Day 48 - Machu Picchu - Walking amongst the ruins

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After a challenging 4 day hike through the Inca Trail, we finally arrived at the Sun Gate, overlooking Machu Picchu....yeah....wow..

Tourists came in comfortable trains and buses, we paid a lot of money, for a 4 day grueling walk, who has the most fun !  Of course we did, along the way, we learned the way the Inka people lived, their system of travels, worshiped and developed a very difficult terrain into farmlands.  But it was all destroyed almost overnight by 260 Spaniard Conquistadors....WHY ?! I am sure there are many philosophers and historians who’s done a lot of researches and interpretive studies on this subject.

And there are a few sources...

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/archaeology/machu-picchu-mystery/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_membership_n1p_intl_se_c1#

http://peabody.yale.edu/sites/default/files/documents/education/MP%20Social%20Studies%20curriculum.pdf

But the pure and simple goal today, was to hear from Santiago, and enjoy the majestic views as they presented in front of us.

After a few quick group photos for the first group of our team who arrived at the Sun Gate were taken, we then start our descent into Machu Picchu itself, enjoying the fruits of our 4 day walk in triumph, the ruins of Machu Picchu.

The funny thing was, after descending from the Sun Gate, we then have to exit the tourist entrance, and re-checked in with our Passports and one last stamp on our permit and Passport, to say, we arrived !

A very detailed guided walk was given by Santiago and Flecher, and we learned the history of the discovery of Machu Picchu, and the interpretive stories behind it.

Machu Picchu was a sacred religious site ( among many other theories ), unknown to the Conquistadors, hidden from them, even after the Inca Emperor was decapitated at Cusco in 1531 by the Spaniards.  It was only discovered on the morning of July 24, 1911, by a lecturer-cum-explorer from Yale University.

The plaque in memory of the discoverer Hiram Bingham.

And it has agricultural sites..

And the Temple with its windows aligned to capture sunrises on solstice days, which were very important days signaling seasons for planting and harvests.  The importance of a building can  be gleaned from the construction method.  Like this one, was built with the highest class, tightly chiseled stones interlocked together, with no mortar in between.

This wall collapsed because the treasure cave underneath caved in.

A condor shaped stone on the ground for worshiping.

And the Emperor's residence ( when he was in town )

The Emperor's bed would have been here.

And the sundial

A stone with 21 corners, chiseled to interlock perfectly with all other stones.

A coca plant.

And its own quarry, to supply materials for all the constructions.

And the very interesting Waynapicchu mountain, which sits behind Machu Picchu, almost directly opposite the Sun Gate.

However, an advanced booking is required, no go this time.  But it is still interesting to contemplate what it may be like, to ascend another steep 300m.

After we broke up, I decided to walk to the Inka Bridge, which means I have to go back up to the top of the terrace fields, someways towards the Sun Gate directions.  

The Inka Bridge was built as a secret trail for the Inkas, presumably, from any potential enemies.  The trail that it leads to, can only be described as a very narrow and precarious ledge in the middle of a straight cliff wall.  Good luck to those who walked on it !

The trail on the other side of the Inka Bridge

It took another half an hour of a bus ride down a winding path to get to the township of Agua Caliente.

The township of Agua Caliente 400 m below.

Down at Agua Caliente, we regrouped, and had our first access to Wifi after 4 days...wow, the World hadn't stopped judging by the Inbox. And finally, boarded a train to get to Ollantaytambo, where we stayed the night before commencing the trek. By the time our bus arrived back at our hotel in Cusco, it was just the early evening, in time for our dinner.

The Inka Trail had been a very interesting and grueling walk, especially to the knees during the descending phases. And we had almost perfect weather.  Although it was threatening to rain during the 2^nd day and 3^rd day, but rain never eventuated other than during the night when we were sound asleep, and provided very cool conditions during the day, which was perfect for such a walk.

My worse fear of sleepless night due to the below zero temperatures did not eventuate. The warm sleeping bag which has a micro fibre lining insert, worked like a dream, plus the rainy night ensured "warmer" temperatures.

And the sunny condition on the very last day upon our arrival at Machu Picchu, was another perfect condition to view such an impressive and stunning attraction.

The overall profile of the 42 Km walk from my GPS logger looks like this...

Next  Post:  El Condor Pasa - "If I could, I surely would...."

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