Machu Picchu Day 5 Peru December 14
Friday, December 14
We're up early again today, in our day 5 of our G Adventures trip. We want to beat the tourist rush into Machu Picchu. It's rainy season and low tourist season but it could still get crowded so Cho-Cho wants us at breakfast for 6:30 a.m. Our tickets for the ruin allow us to stay until 12:30 p.m.. Then we must leave.
We pack up our small bags and deliver them to the hotel desk manager. He'll see that they are delivered to the Hot Springs II restaurant around noon for us to pick them up, rather than walking ALL the way back up the hill to the hotel. The train station is near the restaurant so it will save time and energy later in the day.
We gather in the lobby, check for passports and walk down to the bus station. The buses will take us to the entrance to the ruins (or folks can hike it-but that adds about an hour to your adventure and the trail is REALLY steep.) So we take the 20-minute bus ride up the narrow winding road/path. The views are spectacular.
The Inca Ruler Pachacuti was the one behind the construction of Machu Picchu. In the mid 1400s the city must have been standing already on the mountain called today "Old Peak" - literally translated from the original Quechuan name of Machu Picchu. Yes, it is the peak's name, not the city's.
There are no toilets or snack/water places inside the the ruins so we queue up and pay our 2 soles to use the facilities. I overhear one of the other guides say how few people are here today. He says usually it's an hour wait for the bathroom, then an hour wait to enter the ruins then you shuffle to see things because there are so many people.
Your ticket allows you one entrance and exit, no re-entry and you must leave by the time stamped on your ticket. We gather at the base of the entrance, sunblock up and make our way to "The View." We stop to take pictures of the resident llamas.
Up the stone path we go; one by one on the narrow trail with it's steep drop-offs.
We pause often to catch our breath. Jay and I are on altitude sickness preventative meds. but the others are relying on coca tea.
I can only imagine what Hiram Bingham thought in 1911 when he and his guides macheted their way through the jungle and saw this amazing city nestled between three mountains.
We take many photos and videos and Cho-Cho says he wants to take us to his favorite place. So up we climb. We get some great views of people climbing Huayna Picchu (Wayna Pikchu or "Young Peak") Elevation 2,693 m (8,835 ft.)
The stone work is mesmerizing. The floating stairs are believed to be there to help the llamas climb the terraces.
We pass by a rock use for sacrifices. How did the Incas carve these rocks with no steel or mechanical tools?
We're treated to some stunning views of the ruins and the Urubamba River 2-3 miles below.
We are making our way to the Inka Bridge. A part of one of the many trails leading into Machu Picchu.
This trail was used by only VERY special people, the villages up above would screen who could use this trail. Cho-Cho explains that if the trail is a meter wide if was for special people. Commercial and general public entered on trails as wide as roads.
There are no guard rails and the drop will land you into the tree canopy. So you must sign in and out of the trail. Again the views are breathtaking!
At one point the Incas must have found a section treacherous because they installed a rail; complete with a drainage hole.
The trail is carved INTO the mountain.
One can only imagine how many people died working on this trail.
According to Cho-Cho, 80-90 % of this trail is original. The bridge is 100 %. And has not been "repaired" by present day workers. There is talk of opening the trail to tourists in the future but for now it remains closed.
We make our way back to the trail hut and check out. We learn that we're not ACTUALLY in Machu Picchu yet, we must pass through the entrance gate.
We're in the urban sector and can see the agricultural terraces all around us.
We view to Temple to the Sun (“Torreón”) from above. There are two windows in the temple one for the Winter Solstice (June 21) and one for the Summer Solstice (December 21).
The Incas could even carve "L" shaped corner stones.
We view the Ritual Fountains
Temple of the Pachamama, The Temple of the Dead or Mother Earth is located in the lower level to semi circular drum of the Sun Temple. There is a rock carved in the form of stairs, which allowed the Incas a to place offerings to the dead.
Someone was here before Hiram Bingham because the rock is carved and dated 1901.
We pass the Quarry.
And say "hi" to a resident chinchilla.
Number 3 had a great significance for Incas.
It is no coincidence that the Incan cross – “chakana” is a 3-stepped symmetric "cross".
The 3 steps represent the 3 tiers or worlds that the Incan culture believed in:
The lower world (Uqhu Pacha) represented the underworld and death
The middle world (Kay Pacha) represented the world of human life
The upper wold (Hanan Pacha) included the stars, celestial beings and gods
This number was also represented by their revered animals:
the snake, living underground, represented the lower world
the puma, a powerful land animal represented the middle world
the condor represented the upper world in the sky
The Incas believed that every person has 3 principals:
Love (Munay)
Knowledge (Yachay)
Work (Llankay)
The inhabitants of Inca Empire had to perform 3 types of works:
for others (neighbours, relatives)
for the state
for the gods
Incas had 3 commandments:
don’t steal
don’t lie
don’t be lazy
The 3 steps represent the 3 tiers or worlds that the Incan culture believed in:
The lower world (Uqhu Pacha) represented the underworld and death
The middle world (Kay Pacha) represented the world of human life
The upper wold (Hanan Pacha) included the stars, celestial beings and gods
This number was also represented by their revered animals:
the snake, living underground, represented the lower world
the puma, a powerful land animal represented the middle world
the condor represented the upper world in the sky
The Incas believed that every person has 3 principals:
Love (Munay)
Knowledge (Yachay)
Work (Llankay)
The inhabitants of Inca Empire had to perform 3 types of works:
for others (neighbours, relatives)
for the state
for the gods
Incas had 3 commandments:
don’t steal
don’t lie
don’t be lazy
Cho-Cho shows us one of the stones important to the winter solstice (June 21 or 24)- Inti Raymi. It casts a mirror image shadow on the solstice and is located at the Three Windows Temple.
We make our way to the Intihuantana, it's adjacent to the Temple of Three Windows. and may have acted as a sundial or was used for astronomical observations.
Cho-Cho takes us to the Temple of the Condor. Between the stone-carved "wings of the condor", there is a chamber with grooves. It is believed that the grooves were carved in order to drive the flowing blood of the victim into the pit. To the Incas, the condor was the symbol of cruel justice.
Some specialists consider that the Condor Temple was primarily used for animal sacrifices. And, probably it was never used for human sacrifices.
We hike down into the plaza and Cho-Cho points out that not only is there a city here above but there are many tunnels running underneath our feet. About 17 of them. They are still being explored and excavated today.
It's approaching noon and our time in the ruins is almost done. We visit the storehouses that sit high up on the hill to catch the breeze. It's a good 10 degrees cooler inside. And we catch our last views of this Inca City.
Back on the bus heading back to Aguas Calientes we go.
We have a very yummy lunch at Hot Springs II
And have tickets for the 2:30 p.m.train back to Ollanta where our driver will take on the long journey back to Cusco.
We pass through many cities and see lots of fields being planted. Cho-Cho has arranged a Rainbow Mountain tour for Linda on Saturday-she needs to be up at 4:30 a.m.; a horsebacking tour for Jason and a 1/2 day city tour for me and Jay.
We're back at the hotel around 7 p.m. and in bed by 9 p.m..
What a great day at Machu Picchu-couldn't have asked for better weather!
More photos:
https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Peru-2018/Machu-Picchu/
https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Peru-2018/Aguas-Calientes-to-Cusco
Next Up-Free day in Cusco
He also shows us the "southern Cross" rock and uses Jason cell phone to show how the stones corners line up with the compass directions.
We see the rocks carved like the mountain behind them.
We make our way to the Intihuantana, it's adjacent to the Temple of Three Windows. and may have acted as a sundial or was used for astronomical observations.
The reflective cosmic water pools may have also been used to observe the night skies and movement of the stars.
Some specialists consider that the Condor Temple was primarily used for animal sacrifices. And, probably it was never used for human sacrifices.
We hike down into the plaza and Cho-Cho points out that not only is there a city here above but there are many tunnels running underneath our feet. About 17 of them. They are still being explored and excavated today.
It's approaching noon and our time in the ruins is almost done. We visit the storehouses that sit high up on the hill to catch the breeze. It's a good 10 degrees cooler inside. And we catch our last views of this Inca City.
Back on the bus heading back to Aguas Calientes we go.
We have a very yummy lunch at Hot Springs II
We pass through many cities and see lots of fields being planted. Cho-Cho has arranged a Rainbow Mountain tour for Linda on Saturday-she needs to be up at 4:30 a.m.; a horsebacking tour for Jason and a 1/2 day city tour for me and Jay.
We're back at the hotel around 7 p.m. and in bed by 9 p.m..
What a great day at Machu Picchu-couldn't have asked for better weather!
More photos:
https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Peru-2018/Machu-Picchu/
https://photosbynanci.smugmug.com/Peru-2018/Aguas-Calientes-to-Cusco
Next Up-Free day in Cusco