Machu Picchu
This is going to be difficult to write about. For me, it is a similar experience to my first time seeing Angkor Wat. You have it on your “list” for many years, and finally you get there, and it is better than all of your expectations. All of us have seen the classic photos of the place, but I guess my main surprise is that it is larger in scale than I anticipated. Amazingly well preserved, probably due to it being lost for many centuries. And, that kept the Spaniards from looting it.
I opted to stay at the one small hotel that is here at the entrance. Sanctuary lodge if you want to look it up. The option was do it and work a few more years to pay for it, or take the bus up and down each day. Nice room, similar to a chain motel room in the US, but the price does include everything. When they see my beer consumption, they will be glad to see me leave!
All others arrive and depart via a bus system. 2500 per day, but they really do spread out so that it is not too bad, crowd wise. My room looks right at the entry gate. You should have seen the lines at 6 AM, but by 3 or so it has pretty much emptied out. For a place such as this, the Peruvians have done a nice job in crowd control. All arrive by train to the town in the valley and must take a bus up to the park.
Using a hotel guide, I hiked up to the sun gate (1000′ up with tons of steps). The day was clear and the views were the famous ones we have all seen. Then later we did 2.5 hours in the ruins themselves. Just a few photos below. If you know me, you know there are many, many others. And this is just day one.
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| The classic view |
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| Same classic view, but from 1000′ above at the Sun Gate |
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| Machu Picchu lawn mowers |
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| Temple of the sun |
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| A most perfect wall, 700 years old |
Wow, great pictures. Look forward to seeing more of them. You probably don't need as much beer at that elevation!
That stone wall blows me away-perfection! Love the llama shots. Keep those pictures coming so we can armchair travel along with you.
Shocking beauty! Can't imagine what it's like to take all of this in. Life changing!! Keep it coming Dan – very interesting reading!
MACHU PICCHU, like the Mona Lisa or the pyramids, has been seared into our collective consciousness, though nothing can diminish the thrill of being here. This awe-inspiring ancient city was never revealed to the conquering Spaniards and was virtually forgotten until the early part of the 20th century.