So what do you write about a world wonder…..I wonder! And we did wonder, or more accurately, we were awed.We broke away from Cusco to visit one of the most famous locations in the world. The highlight of our three day, two night journey down from Cusco was Machu Picchu. In fact, many people journey to Peru solely to make the “pilgrimage” to the mountain top city. For us, given the time we have, it is only one of four segments of our time in Peru.
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| Check out the crazy bridge down to our left on the cliff face! |
There are many theories about what happened at Machu Picchu and in the end, it seems to us (based on our guide’s information) that the least elegant is the most likely. It was an outpost of the Incan empire, built to project power into more territory and provide access to the jungle. Maybe 600 people lived there in a community similar to most other Incan villages of the time, although in a much more spectacular location. It was likely abandoned due to a disease outbreak as the Spanish extended their reach into the mountains.
Building a city on top of a mountain, in such incredible natural beauty, is the wonder of Machu Picchu. The spectacular stonework and fine detail is beautiful and mind-boggling considering the tools the Incans had available to them more than 500 years ago. While it does have the mystery of a “lost city” and it is hard to imagine a more spectacular natural setting, Machu Picchu didn’t strike us with the spiritual power and doesn’t seem to have the cultural significance of a place like Angkor Watt. 
Our day at Machu Picchu felt like a cross between hiking through the most beautiful natural scenery that you can imagine and spending time in an ancient city admiring the beautiful architecture. We marveled at the craftsmanship and dedication exhibited by the builders and we left amazed at the feats of engineering and construction skills of the Incans. The most astonishing parts are that the structures they built 500 years ago still stand (not sure our house will still be standing!) and that the city was built and thrived over a period of only 80 years before being abandoned.
Our trip from Cusco to Machu Picchu took us through the lush Sacred Valley that is surrounded by jagged peaks and filled with stone ruins and we made several stops at significant sites. If Machu Picchu is the wonder of the world in the Sacred Valley, it is hard to classify Ollantaytambo. It is the Incan equivalent of the Pyramids and one of the finest examples of Incan construction that remains. When the Incans got serious about building, typically for temples and royal buidlings, they used huge stones fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle – no mortar, just stones that fit together perfectly and with numerous corners so that they could withstand earthquakes and require virtually no maintenance. 30 tons stones were not uncommon at Ollantaytambo. Considering the quarry was 5 miles away on a hillside across a major tributary to the Amazon the feat of just getting the stones there is impressive. Doing it without the wheel and creating virtually perfect joints with all the surrounding stones makes it almost beyond comprehension. It was the site of the only major defeat of the Spanish conquistadors, as well as the final stand of the last Inca (or Incan king) before he fled into the jungle with his remaining followers.
Our time up the Sacred Valley was well spent, fitting in several great experiences and supported by two great guides. We also managed to find two very nice hotels to stay in along the way. Whether for the history, the spectacular scenery or the incredible architecture, we would recommend a visit there to anyone! Oh and Ryan lost a tooth while we ate lunch at Machu Picchu – the most memorable tooth loss ever!
