Macchu Picchu

I don't think too many people visit Peru without going to Macchu Picchu. It is spectacular, an ancient Inca settlement perched high atop a very tall rugged mountain and surrounded by the same. I won't go into too much detail or history because Macchu Picchu is one of the world's seven wonders. Why repeat what's already been said over and over.

Our departure point was the small touristy town of Aguas Calientes. Only the really well off can afford to stay on the mountain.

Long lines at the bus, long lines at the gate, too many available guides, enter and up steps, steps and more to the trail leading to the Sun Gate where views are supposed to be good...and indeed they are. It was a bit of a hike, a trail dressed in lush green and early spring flowers, lots of foot traffic. There are nothing but a couple roofless rooms at Sun Gate, a little disappointing, but I enjoyed sitting in the sun watching tourists photograph themselves and butterflies floating on air currents. The only bathrooms on sight are down att the entrance so stepping off the trail into any small clearing or rounding any wall offering some degree of privacy was not a pleasant experience



The main settlement is amazing, walled agricultural terraces and roofless rock buildings for the most part. For the sake of show, some have been roofed with the same kind of reeds the Inca traded for, from a good distance down the Rio Urababmba as far away as Patacancha. There are stone posts sticking out from the sides of the buildings and the roof is lashed to those with what appears to be split bamboo.

The Inca were master stonemasons, their best efforts evident in the temples. These rocks are finely cut, cornered, and smoothed by the rubbung the surfaces with hematitie, a harder stone. They are fitted together so closely there is no need for any type of mortar. These buildings weather earthquakes, we are told. The stonework is a little less precise in the dwellings of nobility and there is a significant decrease in quality in the dwellings of the working class.

What fascinated me most about the Incas was their precise measurement of time, hours, seasons, and their methods of determining them through the use of shadow, reflection and placement of windows. Unfortunately, I was unable to take any acceptable photos so will close with their next best invention, llama lawnmowers.