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© 2002 George Wang
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A fabulous morning to visit Machu Picchu, 2380m/7808ft. One of the great archaelogical sites in the world visited by 1000 people a day n high season. Most do not visit via the Inca Trail but rather by bus from Aguas Calientes down below the valley. Luckily the commercialism has been confined to the town below and the adjacent, expensive hotel so you won't find souvenir vendors in the ruins. Yale grad Hiram Bingham stumbled upon Machu Picchu in July 1911. The only major Inca site to escape 400 years of looting and destruction. Bingham thought he had found the rebel Inca stronghold of Vilcabamba, their refuge in the last days while the Spanish hunted them down.
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Machu Picchu is believed to have been built by the Inca Pachacutec in the 15th century as the capital of a frontier province. Some theorize the city was abandoned due to a water shortage. Some theories suggest the site was an agricultural outpost. Others suggest it is a large celestial observatory as much has been documented about how the sun interacts with certain parts of the site during the winter and summer solstices. |
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"Can you spare a fag old chap" ..said the Alpaca to the British tourist
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The boys
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The Incas never did anything easy. You can see terraces and structures atop the adjacent mountain called Huayna Picchu. Stuart, Michael and myself would climb that mountain later that morning.
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The surrounding mountains
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A local Llama watches us with curiousity
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Looking back at the Watchman's hut as we descend to the Machu Picchu complex
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The Quarry. Stones here were used to build the city. Here you can see rocks in the process of being split. In our favourite explanation of how the Incas split the huge stones, Erika told us how they used some spices and herbs which would crack the rocks open...some pretty strong herbs and spices indeed.
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An entrance gate to the city
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