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October 14, 2013
I'm sorry, but there is really no way I can describe the scope and grandeur of Machu Picchu, nor even begin to attempt to identify or explain the bits and pieces of it. I'm quite confident, as well, that you don't really want to see all 239 of the photos I took there. I'll try, with a few words and these selected photos, to give you a feel for the place, but you really just need to visit it for yourself.
To be perfectly honest, approaching Machu Picchu is a little disappointing. We took an early bus from Aguas Calientes (buses run regularly all day), and joined hundreds of other people waiting to get in. I was sure we were going to spend the day like we did our time at Ollantaytambo, part of a line of ants (or maybe orange caterpillars) climbing stairs one after another and gasping for breath because we didn't dare stop for fear of losing our group. After we presented our passports and entrance passes, we filed through the gate with a crowd. So far, my fears were validated.
In short order, Silver corralled us all on a terrace to give us his opening lecture about Machu Picchu. Honestly, I don't remember a word of what he said. I was too busy taking photos of the amazing views, doing my best to frame images without people in them. I had to force myself to leave people in a few just to give a sense of scale. As we wandered, the hordes of people spread out around the site. I no longer felt like I was exploring in a crowd.
My reading has told me that Machu Picchu was built in the mid-1400s as an estate for the Inca king Pachacuti. While early archaeological interpretations seemed to present it as a religious site, scientists now think it was more of a retreat for the elite. However, because religion was so integral in Inca life, the site does contain many temples and constructs that highlight the sacredness of the location, as did all of the archaeological sites we saw in Peru.
The Inca abandoned the site in the mid-1500s, around the time of Spanish conquest. It was "lost" until Hiram Bingham brought it to the world's (and the Peruvian government's) attention in 1911. As I've mentioned before, the locals knew the site was there, and took advantage of the terraces for farming and the walls as an easy source of stone for their own needs. National Geographic Magazine devoted an entire issue to Bingham's explorations of the site, and it quickly became a tourist destination. The community of Aguas Calientes sprang up to support the influx of people, and the government worked to develop and protect the site.
For the first couple of hours, Siver gave us a quick tour of Machu Picchu's highlights: the main temples, an overview of construction methods, and so on. We moved from the entrance area towards Huayna Picchu (the mountain in the top photo, as well as many others). I'll just show you some of what we saw.
The site of Machu Picchu sits in a saddle between two mountains, one also called Machu Picchu and the other Huayna Picchu. While both have trails up them, it is Huayna Picchu that many people climb. The park service limits the number of hikers to 400 per day, and we had reservations to join the 10:00 climb. About half our group decided to climb the mountain; the others opted to spend the time exploring the ruins. The trail up Huayna Picchu was reported to be very steep, very narrow, with stairs in some places and ropes to pull yourself up on in others. The lowest section certainly lived up to this reputation.
I joined the stream of hikers flowing, very slowly, upwards. Many passed me as I stopped to catch my breath or take a photo, but I didn’t mind. I wasn’t in a race. As I approached the bottom of a steep, narrow set of steps set close to a cliff face, Mary came back down and said there was no way she was going any further. Her vertigo had gotten the best of her. Dee and I continued on, but as soon as Dee saw the steps, she said she was turning back, too. I offered to go down with them if they wanted to take the side trail to the Temple of the Moon instead. I was disappointed not to continue up, but it wasn’t the end of the world.
The Temple of the Moon sat lower on the flanks of Huayna Picchu, but the trail to it wasn’t much easier. By the time we’d huffed up stairs, stooped under an overhanging cliff, and scaled a ladder, Mary and Dee both balked at another cliff-hugging set of steps. This time, I let them turn back on their own. I don’t have issues with heights or narrow spaces, and I wanted to get somewhere, anywhere.
I wandered through thick woods that, when combined with uneven steps on a rough trail and occasional ruined stonework, lent the area a primeval, fairytale feel. I saw just a few other people, including one man who’d lost his lens cap by some ruins. When I stopped to help him look, I stumbled and nearly tumbled off a cliff. I’m not sure my body ever would have been found in the undergrowth.
After an hour or more of hiking, I finally came upon the Temple of the Moon. Brenda, Linda, and Emily had gotten there ahead of me and were lounging around munching on chocolate-covered cherries. I was happy to help them finish the bag.
Most Inca constructions have sites dedicated to honoring the Sun, usually as the first morning rays shine on the location on the winter or summer solstice. We’d seen temples to the Moon at Qorikancha, but this was the most impressive we’d seen. However incongruous, it was hard not to imagine maidens in flowing white gowns serving their priestess here. My vision was more Greek or Roman than Incan, but that’s beside the point.
A long slow trek back up the trail from the Temple of the Moon and across Machu Picchu led us to the remarkably good buffet offered at the only restaurant at the site. After filling my belly, I refilled my completely empty two-liter water bladder and hoisted my backpack on again. Our next destination was the Inti Punku, Sun Gate, high above the main area of the ruins.
There is nothing like walking for hours on granite to make your feet hurt. At no point during the days of trekking had my feet ever caused me any trouble. One morning of granite and all I wanted to do was take off my boots. Not enough, however, to head back to Aguas Calientes any earlier than necessary.
The Sun Gate is where the “official” Inca Trail to Machu Picchu enters the site. What an amazing sight that must have been to the traveling Incas, to be walking through dense forest, nearly jungle, and to finally crest the last hill and look out over the sprawl of what was then a small city. It was impressive enough even with much of it ruined, and with only tourists wandering around. I have a hard time imagining it new and full of bustling industry.
The bus ride back down the twisting road to Aguas Calientes was an experience in itself. The road is really only one lane wide, so it’s a good thing there were only buses going up and down. The hairpin turns were so tight the buses were almost too long to get around them. Like the narrow cobblestone streets in Cusco, it was clear this road was built for older modes of transportation. If I remember correctly, we even applauded our driver’s maneuvering skills at one point.
The hotel in Aguas Calientes wasn’t much, but it was a welcome sight this night. It was with relief that I packed away my hiking boots. They’d served me well over the past week, but their time was done. The trek was over.
