNDREDS OF POUNDS AND THEY USED NO MORTAR WHATSOEVER.

THIS RESIDENCE WAS BUILT SOMEWHERE AROUND 1410 AND THE ROCKS ARE STILL SO PRECISELY TOGETHER THAT THE BLADE OF MY KNIFE WILL NOT EVEN BEGIN TO ENTER INTO IT.

IT MAKES ME SCRATCH MY HEAD AND WONDER AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT HOW COULD THE INCAS CARVE THE ROCKS TO FIT ALONG THE CONTOUR OF A HILL WITHOUT PRODUCING A CRACK WHERE THE STONES MET.

NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO THAT, NOBODY TODAY CAN MATCH THAT WORK AND THE INCAS LEFT NO SIGN OF HOW THEY DID IT.

THIS ROCK IS A VERY FAMOUS CARVING IN ALL OF INCA LAND.

IT'S CALLED THE ROCK OF 14 ANGLES.

WE CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE 14 DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE IT WAS CUT AND OTHER ROCKS CUT TO FIT IN.

IT IS THOUGHT TO HAVE SOME VERY POWERFUL SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] THE GROOVES THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THE LEFT CHANNEL THERE REPRESENT THE CLAWS OF A MOUNTAIN LION WHICH IS THE THEN POWER WHICH WAS GIVEN TO THE INCA.

THIS SIDE REPRESENTS HIS CONSORT, HIS LADY, AND BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM THEY COULD RECEIVE AND REPRESENT AT THE SAME TIME THE POWER OF WATER WHICH WAS A SACRED SUBSTANCE FOR THE INCAS AND THIS IS WHERE THEY CAME TO HAVE THEIR BATHS.

THIS IS INCA COUNTRY AND THE INCAS HAD TO EAT.

IT WAS RICH FARMLAND FOR THEM AND IS STILL RICH FARMLAND FOR THEIR DESCENDANTS.

IT'S THE BREAD BASKET OF PERU.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] TWO FOOD CROPS ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CENTRAL ANDES.

FIRST IS THE POTATO AND SECOND IS QUINOA.

QUINOA GROWS ONLY ABOVE ABOUT 3500 METERS.

IT TAKES A COLD CLIMATE AND IT REALLY DOES WELL ONLY IN THE CENTRAL ANDES AND OTHER PLACES WITH SIMILAR CLIMATE.

IT HAS VERY HIGH PROTEIN AS A GRAIN OR PSEUDO-GRAIN AS THEY CALL IT AND IT MAKES FOR A VERY SATISFYING MEAL.

THIS STILL HAS TO BE WASHED.

IF YOU DON'T WASH IT, IT'S GOT SOPAN, IT'S KIND OF SOAP LIKE STUFF ON IT AND IT CAN GET VERY, VERY BITTER AND THEY SAY IT CAN ACTUALLY MAKE YOU SICK.

BUT ONCE YOU WASH IT AND LET IT DRY YOU CAN JUST PUT IT IN A PAN, ONE CUP QUINOA, TWO CUPS WATER, LET IT COOK FOR 15 MINUTES AND YOU'VE GOT A GREAT MEAL.

FOR MILES AND MILES THE LANDSCAPE IS A MOSAIC OF FIELDS.

WINNOWING THE QUINOA IS A COMMUNITY PROCESS.

THEY HAVE TO HAVE WIND AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO GUYS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO FILL THE PLASTIC FULL OF THE QUINOA AND ALL OF THE EXTRA VERBIAGE IN THERE, THROW IT IN THE SCREEN AND SHAKE IT LIKE CRAZY AND HOPE THE WIND BLOWS THE CHAFF AWAY.

THEY'RE VERY NICE GUYS.

THEY LET ME STAY ON THE UPWIND SIDE.

AND YOU CAN WORK UP A SWEAT REAL FAST DOING THIS.

I THINK THEY'RE BETTER THAN I AM AT IT.

I HAVE NEVER WINNOWED QUINOA BEFORE.

THIS IS AN INTENSE TIME OF YEAR IN THE ANDES.

IT'S POTATO HARVESTING TIME.

THE BAGS WEIGH ABOUT 100 KILOS WHICH IS ABOUT 200 POUNDS.

THESE POTATOES ARE MOSTLY FOR SALE BUT THEY WILL TAKE SOME TO THEIR OWN HOUSES TO EAT.

THEY HAVE TO DO IT FAST.

IF THE POTATOES GET IN THE SUN, THEY GET SUNBURNED SO ANY EXPOSED POTATOES HAVE TO GO IN THE BAGS AND OUT OF HERE.

ANOTHER TEN MILES DOWN THE ROAD WE FINALLY ARRIVE AT VILCASHUAMÁN AND IF THE INCA ROCK WORK IS EVERYTHING IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE.

500 YEARS AGO THE CITY OF VILCASHUAMÁN WAS SECOND IN IMPORTANCE ONLY TO CUZCO.

THIS ENTIRE AREA WAS ONE GRAND PLAZA WITH A TEMPLE OF THE SUN AND THE MOON ON TOP.

IN 1542 THE SPANIARDS ARRIVED AND DECIDED TO TEACH THE INCAS A LESSON.

THEY TORE DOWN THE TOP OF THE TEMPLE AND REPLACED IT WITH A CHURCH OF THEIR OWN.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] SO WE HAVE A PYRAMID BEHIND US THAT WAS AN EAGLE BUILDING EDIFICE FOR THE INCA AND HIS CONSORT.

TO APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE STANDARDS THE INCAS HAD FROM WHAT THE SPANIARDS HAD IT'S GOOD TO LOOK UP CLOSE.

THE SPANIARDS TOOK SOME OF THE ROCKS THAT THE INCAS HAD ALREADY CUT AND MORTARED THEM IN BUT BELOW THIS IS ORIGINAL INCA WORK, NOT THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF ANYTHING TO HOLD THE ROCKS TOGETHER.

AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHURCH, SOME OF THE ROCKS HAVE ETCHINGS THAT WERE MADE BY THE INCA ARTISTS.

OVER HERE WE HAVE SNAKES CARVED INTO THE ROCKS AND MY GUESS IS THAT THE SPANIARDS, HERE'S MORE, WERE NOT TERRIBLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THAT BUT REMOVING THESE ROCKS WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY COMPROMISED THE STRUCTURAL SOUNDNESS OF ANY CHURCH THEY BUILT SO THEY SAID, WHAT THE HECK, WE'LL LEAVE THEM.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] SO THESE NICHES HERE ARE FOR SOLDIERS.

THEY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN REAL TALL BUT THEY GUARDED THE TEMPLE AND ITS SACRED THINGS AND THEY WERE STATIONED ALL THE WAY AROUND THIS HUGE BASE SO THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN, OH, PROBABLY 100 OR SO OF THEM AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] SO THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 16TH CENTURY BY THE SPANIARDS ON TOP OF A FOUNDATION MADE BY THE INCAS AND LEADS US DIRECTLY INTO THE PYRAMID.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] PROBABLY THE ONLY PYRAMID, USHNO FOUND IN THE WHOLE REGION OF THE INCA EMPIRE.

HERE WE GO.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] SO IT'S OVER 500 YEARS OLD AND IT WAS BUILT OUT OF A NEED FOR THE INCA TO FIND HIMSELF NOT JUST RESPECTED BUT WORSHIPED BY HIS SUBJECTS.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF WORK TO GO TO JUST TO BE ABLE TO SIT ON TOP OF YOUR PYRAMID AND LOOK OUT.

BUT IT, BOY, YOU GET UP HERE, IT IS BRILLIANT, IF YOU DON'T GET OUT OF BREATHE FIRST.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE VALLEY.

OH, MY GOODNESS, LOOK AT THAT.

[SPANISH SPEAKING] OKAY, I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SIT IN THE INCA THRONE BUT I THINK HE SAT TO THE RIGHT SO HE GETS TO SIT HERE AND I WILL SIT IN THE LADY'S SIT.

THE INCA HAD A BUNCH OF WIVES BUT THE FAVORED ONE GOT TO SIT HERE AND IF SHE SAT MORE THAN 10 MINUTES SHE'D GET UNCOMFORTABLE.

BUT THIS IS THE ACTUAL PLACE WHERE THE INCA SAT, THE ACTUAL SEAT.

SPANIARDS DEFEATED THE INCAS AND IMPOSED THEIR CUSTOMS AND RELIGION ON THEM BUT AFTER ALMOST 500 YEARS THE QUECHUA'S, THE DESCENDANTS OF THE INCAS, STILL DOMINATE THE CULTURE OF THE CENTRAL ANDES.

AFTER A FEW HUNDRED MILES AND SEVERAL DAYS OF DRIVING IT'S CLEAR TO US THAT THE QUECHUAS HAVE NO INTENTION OF GOING AWAY.

THEY WILL ENDURE ALONG WITH THE MONUMENTS BUILT BY THEIR ANCESTORS.

IN THIS PLACE WE HAVE THESE STATUES THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE REAL PEOPLE; SINGERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, WRITERS, TEACHERS, CHILDREN.

EVERYTHING I SEE IS SYMBOLIC.

WELL, HERE YOU HAVE STONES FROM THE RIVER AND STONES FROM THE MOUNTAINS.

THIS IS TOGETHER, MOUNTAINS AND MONTERRO VALLEY, AND HERE YOU HAVE FIGURES.

YOU CAN SEE THE FACE OF A MAN.

YES, I CAN.

AND THE FACE OF A WOMAN.

OH, YEAH.

AND THEY ARE OF COURSE DANCING.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

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