At Machu Picchu

Nov 30, 2014:  


We had paid up the hotel when we checked in.


Early morning, we packed up our small overnight bag and left it in the room. 

Hotel people will come in later and keep bags in their office...

5.30am we boarded the MP bus. 

There are several taking off one after another. 

After a 40 min ride up, reached the famed entrance. 

We had bought our tickets to MP online a month ago.

We had to checkin our hiking pole; allowed for only people>60.   

There were clouds and a little fog 

but we went ahead following our map. 

In ½ hour the fog had lifted; 

 the whole citadel stretched out before our eyes in all its glory. 

Here we are at the guard's hut at the entrance...

People were being bitten to pieces by sand flies, we had been adequately warned thanks to the huge thread on that topic in the tripadvisor forum. We had OFF Towelettes, we wiped ourselves well, we were also wearing full sleeves and long trousers. Despite that I had 6 bites on my hands and it itched for a week!

Royal Tomb: This cave-like area behind contains ceremonial niches and an Inca cross carved from one wall and is adjacent to the Temple of the Sun. The cross resembles a series of steps, and represents the three levels of existence in the world of the Inca. The first step, symbolized by the snake, represents the underworld or death. The second step represents the present, human life, and is symbolized by the jaguar. The highest step represents the celestial/spiritual plane of the gods, and is symbolized by the condor

Inside this Royal Tomb numerous mummy excavations had been made. Of more than 100 skeletal remains discovered here, 80% were women. This fact, among others, leads many historians to surmise that the area was inhabited primarily by high priests and chosen women


To the left of the royal tomb lies a series of 16 ceremonial baths, joined by one linked aqueduct system.

This is the temple of the Sun

Home of the Incas...

This Temple of the Condor is a great example of Inca stone masonry. A natural rock formation began to take shape millions of years ago and the Inca skillfully shaped the rock into the outspread wings of a condor in flight. On the floor of the temple is a rock carved in the shape of the condor's head and neck feathers, completing the figure of a three-dimensional bird. The head of the condor was used as a sacrificial altar. Under the temple is a small cave that contained a mummy. A prison complex stands directly behind the temple, and is comprised of human-sized niches and an underground maze of dungeons. According to historical chronicles that documented similar Inca prison sites, an accused citizen would be shackled into the niches for up to 3 days to await the deliberation of his fate. He could be put to death for such sins as laziness, lust, or theft.

Across the Central Plaza and at the far end of Machu Picchu is this Sacred Rock, an object common to every Inca village. Before a village could be erected, a sacred stone must be dedicated to the site. The Sacred Stone of Machu Picchu sits at the base of Huayna Picchu (little peak) and the outline is a replica of the mountain

 Sacred Plaza. Surrounding the plaza are the most important buildings of the city. The Principal Temple is an example of excellent Inca stonemasonry, with its large stone blocks polished smooth and joined perfectly

Sacred plaza with the temple of 3 windows to the side

River Urubamba meandering below

The Intiwatana,  the "hitching post of the sun" is a carved rock pillar whose four corners are oriented toward the four cardinal points. The Inca were accomplished astronomers, and used the angles of the pillar to predict the solstices. The sun exerted a crucial influence on the agriculture, and therefore the well-being of the whole society. It was considered the supreme natural god. At the winter solstice on June 21, the high priest would rope a golden disc to the Intiwatana, to symbolically catch the sun and bring it back toward earth for another year's cycle of seasons. The Intiwatana here is the only one of its kind not lopped off by the Spanish conquerors, who made a point of destroying all implements of Inca religion. 

 Machu Picchu is one of the Earth's magnetic focal points, and carries an inherent spiritual or metaphysical power. 

When we sit at the edge of the Sacred Plaza overlooking the Urubamba River below, the stone temples and plazas to the front, and the mountain peaks of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu to the left and right, we feel the magic!!

The stone quarry

This is the trail to the sungate.. we started on it, but were bugged by incessant sand flies. It was starting to become hot as well. We reluctantly decided to leave

We had a snack sitting at this bench... so scenic... we had been scared to sit elsewhere because of the sand flies. Surprisingly a girl was immersed in her book and totally ignored the glorious scene around... well, it takes all sorts to make this world so interesting!!

The sun was up and blazing by 10.30, crowds were coming in, so we reluctantly bid goodbye to the awesome site. Took the 11.30 bus back down. 

We had bought the 4.30 expedition ticket back to ollantaytambo. We talked to the Perurail officials, they traded the tickets for the vistadome leaving at 1. Very sweet of them. We had a great time on the journey back too, enjoying the scenery and even joining the dance!

Ollantaytambo ruin climb, Perurail expedition ride, Aguascaleintes

Nov 29: Started the day early...

6am, We had breakfast at our hotel and walked to the ruins...

7am-10.30 am: Ollantaytambo ruin climb

on the way to the ruins...

During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti who conquered the region, built the town and a ceremonial center. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru it served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui, leader of the Inca resistance. 

at the entrance to the ruins

At the northern end of the Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo is a massive citadel located 50 kilometers from Machu Picchu. The citadel served as both a temple and a fortress. At some time unknown, and for reasons unknown, work mysteriously stopped on this huge project.

in for a looong climb...

Pinkuylluna ruins in background

The village stretching out; Pinkuylluna ruins and Wiracocha etched on the mountain visible as well

The stone masonry here is awesome...

nubs in the stones where ropes were tied to transport them

reaching the famous temple of the sun

The Sun Temple was constructed with huge red porphyry (pink granite) boulders. 

The stone quarry is Kachiqhata (Salt Slope) and is 4 km (2.5 miles) away on other side of the valley. 

The boulders were carved partially in the quarries, and taken down to the valley's bottom. 

Templo del Sol--sun temple

To cross the river Quechuas constructed an artificial channel parallel to river bed for deviating water. 

while water flowed through one channel the other was dry, stones were taken to valley's other side. 

The boulders were transported to the upper spot where the temple is erected using the inclined plane; 

its silhouette is clearly seen from the valley's bottom. 

They used log rollers as wheels, Llama' leather ropes, levers, pulleys, and thousands of men.

view from above

on the way to temple of water after getting down from the main ruins

Templo del agua

winding our way back to our hotel... along the river Patakancha...  this leads to the back entrance

yard in our hotel... breakfast room above

common area of hotel

Nice kitchen at our disposal... we used it well. Loved the fact we had unlimited supply of filtered drinking water too

Our window was our food counter... made fresh yogurt daily in this casserole. We had brought a pile of home made tortillas and tomato relish as we always do for travels

After lunch, we caught the 12.58 expedition train to Aguas Calientes.  

(we had bought the tickets after emailing Perurail as the site did not work for us). 

At the station to board our expedition train to Aguascalientes

Lovely trip, our seats were on the preferred left side along the river. 

had a scenic journey from the preferred left side seats

our hotel sent staff to greet us... the hotel is just across the road... we had to wait for the train to leave

Checked in at hostal adelas with a lovely river view room. 

comfy room with a lovely river view

fountain at street center; has the Inca with the revered symbols, snake, puma and condor

We walked around the small town, admiring local craft displayed...grills are incan cross, walls are replica; stools rustic and pretty...

ANDEAN CROSS: Also called CHAKANA in the Quechua language and INCA CROSS. It is thought to represent Pachamama or the Mother Earth. The Chakana is a three-stepped cross, similar to meaning to the Tree of Life and the World Tree in other mythologies. In the ancient times, an Inca shaman journeyed through the central axis, in a trance, to the lower plane or the Underworld and to the higher levels, inhabited by the superior Gods, to find out the reasons for misfortunes on the Earth level.

Alpaca figure on rug made of alpaca wool

We walked to the main plaza with this fountain...visited the church also.

These flowers are Napoleon's hat... there are also plenty of calentulas, the national flower of Peru

closer look at the incan symbols...The snake, puma and condor are symbolic representatives of the three levels. The SNAKE, Uqhu Pacha, represents the lower or underworld. The middle world of humans, called Kay Pacha, is represented by the PUMA. The upper world of the Gods, Hanan Pacha, is represented by the CONDOR.

These Inca symbols are found in Incan architecture and artwork. It was also believed that when a person died, the soul went to the underworld, and the puma would descend into the underworld to collect it. The condor would then take it to the upper world of the Gods

Another interesting sculpture...

Bought the bus tickets to MP for the next day at the counter before retiring for the day