Machu Picchu
Above is a short clip overlooking the Machu Picchu complex, with the sacred mountain behind. This was taken later in the afternoon after the mist and clouds had lifted and the sunshine brought out the bright greens of this sub-tropical ruin.
For some, this name brings recognition, and then curiosity. For many, it gets you a blank stare. However, when I knew I was going to get to come to this place, and I mentioned it to people, those who did not recognize the name did seem to recognize a picture of the place. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and thus is being preserved for the world to enjoy. If you would like a history, which I will not give here, click on the bold words at the beginning of this paragraph.
Here I am at one of the several doorways to prove I was there. It can be very hard sometimes to get a picture of yourself alone at any of the structures, for an incredible number of people come to this place, even in what is considered the 'off' season of December through March. This is the rainy season for Peru, and as such, the entire morning was cloudy, with occasional drizzle, but nothing much to spoil the day. In the later afternoon the clouds burned off, and the sunshine made an appearance so that I could take clear pictures, such as the one at the very start of this series of pictures.
My travel companion and I had planned to stay the previous night and the night of our visit in Aguas Caliente to allow us to be on the very first buses that leave that tourist town to take the half-hour drive zig-zagging up to the saddle of the mountain where the ruins lay. After a good night's sleep in comfortable firm beds at Gringo Bill's Hostal, with breakfast laid out at 5 AM we set off. Even at 5:30 in the morning, there was a very long line of people waiting for the buses. Once there, you join the crowd milling about the gates, which include people who paid the incredible $300 a night price to stay at the only hotel outside the site. You pay to take the train to get to this area. You pay to take the bus. You pay to get into Machu Picchu. This is Peru's primary tourist attraction, and you do pay to get to see and experience it. But it is worth it!
As you are allowed to enter the site, people fan out, and very quickly you can find yourself isolated and allowed to walk the moist paths, and through the buildings. The morning dampness serves to muffle the sounds around you. There is the ever present voices of birds, the whisper of the wind, and in some places, the trickle of water dripping, or flowing through some of the carved water channels. Even with as many people that come to this place, you can feel the energy of it's past glory. It may have something to do with the stones. Stones hold their energy for a long time.
The mist added to the mystery of the place. The mountain peaks surrounding the complex overshadow and dominate the horizon. They are rugged mountains that have not seen much erosion. They come in and out of view at the whim of the mists and low hanging clouds.
Here, as at many of the ruins of the Inca civilization, terraces have been constructed to allow for growing crops. Today they only grow grass, and lichen on the rocks, but in days past they would have supplied the villages with the food necessary for life. Primarily this would have been corn, for South America is the source of the corn plant. It's hard to believe that something which feeds the world only was introduced to the world about 500 years ago.
Occasionally there is an accent of color against the backdrop of greens and greys.
You can see that the terraces extend over a great portion of the complex. From this angle you can also see many of the raw boulders to be found in abundance.
Much of the complex is built with the dry rock style of walls, tightly fit stones with no mortar. Many of the walls are small brick, with mortar, especially in the houses that we are told the commoners lived in. However, the truly impressive aspect to Machu Picchu is the incredibly huge stones that make up the structures the elite lived in, and the temples.
You can't tell in this picture, but many of the homes in the commoner area have a structure that allowed for a second story. Each room had a lip on each side to hold wood planks, and there are windows at this higher level.
This complex is in a higher and wetter zone compared to Ollaytaytambo, which was pretty much desert-like except next to the river. The forests are more temperate, and have a greater array of wildlife. I witnessed many birds here, though I had no idea what they were. Later when the sun came out, it got warm, more tropical. Rising thermals brought unknown raptors to make lazy circles high above the ground, beyond my eyes ability to make note of field marks for future identification. A flock of green parrots made their noisy way across one of the canyons.
Here is the best example of the absolutely massive stones used in the construction of this site. You can also see to the left structures are built around the stones already in place. The source of the stone is very local, but the skill of shaping them and moving them defies the imagination. This is one of the main aspects that makes this place so incredible.
Below is what I was told is the Temple of the Condor. The altar stone is roped off to keep people from walking on it. The guide talking to the group here explained sacrifices would be made on this stone, and the blood would pool towards the 'beak' of the condor, and be funnelled down into a hole into the earth. One of the main goddesses for the Inca was PachaMamma, an earth mother goddess. The stones in the rear are the raised wings of the condor, a sacred animal. Beneath the wing is a small cavern.
I did not hire the services of a guide on this trip, but only walked and experienced the place myself. Occasionally I'd listen in to what others were saying. Here I heard the sacrifices were mostly of llamas. The Inca were not given to routine human sacrifice.
Grasses and lichen predominate, slowly working to reclaim the stones.
As indicated previously, those arriving early to the complex can make their way quickly to the other side and get in yet another line to be selected to be one of the 400 allowed to climb Huayna Picchu. Even hurrying over I was in the 360 range, so popular is this opportunity. You choose if you wish to walk up at 7:00 am or 10:00 am. The time restriction is due to the amount of time it can take to climb the mountain. You also have to sign a book prior to entering, and check out when you leave, so they know everyone is off the mountain. In many places the stairs are even and short, but in many more places, especially on the other side of the mountain, they are slippery, and tall, and uneven.
As you climb higher you can see the Urubamba river flowing far below.
After about an hour and a half I made it to the top of the mountain. As you can see by the sign, there are several ways to spell Huayna Picchu. The actual apex of the mountain is still just a little higher than this sign. I climbed up to that lofty perch to join all the other climbers. Most were 20-somethings. Several indulged in smoking marijuana. All reveled in the accomplishment.
And here, on the top of Huayna Picchu, I met up with a couple originally met on the train to Aguas Calliente. Andres and Mariana are visitors from Argentina, spending their vacation in and around Peru. Andres speaks very good English, which is fortunate, for my Spanish is pretty poor. I asked them if I could take and blog their picture. They said yes, so here it is!
And here I am! Quite a bit weary (but going to get more so) with glowing skin from the sunshine, and limp hair from the mist. But I made it!
And what a view from the top! I wish the mist was not as thick for a better picture, but the mist and rain kept me cool on the journey.
What must it be like to be able to open your wings and fly over these valleys? No wonder the condor is sacred to the people who lived here before.
The summit reached, I decided to take a different path down the mountain to visit what is called the "Great Cavern" on the signs, but which my guidebook calls the Temple of the Moon. With a name like that, how could I resist? The journey down was substantially less crowded! I only met one other person on the way to the temple, and there met up with 5 others at the temple. This path took you down three wooden ladders.
The journey down was much longer that the one up, as you were also going around the backside of the mountain. Just about the time I began to despair that I was never going to reach the destination, I came across one of those 6 people who told me I was almost there. I first came across some more Incan buildings, probably rooms where the priests could prepare themselves. Then just a little below is the cavern.
Alcoves and altars are carved into the rocks. The cave does quickly become a dark hole in the very back, and probably goes into the earth some more distance, but I did not have any source of light, so could not go any further. There were offerings of food and tobacco in this place, and it still holds about it a sacred energy . . . felt more here than at any of the other locations at Machu Picchu. Here I met some 'earth children' . . . . barefoot, dread locks, bead and feather bedecked. I am unsure how to classify them, so I will not. They were peaceful souls, who later when I encountered them again after descending the mountain, offered me some nuts and dried fruits. I would have liked to have spent more time talking to them.
Another couple at this location had hiked the mountain with their backpacks, and their baby. I admire their stamina! This alcove is centrally located inside the Temple of the Moon, and the baby's father told me it is supposed to be a central energy point where the male and female energies are in harmony. I couldn't resist, and asked the young lady, since she was a woman, and her baby a boy, if I could take their picture, for it did seem to me the harmony of the energies was manifest. She agreed. You can't really tell from this picture, but the baby was a happy little soul himself. I'd be too if I could come to this place, but not have to walk to it.
The mountain went on to teach me a lesson. Having reached the top, then taken the path down and around to the back, I had to essentially climb the mountain again to leave. Each bend brought another series of steps. Each turn, more stairs. My legs were very tired. My knees were sore from the effort to make my steps controlled. I relied frequently on my walking stick that helped me up and down the mountain. It is a sobering lesson, that you came to this place on your own feet, and that your own feet must get you out of it, for no one else can walk that path for you (unless you are a baby who was carried there ~ and I am not). It is a life lesson that has significance in my own life. Each turn, a brief pause to gather the fortitude, and breathe, then push forward for 15 stairs. Pause, but not for too long. Acknowledge the pain, but set it aside, for it has to be overcome to get to the destination. There will be time to rest at the end. I did make it to the end, and now have the knowledge I can do it! I can climb a mountain, twice. I can persevere on my own path and see it through.
There are animals at Machu Picchu. Many are wild creatures, like these chinchillas.
There are many birds. This is the best picture of the rufous collared sparrow I was able to catch, and it turned away as I took the picture, but you can see the rufous collar. They are trusting little birds, very common in this area, and you can get pretty close to them.
Later I caught a parent feeding its offspring. They didn't sit long for my picture.
And there are llamas!
The llamas are not wild creatures, but placed here for the tourists to enjoy. I know this because some of them had ear tags. They are also accustomed to people and let us walk right next to them and take their pictures. Several of the llama mothers (I wonder what they are called?? Dams?? Cows?? I saw lots of entries on the web for 'llama mammas' but nothing that answered that question) had babies (found this one . . . they are called 'crias'). The crias were very charming and photogenic.
Cute aren't they!
It was an awesome day! It was an exhausting day! I highly recommend that if you consider coming to Machu Picchu you plan your visit to either stay in Aguas Calliente, or the expensive lodge outside the gate, if you can afford it, and not take the standard one-day train tour out of Cusco. It deserves a full day to experience it! I was on one of the first busses to arrive, and departed on one of the almost last ones to leave. I would have walked around more if not for my very aching muscles . . . which complained for several more days. Bring your camera. Bring your bladder control (no bathroom at all on the site, only outside of the gate) ~ oh, and be sure to bring some Nueva Sols too for you have to pay to use the bathroom! Bring your eyes and your ears. But most of all bring an open heart to hear the voice of the mountains, and the stones, and the moss, and the grass, and the wind, and all the animals who call this place home.
For some, this name brings recognition, and then curiosity. For many, it gets you a blank stare. However, when I knew I was going to get to come to this place, and I mentioned it to people, those who did not recognize the name did seem to recognize a picture of the place. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and thus is being preserved for the world to enjoy. If you would like a history, which I will not give here, click on the bold words at the beginning of this paragraph.
Here I am at one of the several doorways to prove I was there. It can be very hard sometimes to get a picture of yourself alone at any of the structures, for an incredible number of people come to this place, even in what is considered the 'off' season of December through March. This is the rainy season for Peru, and as such, the entire morning was cloudy, with occasional drizzle, but nothing much to spoil the day. In the later afternoon the clouds burned off, and the sunshine made an appearance so that I could take clear pictures, such as the one at the very start of this series of pictures.
My travel companion and I had planned to stay the previous night and the night of our visit in Aguas Caliente to allow us to be on the very first buses that leave that tourist town to take the half-hour drive zig-zagging up to the saddle of the mountain where the ruins lay. After a good night's sleep in comfortable firm beds at Gringo Bill's Hostal, with breakfast laid out at 5 AM we set off. Even at 5:30 in the morning, there was a very long line of people waiting for the buses. Once there, you join the crowd milling about the gates, which include people who paid the incredible $300 a night price to stay at the only hotel outside the site. You pay to take the train to get to this area. You pay to take the bus. You pay to get into Machu Picchu. This is Peru's primary tourist attraction, and you do pay to get to see and experience it. But it is worth it!
As you are allowed to enter the site, people fan out, and very quickly you can find yourself isolated and allowed to walk the moist paths, and through the buildings. The morning dampness serves to muffle the sounds around you. There is the ever present voices of birds, the whisper of the wind, and in some places, the trickle of water dripping, or flowing through some of the carved water channels. Even with as many people that come to this place, you can feel the energy of it's past glory. It may have something to do with the stones. Stones hold their energy for a long time.
The mist added to the mystery of the place. The mountain peaks surrounding the complex overshadow and dominate the horizon. They are rugged mountains that have not seen much erosion. They come in and out of view at the whim of the mists and low hanging clouds.
Here, as at many of the ruins of the Inca civilization, terraces have been constructed to allow for growing crops. Today they only grow grass, and lichen on the rocks, but in days past they would have supplied the villages with the food necessary for life. Primarily this would have been corn, for South America is the source of the corn plant. It's hard to believe that something which feeds the world only was introduced to the world about 500 years ago.
Occasionally there is an accent of color against the backdrop of greens and greys.
You can see that the terraces extend over a great portion of the complex. From this angle you can also see many of the raw boulders to be found in abundance.
Much of the complex is built with the dry rock style of walls, tightly fit stones with no mortar. Many of the walls are small brick, with mortar, especially in the houses that we are told the commoners lived in. However, the truly impressive aspect to Machu Picchu is the incredibly huge stones that make up the structures the elite lived in, and the temples.
You can't tell in this picture, but many of the homes in the commoner area have a structure that allowed for a second story. Each room had a lip on each side to hold wood planks, and there are windows at this higher level.
This complex is in a higher and wetter zone compared to Ollaytaytambo, which was pretty much desert-like except next to the river. The forests are more temperate, and have a greater array of wildlife. I witnessed many birds here, though I had no idea what they were. Later when the sun came out, it got warm, more tropical. Rising thermals brought unknown raptors to make lazy circles high above the ground, beyond my eyes ability to make note of field marks for future identification. A flock of green parrots made their noisy way across one of the canyons.
Here is the best example of the absolutely massive stones used in the construction of this site. You can also see to the left structures are built around the stones already in place. The source of the stone is very local, but the skill of shaping them and moving them defies the imagination. This is one of the main aspects that makes this place so incredible.
Below is what I was told is the Temple of the Condor. The altar stone is roped off to keep people from walking on it. The guide talking to the group here explained sacrifices would be made on this stone, and the blood would pool towards the 'beak' of the condor, and be funnelled down into a hole into the earth. One of the main goddesses for the Inca was PachaMamma, an earth mother goddess. The stones in the rear are the raised wings of the condor, a sacred animal. Beneath the wing is a small cavern.
I did not hire the services of a guide on this trip, but only walked and experienced the place myself. Occasionally I'd listen in to what others were saying. Here I heard the sacrifices were mostly of llamas. The Inca were not given to routine human sacrifice.
Grasses and lichen predominate, slowly working to reclaim the stones.
As indicated previously, those arriving early to the complex can make their way quickly to the other side and get in yet another line to be selected to be one of the 400 allowed to climb Huayna Picchu. Even hurrying over I was in the 360 range, so popular is this opportunity. You choose if you wish to walk up at 7:00 am or 10:00 am. The time restriction is due to the amount of time it can take to climb the mountain. You also have to sign a book prior to entering, and check out when you leave, so they know everyone is off the mountain. In many places the stairs are even and short, but in many more places, especially on the other side of the mountain, they are slippery, and tall, and uneven.
As you climb higher you can see the Urubamba river flowing far below.
After about an hour and a half I made it to the top of the mountain. As you can see by the sign, there are several ways to spell Huayna Picchu. The actual apex of the mountain is still just a little higher than this sign. I climbed up to that lofty perch to join all the other climbers. Most were 20-somethings. Several indulged in smoking marijuana. All reveled in the accomplishment.
And here, on the top of Huayna Picchu, I met up with a couple originally met on the train to Aguas Calliente. Andres and Mariana are visitors from Argentina, spending their vacation in and around Peru. Andres speaks very good English, which is fortunate, for my Spanish is pretty poor. I asked them if I could take and blog their picture. They said yes, so here it is!
And here I am! Quite a bit weary (but going to get more so) with glowing skin from the sunshine, and limp hair from the mist. But I made it!
And what a view from the top! I wish the mist was not as thick for a better picture, but the mist and rain kept me cool on the journey.
What must it be like to be able to open your wings and fly over these valleys? No wonder the condor is sacred to the people who lived here before.
The summit reached, I decided to take a different path down the mountain to visit what is called the "Great Cavern" on the signs, but which my guidebook calls the Temple of the Moon. With a name like that, how could I resist? The journey down was substantially less crowded! I only met one other person on the way to the temple, and there met up with 5 others at the temple. This path took you down three wooden ladders.
The journey down was much longer that the one up, as you were also going around the backside of the mountain. Just about the time I began to despair that I was never going to reach the destination, I came across one of those 6 people who told me I was almost there. I first came across some more Incan buildings, probably rooms where the priests could prepare themselves. Then just a little below is the cavern.
Alcoves and altars are carved into the rocks. The cave does quickly become a dark hole in the very back, and probably goes into the earth some more distance, but I did not have any source of light, so could not go any further. There were offerings of food and tobacco in this place, and it still holds about it a sacred energy . . . felt more here than at any of the other locations at Machu Picchu. Here I met some 'earth children' . . . . barefoot, dread locks, bead and feather bedecked. I am unsure how to classify them, so I will not. They were peaceful souls, who later when I encountered them again after descending the mountain, offered me some nuts and dried fruits. I would have liked to have spent more time talking to them.
Another couple at this location had hiked the mountain with their backpacks, and their baby. I admire their stamina! This alcove is centrally located inside the Temple of the Moon, and the baby's father told me it is supposed to be a central energy point where the male and female energies are in harmony. I couldn't resist, and asked the young lady, since she was a woman, and her baby a boy, if I could take their picture, for it did seem to me the harmony of the energies was manifest. She agreed. You can't really tell from this picture, but the baby was a happy little soul himself. I'd be too if I could come to this place, but not have to walk to it.
The mountain went on to teach me a lesson. Having reached the top, then taken the path down and around to the back, I had to essentially climb the mountain again to leave. Each bend brought another series of steps. Each turn, more stairs. My legs were very tired. My knees were sore from the effort to make my steps controlled. I relied frequently on my walking stick that helped me up and down the mountain. It is a sobering lesson, that you came to this place on your own feet, and that your own feet must get you out of it, for no one else can walk that path for you (unless you are a baby who was carried there ~ and I am not). It is a life lesson that has significance in my own life. Each turn, a brief pause to gather the fortitude, and breathe, then push forward for 15 stairs. Pause, but not for too long. Acknowledge the pain, but set it aside, for it has to be overcome to get to the destination. There will be time to rest at the end. I did make it to the end, and now have the knowledge I can do it! I can climb a mountain, twice. I can persevere on my own path and see it through.
There are animals at Machu Picchu. Many are wild creatures, like these chinchillas.
There are many birds. This is the best picture of the rufous collared sparrow I was able to catch, and it turned away as I took the picture, but you can see the rufous collar. They are trusting little birds, very common in this area, and you can get pretty close to them.
Later I caught a parent feeding its offspring. They didn't sit long for my picture.
And there are llamas!
The llamas are not wild creatures, but placed here for the tourists to enjoy. I know this because some of them had ear tags. They are also accustomed to people and let us walk right next to them and take their pictures. Several of the llama mothers (I wonder what they are called?? Dams?? Cows?? I saw lots of entries on the web for 'llama mammas' but nothing that answered that question) had babies (found this one . . . they are called 'crias'). The crias were very charming and photogenic.
Cute aren't they!
It was an awesome day! It was an exhausting day! I highly recommend that if you consider coming to Machu Picchu you plan your visit to either stay in Aguas Calliente, or the expensive lodge outside the gate, if you can afford it, and not take the standard one-day train tour out of Cusco. It deserves a full day to experience it! I was on one of the first busses to arrive, and departed on one of the almost last ones to leave. I would have walked around more if not for my very aching muscles . . . which complained for several more days. Bring your camera. Bring your bladder control (no bathroom at all on the site, only outside of the gate) ~ oh, and be sure to bring some Nueva Sols too for you have to pay to use the bathroom! Bring your eyes and your ears. But most of all bring an open heart to hear the voice of the mountains, and the stones, and the moss, and the grass, and the wind, and all the animals who call this place home.
It truly is a wonderful, magickal place!
1 Comments:
At 4:08 AM,
Anonymous said…
Aren't you a photographer! Nobody has ever made me spend so much time on something that I wasn't looking for. And it wasn't easy to find. I landed first on a "feed" (I don't know what that is) where I discovered a cactus photo.
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