Our packs were prepared: spare clothes, guidebooks, water, snacks, hats, shades, and sunblock. The cameras were fully charged when the 5 a.m. alarm beeped on our little leather traveler clock...
We chowed down our continental breakfast with other excited early-risers. Then, we walked the block to where the tracks meet main street, to a long queue of shuttles and a lengthening line of tourists. After a nervous wait for our late tour guide, watching bus after bus disappear into the dark, we were aboard, in the back row. The driver shut the door, pushed some buttons, and classic rock pumped through the speakers as we began rolling into the jungle along the river to the bridge below the switchbacks that climb to the most famous attraction in South America. As we bounced along, bending around tight turns, it seemed bizarre to listen to the likes of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Steppenwolf as we zig-zagged into the clouds...
Night became lighter with every curve until we were there, in the parking lot of the visitor entrance. Machu Picchu is completely hidden from below, and is still invisible just meters from the entry gates. Along the side are counters covered in "Vote for Machu Picchu" petitions--the New Seven World Wonders competition was in its final week...
We would have a two hour tour, then be free to explore the ruins on our own until four that afternoon--eight hours of Machu Picchu, starting with the sunrise on a misty partly cloudy morning...
Winding through a few ruins that form a portal into the ancient city, we took a short walk up a cobbled path to the view that epitomizes the Inca civilization...
It's no wonder we used this picture for our profile. This is one of two places that topped our list of must-sees when we planned to move to South America. And, here we are!
Machu Picchu is surrounded by jagged peaks that rise and fall like a seismograph readout. Within moments, the sun announced the start of an amazing day...
The classic photo: no crowds crawling around yet and a ribbon of cloud wafting behind Huayna Picchu...
The visions are unforgettable. At the base of this green tower you can see Rio Urubamba which winds around below like an anaconda. Aguas Calientes is just out of view--part of the reason this place remained lost to the Spanish--to the lower right...
Hiram Bingham, a Yale archaeologist, was arguably the first to re-discover Machu Picchu in 1911 as he searched for the "Lost City of the Incas". Local farmers showed him the secret path...
Llamas grazed the grass, keeping the grounds perfectly manicured. No modern infrastructure or facilities, such as bathrooms or garbage cans, are allowed inside. We followed the words of our guide, busily snapping hundreds of pictures. In fact, so many turned out so nice, other than a few comments, we'll let most of the pictures describe themselves--you can easily find volumes of information about Machu Picchu on the internet...Enjoy...
More amazing stone work and portals...
Some of the structures near the entrance have been given new thatch roofs to show the way it would have been...
Agricultural terraces were as much, if not more, for plant experimentation than for food production...
The rainbow flag of Cusco and its Inca origins waved atop the peak above the Inca Trail...
The Caretaker's Hut...
Part of the central Sacred Plaza where ceremonial rituals, games and gatherings were held...
Misty mountains and volcanoes are visible in all directions...
Incredible masonry that stands the tests of time and testifies to the ingenuity. This is the Temple of the Three Windows. Did you know that Incas had no written language despite being masters of mathematics, architecture, astronomy and agriculture?
Recognize the shape of the forefront stone? Another slab symbolizing one side of the Inca cross and the three levels of life--from the top, the world of the Anaconda, Puma and Condor. They also respectively represent Knowledge, Work and Love as well as "work for the government, work for the community, and work for yourself". The center of the cross is two half circles that represent the Moon and Sun...
This is Intihuatana, an astrological observatory, where a specially carved rock--one of the few that avoided destruction by the Spanish--sits atop the pyramid and points out the four cardinal directions...
A special nub protruding at the lower left indicates magnetic north--a mystery that still puzzles scientists and historians because, as far as they know, the Incas had no magnetic metals...
In front of the right building is Sacred Rock where some folks believe a meditative touch can tap an unseen energy force...
Smile!...
At bottom right is the Royal Tomb and the Temple of the Sun, perfectly aligned with the June solstice. A dry moat runs just behind. Manipulating their water sources allow for elaborate systems for irrigation, cisterns, fountains and baths...
The entrance to the Royal Tomb...
A chinchilla chilled in the warm sun by the Temple of the Condor, completely content and caring less about the crowd of digital cameras closing in with cooing owners...
The only gold ever found in Machu Picchu was a bracelet at the base of this tree. Historians, and our tour guide, theorize that the Inca vanished into the Amazon with all their glittering goods--and built a secret city whose location remains protected by their descendants...
Awwww...
Two hours after our tour ended, we were already beat. We retreated to the visitor center to reduce our load and refuel on food. When we re-entered we made for Huaynu Picchu, hoping to ascend to the top of the mysterious peak. We found a long line of people waiting--only four hundred people are allowed each day. The trip up and back takes at least ninety minutes, and they meticulously count and track who goes in and when. Luckily, the crowds from the Cusco train hadn't arrived yet. After a half hour wait, we were in--numbers 276 and 278...
Before going up, we dipped down along the narrow range. The sheer drops illustrate how well Machu Picchu hides, literally being straight above the river more than 2500 meters below...
Starting the ascent...
A third of the way--taking one of many breathers along the steep path--we looked back to see over Machu Picchu, designed in the shape of a Condor. The Urubamba is the Anaconda and the Milky Way, which makes the cosmic connection to Puma-shaped Cusco. Colored dots called people are pecking along the trail below...
Leandra lead most of the way, especially nearing the end. The stairs are so steep and small we couldn't help but use our hands...
I remember looking at pictures of Machu Picchu with my students back in Portland. We noticed the tiny structures on top of the background mountain, wondering if it was allowed to go there. I recall telling them that someday I hope to be there. Well, I made it...
Undoubtedly, this perch over the main city was for priests and luminaries. These amazing stairs scared me, but Leandra scampered right up...
This awesome angle captures the relatively ridiculous route that the shuttles rage up and down every day. Compare it to the silk-thread thin path that starts at the upper left of the legendary city's layout--that's the Inca Trail, one of several "roads" that Pachacutec built to facilitate movement, communication, and coordination across his empire...
The final assault on the summit requires crawling through a tiny cave...
Random rocks have steps hewn by ancient masons...
Popping out on top, overlooking all of Machu Picchu, the valleys and mountains, the Inca Empire spreading in all directions, we found dozens of people absorbing the experience. The strange thing was the number of butterflies flitting around--it truly felt mystical and we could imagine the old priests meditating in this atmosphere...
Posing with more mariposas, Leandra claims the top rock...
The ultimate view...
On the way down you see things you missed climbing up--here's another shocking drop-off view...
A few hundred meters below Machu Picchu's main area are two dozen more delicate terraces...
At about two o'clock, we had walked all of Machu Picchu and Huaynu Picchu. We were tired and the sun was getting hot, but we may never be here again! So, we decided to march as far up the end of the Inca trail as we could in an hour, then race back for the last bus to Aguas Calientes to catch our six o'clock train to Cusco...
The Sun Portal--the last outpost on the trail, where trekkers get their first glimpse of their final goal--was about two or three uphill kilometers away. This time, I got the second wind before Leandra, but she did pause to play with the llamas longer than me...
A perfect picture of my wonderful wife was captured as she approached Intipunku...
With a little more than forty minutes to take-off, we spent a last few seconds enjoying the end of our day--hours of uncountable steps and elevation gains, and so many unbelievable sights. These last five pictures are our top five out of dozens that tied for the top ten...
Leandra standing in the Sun Portal looking over all...
Me and Machu Picchu hoping you get to visit some day...
The classic photo with the classic animal of Peru...
The classic photo...
And, finally, just us--and another HUGE check mark on our list of life's accomplishments...After hustling back to the shuttle, we chugged water as we sat in the back again--but this time no classic rock, just a bunch of happy tired tourists with wobbly legs and boggled brains...
Back in Aguas Calientes we had time for another round of "Four for one plus free nachos!" and we bumped into some new found friends--three ducks from Oregon that just happened to be in our morning tour group. Small world...
Struggling to lug our backpacks, we made the train and settled in for some locomotion. The sun soon set and we reviewed our day, going over pictures, as the Sacred Valley passed by invisibly in the night...Hopefully, a ride to our next hostel awaited us in Cusco. Then, we'd find some dinner and rest up again. Why? Because even though Machu Picchu is unquestionably the climax, this adventure wasn't over. Tomorrow, more whitewater rafting!!!
1 comment:
WOW!! I'm so glad you made it! I remeber those conversations upstairs at Portsmouth. What a world away....
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