"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad / Roughing It
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I'm splitting the Machu Picchu post into parts 4a and 4b. Too many photos for a single post.
What it has taken to get us here: 3 airplane flights, 1 car ride over the Andes & 1 train ride. Now it's time for a little bus ride.
A few words about the bus ride. You must make this ride yourself for the experience. Photos don't do it justice. The buses had 6 speed transmissions. Drivers never made it out of 3rd, either going up or coming down. 16 switchbacks on a single lane dirt road with 2 way traffic. Guard rails? Nope. Slightly bumpy? Oh Yes. Roller coaster designers should be required to experience this ride.
Why we came.
And the proof we really were there.
Williams, our guide for the day. He knew his history & totally enjoyed telling the story.
One of the big answers to the location of Machu Picchu. Even now there are still natural springs flowing from Machu Picchu mountain.
House for the Guardians of the Fountains
This photo is how I named the series. Stone steps carved out of the rock that was in place. From the inception of Machu Picchu, who has walked these same steps before us?
The quarry
In The Temple of the Sun. Notice how tight the stone work is. No mortar or cement.
Looking out of the Temple of the Sun. Used for ceremonies related to the winter solstice on June 21st. Yes, winter.
The Inca were aware of the 4 ordinal points of the compass. When the sun shone through a particular window, it was time to plant the crops.
The main plaza.
Part of the agricultural section.
Roca Sagrada.
Sacred Rock.
Notch in the ridge with a sloping trail. That is the Inca Trail and the approach the Inca would make when traveling from the capital of Cusco.
That road mentioned previously.
The temple of the condor.
Next post we'll take the high trail.
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