Tihuanaco--The First Major Ruins Site I Visited

At some point during my third day in La Paz, I grew weary of being a tourist, and now, over a week later, I am sorry to say that my weariness hasn't really faded. It is quite difficult to be in a constant state of euphoria and exploration, and yet because I have such little time in such magical places, I feel guilty for taking relaxation days. I feel like I am already missing so much, and so I should always be busy looking and learning.

So, this was my state of mind when I visited the Tihuanaco ruins, a large and interesting site inbetween La Paz and Lake Titicaca. The site is beautiful, although it has been plundered for so many years that very little remains and much of what remains has been extensively reconstructed. The focal point is this huge mound of dusty earth, which used to be a seven-tiered pyramid, but starting with the Spaniards, the blocks were taken to construct homes and churches during the conquest. Most of the archeological treasures from the site were removed in the same manner, but in that way, Tihuanaco is a good lesson in the importance of preservation and appreciation of the past.

Because I was kind of over being a tourist, combined with the fact that I ended up in a Spanish-only tour group, and that group was huge, I didn't really focus on the information and more just enjoyed the feeling of soaking up history while we walked around the ruins. It is getting increasingly hard to focus on informative tours. I figure I am going to read a book on Tihuanaco when I get home, which for me will probably be a better way of learning about the site.

So, mostly what remains of the day I spent on the tour is some pretty cool pictures!

A view from some of the other structures on the site from the top of what remains of the pyramid.
The reconstructed walls of Tihuanaco are beautiful, with all the different stone blocks used in reconstruction.

Inside one of the ceremonial centers are over 100 carved human heads, which makes for a chilling site.

Inside the pit of heads are three monoliths, which are pretty cool-looking.

This is apparently a real human skull. When you tap on it, it makes a hollow sound.

The Door of the Sun, which served as a calendar.

The tragic remains of the pyramid.

The rock with the hole in it was used to magnify voices, like a bull horn.

Another famous door which provided entrance to the site.

One of the few remaining monoliths.

This was a nearby site called Puma Pukara, or the Temple of the Puma. It was some sort of ceremonial site. Apparently, Lake Titicaca was higher during the reign of the Tihuanaco culture, and this site was on the shores.

It was a cool day, even taking into account my half-assed attempts at tourism!