Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2003 - 2:26 p.m.
Exploring Macchu Pichu
We went through the main enterance and saw the ruins spread out before us. We regrouped along the terraces where the people had grown food. They believe Macchu Pichu was built around 1438, the rise of the Inca empire and that about 1,000 people lived here. However, they also know that near the fall of the empire, about 100 years later it was abandoned. They don't know how long it took to build Macchu Picchu, but researches calculate that Sacsayhuaman, a much smaller ruin, took about 20 years and 20,000 people to build. How much more Macchu Pichu must've taken!.
The purpose of Macchu Pichu is a mystery since the Incas had no written language. It is speculated to have been perhaps a religous site, or a haven for chosen woman for the Inca ruler (A large number of bones and skeletons were unearthed here and 80% of them were female, along with many children), or just another bustling city for the people to live in. This is one site the Spaniards never found, so it has remained relatively well-preserved. Some of it has been rebuilt using the same original rock, we even saw that renovation and research is continuing to this day.
Macchu Pichu was discovered by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911 and at the time it was covered in thick vegetation. He returned to the US and one year later arrived back to Macchu Pichu with a team from National Geographic which helped remove the vegetation and assisted with studying and restoring these amazing ruins. Today Macchu Pichu attracts about 1,000 visitors every day. Now the trail is regulated by the government and has a limit to the number of people allowed on the trail at one time (hence the checkpoints), as well as how much weight the porters are allowed to carry. Every day 500 people (including guides and porters) enter the Inca Trail on the path of Macchu Pichu (45 km total).
Next we walked down some more steps past the ceremonial baths to an open area with a strange rock in the middle with ropes around it. Maritza showed us how this rock was carved and shaped to be like an Andean Condor with eyes, beak and collar. Behind it were large natural rocks that created the wings. Behind that was the "Prison", Bingham mistakenly thought and named it this due to many small "cells" he thought were for prisoners. In reality, it is thought that the "cells" were places the Incas put idols.
Then we climbed back up the steps past the ceremonial baths to the Temple of the Sun and below that the Royal Tomb. Next to the temple was a small "house" with a thatched roof (restored). All the houses and structures originally had roofs made of some kind of plant matter like straw or grass. We couldn't enter the temple, but Maritza showed us photos of how the main window facing east was built in such a way that on the spring (or summer?) equinox the sun shines directly through the window and illuminates the center of the temple where the Incas probably had an altar of some sort. Below the temple was carved rock, shaped like a staircase. Hiram Bingham coined it the Royal Tomb, although now they don't think anyone was buried there, it probably just had religous ceremonies. Also, this is an excellent example of what talented builders the Incas were, they cut and shaped stacked stones (that always fit perfectly together, without any mortar) narrow between the staircase and nearby rock well. The stones narrow from 5 feet to maybe 3 inches and curve smoothly at a slight angle.
We also visited a small room where it is believed the preists held religous ceremonies. We saw the doorways, typical of the Incas, that slope slightly upwards (13 degrees to be exact) to make a trapezoid. Also we saw the place where the Inca leader himself lived. The Incas believed that the Inca ruler was the descendant of the sun. In the center of the living quarters in an open space, was a small round flat rock with an indendation in the middle. This is where food was prepared and/or where a little water was put to observe the stars at night, like a mirror. We also saw the place that they think was the Inca's toilet!
We then walked to an area that seemed to be only a place with large and small rocks strewn about. This is where the Incas cut and carved rock. Beyond that was another plaza (The Sacred Plaza) with small temples on each side. Here we were surprised to discover a couple was getting married! They were foreigners from N. American or N.European descent. It was a simple ceremony. She wore some white flowers in her hair (no dress). There were only officials and witnesses. Maritza said she'd never seen or heard of anyone getting married at Macchu Pichu before. They must've had to get special permission.
Next we went to Intihuatana where a sacred rock called the Sundial is. It is atop a small hill where we had a fabulous view of the valley and Rio Urubamba below (Also saw a small terraced area that was discovered only about 7 years ago). The sundial is a large flat curved rock with "layers". The top one has a piece sticking straight up. They think that it was not built as a sundial, but as a method for the priests to tell the seasons. There were other "sundials" that the Spanish destroyed, this is the only survivor. Here we got a nice group photo with Huayna Pichu behind us.
Soon after the tour was over. Maritza told us about a few other short hikes we could take: The Inca Bridge, the Temple of the Moon and climbing Huayna Pichu. Last she told us to meet her in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes to get our train tickets, part of our route back to Cusco. Then it seemed everyone crashed, laid there like slugs in the hot sun on the grass next to the main courtyard where llamas and alpacas nibbled on the grass and grazed. I sat there trying to take it all in, that I was in fact, really at Macchu Pichu!
Soon Dror and Allon were off to hike Huayna Pichu. No one else joined them. I really wanted to go to the Temple of the Moon or climb Huayna Pichu (and had thought that well before my journey to Peru) but with my feet bothering me and the fact that I was in pain, all my muscles were sore, especially my legs and knees, I knew it would be unwise. The only problem with hiking the Inca Trail is that by the time you get to Macchu Pichu you're wiped out of energy to explore the ruins or go on any of the hikes. Most of the team went to the other side of the courtyard where there is a nice leafy solitary tree to rest under. A few people departed right away to walk to Aguas Calientes. I was determined to overcome my exhaustion and take the opportunity to at least explore the ruins since who knows if I'll ever return?
While my friends napped under the tree I walked around and of course took lots of photos. I checked out what is called the Residential and Industrial Sectors, that were not a part of our tour. To me it seemd to be mostly of houses or at least buidings where people met and many "inlets" where idols were placed. Macchu Pichu is like a never ending maze, so many interesting places to see, hallways and rooms, passageways and stairs, even a few tunnels. From walking around on my own I was able to spot a few geckos and even a wild rabbit. I also met an American couple from Colorado that had also done the Inca Trail. I chatted with them for awhile, then returned to my friends. All of them were asleep or resting under the tree with some other people who did the trail with a different company. Everyone looked dead.
After two hours of finishing our tour and I had explored Macchu Pichu for the most part to my satisfaction, we then left the wonderous ruins to the town of Aguas Calientes. I took a few last looks at the ruins, vowing that if I ever return to Peru I will come back to Macchu Pichu and climb Huayna Pichu or go to the Temple of the Moon.
We took a bus down the serpentine dusty road to Aguas Calientes. I sat next to a couple traveling with two young boys. They live in Guyana, one of the triad of small countries north of Brazil. The wife told me the main language there is Creole, a sort of pidgeon English.
We got to the town about 20 minutes and soon after found a hostal. We took the first one we came to since Callie and Corey felt so horrible. The place was a dump and I was ticked off that the shower was cold despite (as always) promises of hot water 24 hours a day. The words Aguas Calientes means "hot water" and I was really looking forward to having a hot shower after finishing the trail and having not had a shower for the last 4 freekin' days! We got 2 rooms, one with 2 beds and one with 6. I found myself sharing a room with 5 guys, that was interesting. Some ate, some rested (I napped), then we met Maritza and discovered there was some problems getting our train tickets to the town of Ollantaytambo. We bought our tickets, but couldn't get one for James (feeling ill back at the hostal) before the train tickets sold out. In the meantime James had to be dragged out of bed, down to the ticket office to discover the train we wanted (5:45AM, $25 cheaper than the others) was sold out. We waited for ages, Martiza on the phone with the tour company, trying to figure out other options, like having James take a later, more expensive train. James was put on the waiting list, had to return at 5AM the next morning to see if there was an opening.
That evening a bunch of us went to the outdoor hot springs (hence the name of the town, "hot water"). It was wonderful, so warm and soothing for aching muscles, and in my case, sore feet. We wallowed in the water under a dark star-filled sky and 1st quarter moon.
Later we met up with Lula and Raphael and had dinner at an Israeli restaurant. I discovered the Hebrew alphabet in a notebook and had Dror explain and pronounce the letters for me. It was interesting.
That night when we returned to the hotel we found that the neighbors were having a birthday party which meant Latin music was blasting relentlessly next door. I tried to fall asleep with the racket continuing on into the night. Typical of South America, people seem oblivious to the idea that others might be trying to sleep late at night or early in the morning!
