Again we enjoyed a quick breakfast at the Mabey Hotel. We packed up our main bags to store on the bus and were only allow to take our backpack up to Machu Picchu with enough clothes to stay one night. Needless to say we had some full backpacks to tote around.
I was a little nervous, what if it wasn’t that cool Ollantaytambo and it’s terraces we’re amazing. What if Machu Picchu was just a bunch of hype. Maybe we should have left sooner. It seems pretty cloudy today, I bet it is going to be terrible lighting and conditions all day. These are the negative thoughts creeping in.
We finally get back to Ollantaytambo to board our train to Aguas Calientes which is a small city 20 minutes below Machu Picchu itself. We would be staying her overnight. We grabbed lunch dropped whatever we could in our rooms. Then we board a bus to Machu Picchu.
Elise, Amara, Nellie, Olivia, Ella, Katie and Megan #proofoflife
Let’s do this!!!!!
On the train to Mach Picchu.
Katie and Inon the 🚂
Aguas Calientes and the river
On the bridge over the river looking for lunch.
Here it comes....wait for it.... wait for ..... Machu Picchu is awesome. Even better then I could believe. Hopefully the pictures will speak for themselves.
Nellie, Megan, Katie and Olivia underneath the plaque commemorating the discovery of Machu Picchu by American historian, Hiram Bingham. He was guide by locals back to the site. When he first arrived at Machu Picchu he did find two families living at the site. When Hiram ask how long they had been living there they told him about seven year. When they asked him why the lived at Machu Picchu, the Peruvian replies “because we don’t have to pay taxes”. Unconfirmed reports have these Peruvians coming from Minnesota.
💥 💥 💥 Machu Picchu
Katie and I at Machu Picchu. So amazing
St. Hubert’s at Machu Picchu
From this entry point we hiked up to the Sun Gate about 1 mile above Machu Picchu. Since Machu Picchu is in a cloud forest. The clouds roll in and move out and clearly give this place a mystical feels. Hiking to Sun Gate you hike the same trails created by the Incana around 1430. It is steep and the rain made it a little slick but it was worth every step. The pictures cannot convey the feeling you have walking these trails in this place.
Starting up to the Sun Gate.
The trail to Sun Gate in B&W
A view back down to a Machu Picchu from the trail to Sun Gate.
Katie and I at the Sun Gate. If the clouds were gone
This would give visitors their first view of Machu Picchu.
Students and Parents at Sun Gate
The back side of Sun Gate leading to the Inca trail. It is a 4 day hike back to Ollantaytambo from here.
Me at the very top of Sun Gate. I can almost hear Van Morrison’s In to the Mystic.
From Sun Gate we hiked down to tour the ruins of Machu Picchu
The clouds are clearing this a view from the trail back to Machu Picchu
The clouds move in and the clouds move out.
Looking down on the ruins of Machu Picchu
Katie and Ella
Terraces and the ruins
Llamas at Machu Picchu. They keep the grass mowed.
There are literally teams of Peruvian that show up at Machu Picchu every day to dig out the lichen and moss to keep the site persevered. That is why the site looks so amazing.
Temple of the Sun. This is literally the only curved wall in all of Machu Picchu again it was designed to receive light on the winter and summer solstice. Could 👽 have helped the Incans.
The trail to Wayne Picchui leads up that rock to a small outcropping of building believes to be used my Incan astronomers.
As we walked through the ruins I caught Megan walking on the ledge. I asked her to get down. I said if we can keep the food from killing you we can’t let you fall and die at Machu Picchu.
St. Hubert’s at Intihuatana. Hitching Post of the Sun.
Intihuatan, hitching Post of the Sun. The rock is a variation of the Sun dial. The four corners are the 4 cardinal points on the compass. The pillar is inclined 13 degrees which matches Machu Picchu’s position off the equator.
Intihuatana up close
Katie and I at Principle Temple
One more of Miss Adventure.
Terraces and housing for citizens below
One last shot as we leave this sacred place.
The reason this site is so well preserved is that the Incans created an elaborate drainage system that keep seasonal rainy seasons from destroying the rock formations and structures. The Incans concepts of building and engineering are incredibly sophisticated for the 1400s. Did they get help from 👽???Machu Picchu is still a mysterious place.
- Was it founded in the waning years of the Incan culture to preserve the traditions
- Was it a royal retreat for Pachacutec
- Was it a political, religious and administrative center
- 8 access points may indicate it was a trading nexus
The incredible detail in the temple sections indicate it’s ceremonial importance.
After our bus ride down to Aguas Calientes, some of the students visited a natural hot springs. The springs claim to remove toxins, improve oxygenation and rejuvenate the skin. I am not sure about that but I do know the Peruvians relaxing there on a Friday night we’re not prepared for sixteen 8th graders decending on them like the Spanish conquistadors.
After the the springs it was dinner and bed. Tomorrow looked with 4 AM breakfast and a 5 AM train ride back to Ollantaytambo.
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