Okay guys, Machu Picchu. I seriously can't say enough about it! It's such a beautiful, unfathomable place. It totally lived up to my expectations (which were really high). So let's face it--this post is pretty much going to be a photo dump! I can't narrow down to just a few. You've been warned.
We were lucky enough to have a personal guide to take us through the site, which I feel gave us a better understanding of the place as a whole as well of specific buildings and areas. The name "Machu Picchu" means "old mountain" in the Quechua language. According to Wikipedia (yeah, I'm going there), it was built between 1450 and 1460. We learned from our guide that it was a royal estate as well as an important religious site. The place was actually inhabited for a relatively short period of time, as the Spanish invaded Peru and messed things up. I'm so glad they never found this place though!
When we walked through the entrance, we immediately started climbing. It's a very vertical place!
I got really excited and jumped the gun on a me-and-Daniel photo. Little did I know the best views were yet to come!
Thankfully, our guide knew just where to take us to get the overhead view.
We knew it was likely to be foggy in the morning and then hopefully sunny later in the day. And it was! I'm actually glad we got to see it both ways. I thought the mistiness added more mystery to the place.
Quick digression. Everywhere we went there were alpacas. Alpacas, alpacas everywhere! I kind of loved it.
Anyway, back to the actual tour. From the point where we took the family photo we could see these terraces, which were used for farming. Each terrace could have a different crop. Such a feat of engineering!
We also saw a funerary stone up there. Many believe it was where the mummification process happened. Some believe it was used for sacrifice as well. Just behind it is a kind of cemetery.
And, of course, I got more photos looking down at the ruins.
After taking photos and hearing more about the Incas, we went down into the ruins.
There was a water channel running along the outside of the settlement.
And more terraces!
This place was a grainery.
I was really excited, obviously. I think I had this look on my face the whole time we were there (except for the times I was grimacing from being out of shape, haha).
A staircase leading to...?
Drainage system:
Then we went inside the palace.
This was a bed! I think...
From inside the palace, we could see down into the Temple of the Sun (the semicircular building with the square windows). It was a place of sacrifice and astronomical observation dedicated to the Sun God, Inti. Only two of the windows are actually windows. Through one, light passes through during the Winter Solstice and illuminates the ceremonial stone inside the building. Through the second, the same thing happens for the Summer Solstice. I really wish I could have gotten a better photo of it.
Luckily, my Dad got better a better photo. I'm stealing his. Thanks, Dad!
More of the view from the palace:
Our guide, Roberto, demonstrated for us how the Incas used these mortars on this table.
My dad got this photo of us listening to our guide. And of course I'm taking a photo. It's so meta!
Now I know this was a bed... I'm essentially standing in (on?) it.
Bathroom! Doesn't look like the most comfortable toilet, but it beats a hole in the ground.
Because this was the palace, it was built particularly well to protect those who lived there. See the stone in the middle? It's one stone that has been carved and shaped. Amazing.
Machu Picchu has actually seen its fair share of earthquakes. It's located on two fault lines! One of the earthquakes it experienced cracked the top of the doorframe in the palace. But it stayed intact! And to think they fit these stones together without any adhesive element. It's just gravity!
On the left here is the palace, and on the right in another building. You can see the difference in the quality of construction.
A water fountain!
Here's another picture of the Temple of the Sun, viewed from the ground just outside it. Look how high up the door is! They didn't want riffraff like us coming in.
A rock quarry:
Again, check out the way they cut the stones to fit together!
And another altar:
The next few pictures show the top of the Pyramid of Intihuatana. It was an important religious and astronomical site. Here's what it looks like from the ground.
Here is a kind of compass that is said to represent the Southern Cross constellation, which was thought to be the center of the universe. It's also called the Inka Cross or, in Quechua, the Chakana. Each of the four points is aligned to the north, south, east, and west.
Here is an unfinished building at the top of the pyramid.
This rock was carved into the same shape as the mountain behind it. Unfortunately, it was too foggy to see the mountain.
And here is the Intihuatana Stone at the top of the pyramid. It was used as an altar of some sort, as well as a compass. The four corners of the rock point to north, south, east, and west. The rock sticking up from the top points to magnetic north.
People aren't allowed to walk in this area, so I couldn't get closer, but on the ground you can see stones in the shape of an alpaca. It was apparently the location of sacrifices.
And then we moved on from the pyramid. I just liked the way these overgrown stairs looked as we passed. So I took a picture. Shocker.
Squash plants!
A chinchilla, just hanging out!
This is another stone that was carved into the shape of the mountain behind it. But again, the fog...
This little alcove in one of the buildings shows that everything was originally covered in stucco. I was surprised to hear this, but of course it makes sense that it wasn't just exposed stone everywhere.
A window in a window!
More stairs.
And more cool views.
This photo shows a change in the building technique after a new ruler took over.
Okay, these are the coolest. They're reflective pools (or espejos de agua) that were used for astronomical observation. It's a great way to look at the sun without going blind!
There are seriously terraces everywhere!
This place is called the Temple of the Condor. These cool rocks were carved to look like condor wings. Below them is a small cave, in which a mummy was found. I wish it hadn't been roped off!
You can see the shape of the condor's head and body on the ground in front of that. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a position to be able to get a photo of the whole thing to get the effect of a complete bird. The thought is that the stone on the ground may have been used as an altar.
And here's a photo of the tomb underneath. Daniel was able to get this.
More prettiness.
At lunchtime, we went to eat at the buffet near the entrance. When we were finished, we had the rest of the afternoon to explore Machu Picchu by ourselves. There was debate about whether or not to climb one of the peaks. Because it was foggy, we opted not to. Instead, we climbed up toward the Sun Gate. Daniel, Maren, and Scott went ahead of us and got all the way to the gate (they left lunch earlier than the rest of us). Mom, Dad, Kara, John, and me went part of the way up but wanted to have time to visit the Inka Bridge, so we turned back.
This photo shows the path we walked up toward the Sun Gate.
And we did get a good view of the ruins!
This picture just feels so iconic!
Random shot of me being weird:
And then here I am with Mom and Kara as we were walking toward the Inka Bridge.
We actually had to sign a waiver to walk toward the Inka Bridge. It's a narrow path with no rails and a sharp drop-off.
But, oh, what a view! The mountains in Peru beat all the other mountains of the world when it comes to beauty. I'm convinced.
Here are John and Kara trekking to the bridge!
And here's Mom.
And finally, here's the Inka Bridge. For obvious reasons, they have a gate preventing people from going across it. It's crazy narrow! And over a gap in the stones is just a wooden board. No thank you.
And here I am with Mom on the narrow pathway heading back to the main area of Machu Picchu. They actually had a rail for just this part, and people tried not to pass each other here.
And that was it. It was time to go catch a train. As we were walking back down to the buses, I couldn't help but take one more photo.
I also took the opportunity on our way out to just sit for a minute and soak it all in. I wanted to take a mental picture so I wouldn't forget this place. Though I don't see how I ever could.
