Photos by Philip Galvin
Peru (1)
We send our love to you from Machu Picchu
1. Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu was one of the places we longed to visit for many years. It was designated a Unesco World Herit
age Site in 1983, and in a worldwide internet poll, it was voted as one of New Seven Wonders of the World. Called the “Lost City of the Incas”, it is the most familiar icon of the Inca Empire. It is located 80 km northwest of Cusco which is the capital of the Cusco Region of Peru.
On a 2430 meter mountain ridge, an impressive 15th century Inca citadel was built. When we were there, it was a clear day and we could see the mountain ranges behind the ruins in the distance as seen in next two photos.
Industrial Sector
Machu Picchu was constructed as an estate of the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438-1472). The Incas built it around 1450 but a century later, at the time of the Spanish Conquest, it was abandoned.
The Piramid of Intiwatana The Temple of the 3 Windows
The Temple of the Sun
Using polished dry-stone walls, Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style.
The sight from some of the windows was of a sheer cliff. From there, we could see all the way to the bottom of the valley. Kind of scary…
Condor Temple Pachamama Temple (Royal Tomb)
We saw some unusual cacutus and a llama shown above.
The Inca Trail
The picture above right is what the trail looks like. Stones carefully laid along a ridge that runs through the mountains of Peru. Below you can see people hiking along the trail. Above them is a dwelling that may have been occupied or was a resting place for travellers to shelter for the night or to get out of inclement weather.
The trails can lead you to a temple and a sacred sculpture in the face of the mountain. It is not known whether the face is man made or natural but it is considered to be the face of God. It looks European and the speculation is that it is the reason the Inca were hesitant to kill the Spanish because of the resemblance to the foreigners.
This is not the original Inca path winding all the way down to the bottom of the valley but rather a road leading up from the town in the valley for tourist to take a bus to the site. You can walk up from the town or take the Inca Trail to the site. The trail can take up to seven days to reach Machu Picchu.
The View from the Sun Gate: about 1000 feet in elevation and a 30 minute walk above Macchu Piccu.
Local People at Machu Picchu Town Centre
Accommodation in Machu Picchu
Band at the Railway Station Statue in front of the Station
Highest peaks in Andes
On the way by the train from Machu Picchu to Lake Titikaka we made a stop to view one of the highest peaks in the Andes. The altitude we were at was over 14000 ft and the peak over 21000 ft.
2. Lake Titikaka
The people started living on the lake to escape their enemies. Their huts are on reeds that float on the lake. The reeds have to be replaced over time as they beome waterlogged and start to sink. The floating settlements are in danger now due to climate change. Lake Titikaka’s water level is apparently dropping due to a lack of percipitation.
3. Cuzco
Once capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco is a city in the Peruvian Andes.
Convent of Santo Domingo
This convent (Monastery) was built on the base of Qorikancha (Coricancha) and is the most important Inca Temple . It is now a museum which holds the collection of paintings and religious sculptues of the 16th-18th century.
Court of Convent of Santo Domingo
The above is one of Yoko’s favorite Photos. It makes her wonder what is behind that door in the dark...
Intricate designs on the ceiling.
Colonial vases at Coricancha
Colonial relief at Coricancha
Backyard of the Convento Santo Domingo
Church of the Society of Jesus (Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus)
It is a Jesuit church which is situated in the front of the Plaza de Armade Cusco and is one of the best examples of Spanish Baroque architecture in Peru.
Plaza de Armas del Cuzco (Cuzco Main Square)
This plaza is significant as it was the staging ground for the Spanish conquest. Also it was the site of the execution of Tupac Amru II who led the indigenous uprising against the Spanish in the late 1700s.
In the centre of the plaza, you can see the gold statue of Pachacuti.
Statue of Pachacuti
He was the ninth ruler of the Kingdom of Cusco. He later became the Emperor of the Inca Empire and then expanded the Inca domination from the valley of Cusco to a large part of western South America.
Other statues we found in the Plaza.
Buildings surrounding the Plaza.
4. Sacsayhuaman
Our guide took us to a citadel on the northern outskirts of the city of Cusco. It is a historic capital of the Inca Empire. The altitude there is 3,701 m (12.142 ft). We saw a section of the wall of Sacsayhuaman as follows:
From there, we could see Cusco city
5. Chincheros Village
6. Salt Mines of Maras
The largest salt extraction center of prehispanic origin in the region of Cusco.
This is another one of Yoko’s favorite photos. She thinks this photo would win a prize in a photo contest.
7. Moray (Inca Ruin)
It is an archaeological site in Peru which is located approximately 50 km NW of Cuzco on a high plateau of about 3500 meters (11,500 ft) and just west of the village of Moras. These Inca ruins consist of several terraced circular depressions. The largest is about 30m (98 ft) deep. It is not clear about the purpose of these depressions but as with many Inca sites, it has an irrigation system. The difference in the temperature from the top to the bottom is as much as 5 degrees Centigrade (9 Fahrenheit).
8. Hodge Podge
More indigenous people
A delicacy in Peru: Guinea Pig! (The other other other white meat.)
