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Inca Trail & the Amazon Rainforest

 Day 14 - Machu Picchu

25th August 2015

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Part 1 - Temple of the Sun, Main Temple & Sacred Plaza


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After a brief walk past yesterday, we returned early today for a full tour of Machu Picchu with rested legs and clean bodies. Also, the group was reunited with Mats, Laura, Eva and Anna after their walk on the higher-still Moonstone Trek.

We got to the bus queue before 05:00, as the buses start running at 05:30 and if you're not there early Machu Picchu will already be packed by the time you get up there.

The buses had to do a nifty 3-point turn to face the right way for the trip up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The turn involves reversing until the back of the bus hangs over the river and stopping only when the back wheels hit the kerb. One dodgy kerbstone and you're into the final scene of The Italian Job and a chorus refrain of the 'This is the self-preservation society' - bit of rubbish photo though (!)...

Bus


Bobby explaining the two plaques - the original Hiram Bingham one receives some scorn nowadays as controversy still reigns around the large number of artifacts that were squirrelled out of Peru without the authorities realising or giving permission - the row rages on.

There were farmers already living & working the site when Bingham 'rediscovered' it. To be fair to him, he did bring it to the world's attention and some of the local population were already spiriting gold and silver from the site and breaking it up for sale. At least if Peru does recover the taken items from Yale University, they'll be in one piece and their 'temporary' removal will have served some good...
 
Sign




Temple of the Sun...

Temple of the Sun 1



Temple of the Sun 2



Temple of the Sun 3



So called Royal Tomb beneath - however no mummies were ever found here and the modern view is that the whole structure is the Temple of Mother Earth...

Temple of the Sun 4



Leader's house...

Machu Picchu 1



Sun beams through an Inca double-door...

Machu Picchu 2



The peak of Machu Picchu mountain...

Machu Picchu mountain


 
More and more people arriving - Bobby quickly moved us to the key sites before the crowds swamped them and we had our general chat later over a forbidden lunch in a hidden hut...
 
Machu Picchu 3



Machu Picchu 4




Door post hole...

Machu Picchu 5


In a doorway...

Machu Picchu 6


Bobby and Sally in another important person's dwelling - you can tell this by the quality of the lower stone work - the upper stone work would have been hidden by the roof...

Machu Picchu 7



Sun striking one of Machu Picchu's very few tall trees...

Machu Picchu 8



Machu Picchu 9



Looking towards Huayna Picchu peak ...

Machu Picchu 10



Huayna Picchu peak at 2720m...

Machu Picchu 11



Sacred Plaza, containing the main temples - Bobby's experience and good sense meant that we had the place to ourselves...


Machu Picchu 12



Temple of the Three Windows...


Machu Picchu 13





 
Three is an important number in Inca religion, representing the Upper World (represented by a Condor); Outer Earth (Puma) and Inner Earth (Snake), as a result items commonly come in threes at sacred sites...

Machu Picchu 14



Machu Picchu 15





 The light was beautiful at that time of the morning...

Machu Picchu 17



Main Temple...

Machu Picchu 16



 

Machu Picchu 18
Next - Day 14 - Machu Picchu - Part 2  - Sacred rocks and MP up close


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Day 1 - London to Amsterdam Day 2 - Amsterdam to Lima Day 3 - Lima - City & Fountains
Day 4 - Lima - Changing of the guard Day 5 - Lima to the Rainforest Day 6 - Rainforest - Macaws & Caiman
Day 7 - Rainforest - Canoe & walk Day 8 - Rainforest to Cuzco Day 9 - Cuzco
Day 10 - Inca Trail - day 1 Day 11 - Inca Trail - day 2 Day 12 - Inca Trail - day 3
Day 13 - Inca Trail - day 4 Day 14 - Machu Picchu Day 15 - Cuzco to Puno
Day 16 - Lake Titicaca Homestay Day 17 - Return to Lima Day 18 - Lima to Home