Day 6 Tiwanaku

August 18^th:  We had a leisurely morning and left at 10:00am to go to Tiwanaku.  On the way we stopped at a look out and came upon a native ritual of thanks to Pachamama, Mother Earth. 

We stopped at a look out on our way to Tiwanaku.

The Girls.

We happened on a ritual of an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

We happened on a ritual of an offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

These ruins date from about 500BC to 1200AD.  It was a very advanced civilization that just disappeared.  The Incas borrowed many of their inventions and ideas.  They were the most interesting ruins of the entire trip.  They have not to this day been able to figure out how they moved and cut these stones.  One stone weighed an estimated 130 tons. We had lunch and spent until closing in the museums and wandering around the ruins. 

The Group Pres. Caryk is at a Stake Conference in La Paz.

Dad admiring the stone work.

Dad finding a shady spot.

The vertical stone weigh about 20 tons.

This joints would have been filled with metal (gold).  The Spanhish took everything apart to get the Gold.

Mom and the sun gate.

The Sun Gate.

A Priest that greeted the people entering the temple.

Another High Priest.

Maybe a baptismal font?

The subterranean temple.

Catholic church made from the stones from Tiwanaku.

Mom at Pumapunku another ruin in the area.

Dad at Pumapunku another ruin in the area.

Dad at Pumapunku another ruin in the area.

Dad at Pumapunku another ruin in the area.

On the way back we came upon a group of locals dancing on the highway.  We arrived at the airport at about 6:30pm.  We had dinner at Subway.  Someone in the group suggested it was the best meal of the trip.  Our plane was late and we arrived back at our apartments in Cochabamba at 11:30pm

Some of the locals dancing on the highway.

One of the locals dancing on the highway.

Some of the locals dancing on the highway.

Some of the locals dancing on the highway.