From Moray -- the group headed towards the famous salt mines of Maras. It is also known as Salinas de Maras. Maras has an elevation of 11,500 feet above sea level. This picturesque town is home to the most important salt mines in the region. The salt mines date back to Inca times and at one point was the largest salt producer in the Sacred Valley.
Our driver stopped at the top so we could get a nice overview of the salt mines. It was amazing! What looked like a patchwork quilt of white and various shades of brown cascading down a hillside were in fact thousands of terraced salt mines that have existed since pre-Inca times yet are still operable till today. Fascinated by its beauty and astonished by the fact salt can actually come from ancient mines and not only from sea water, I was left speechless by the site of salt encrusted ponds before me.
According to Jesus, our guide, there are approximately 5740 pools dug into the mountainside that each yield about 150 kg of salt per month. Each salt pool is worked by a family. He explained to us how the process was done. The salt is actually not mined but rather it all comes from a tiny stream above the hill that has been redirected to ponds. The ponds are stacked over and over on the hill side, with the top pond spilling into the lower one until it reaches the cliff side. Once a pond is full -- the stream is directed to new ponds as the ones that are full are left to evaporate, leaving the salt behind.
Being very curious, I asked him why did the Incas build these salt mines high up in the mountains --- this is what he answered, " the Incans believed that by building these mines up in the mountains they will be closer to their Gods "..
Lulu and I decided not to go down and get a closer view of the salt mines. After taking souvenir shots of the salt mines, we were going to our next stop --- to have lunch with a Peruvian family. This was going to be our first Peruvian meal.
