Machu Picchu

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Amazing...that's the only way to describe Machu Picchu! People kept telling me how cool it was, but until you go there you don't ever realize how right they were. I left Cusco by train for the town of Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is the last town before Machu Picchu (if you can even call it a town, it was about 2 square blocks in size nestled in the Sacred Valley). The following day we hiked up to Machu Picchu to catch the sunrise and beat most of the other tourists.

There are shelves of books attempting to tell the history of Machu Picchu and what it used to be used for. Some say it could be the lost city of the Incas, or the city of the virgins of the sun, or a summer hangout for royalty, or a school for the children of Inca leaders. In actuality nobody really knows for sure what it was, and that’s what adds to the mistique.

Watching the sun come over the huge mountains surrounding Machu Picchu was so tranquil. The site is located literally in the middle of nowhere, but perfectly positioned between mountains, above rivers thousands of feet below, with plenty of sun, green, and warmth. I took a nap on the agricultural terraces overlooking Machu Picchu and I can easily say it was the most peaceful nap I've ever taken. It was so natural, quiet, and peaceful. Walking through the site you can see that every stone had a specific purpose and built for a reason. Some rocks shadowed the mountains behind them while others acted as sun dials to determine the time of the year or time of day.

I knew I had gotten a little sun from taking my nap up at Machu Picchu, but didn't fully realize how badly I needed suntan lotion until the following day. I guess the high altitude made the sun a bit more intense (see picture). Overall a great experience to see Mahcu Picchu...it would be a shame if they close it down to tourists (something they are considering with the drastic increase in tourists visiting the site).

Trying to figure out where to go next, probably Lake Titicaca and then down through Chile or Bolivia. There has been a bus strike in Puno (near Lake Titicaca) so I'm not sure if I'll be able to catch a bus into the city.

Hope everyone is well and HAPPY SUMMER!!

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