Machu Picchu

[texasjohn]

glad to have you back....glad trip went OK....you have some really great photos...brings back memories...look forward to seeing them all...Facebook worked for me, have an account with them. Hope your friend enjoyed it as well, in spite of the bouts of illness, which too often detracts from such a trip.

 

[jinman]

Eddie, I looked at the photos on FB yesterday and just looked at the added photos of the rock walls. The stones look large until you see people up next to them. Then they look HUGE.:shocked:

Looking at the photos of the market, I'd make a rough estimate that about 1/10th or less of the people had traditional garb. Was that a city thing? Were there more traditionally dressed people around when you got out of the city (tourists excluded)?

I'm lovin' your photos. . . keep 'em coming.:thumbsup:

 

[dmccarty]

WOW. The sky sure was BLUE and no haze. I take it that there was low humidity. Interesting that the church did not have many windows and the few windows were high in the wall.

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

These are all from around Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie, I looked at the photos on FB yesterday and just looked at the added photos of the rock walls. The stones look large until you see people up next to them. Then they look HUGE.:shocked:

Looking at the photos of the market, I'd make a rough estimate that about 1/10th or less of the people had traditional garb. Was that a city thing? Were there more traditionally dressed people around when you got out of the city (tourists excluded)?

I'm lovin' your photos. . . keep 'em coming.:thumbsup:

The bottom boulders are the biggest and are set into the ground up to three feet. The size and detail in fitting them together is what is the most impressive. To touch them and feel the joints meant more to me then just seeing them. Hard to describe the "WOW" factor!!!!

Most people wore normal, western wear clothing. The ones in the bright colors where mostly posing for tourists. They want a Soule to have their picture taken, or to pose with them. Some people took the pics without paying and they asked, but never pushed it.

 

[EddieWalker]

WOW. The sky sure was BLUE and no haze. I take it that there was low humidity. Interesting that the church did not have many windows and the few windows were high in the wall.

Later,
Dan

It was winter time there, so it was cold in the mornings and evenings, but perfect during the middle of the day. I never noticed any Humidity, but Cusco is at 12,000 feet and I'm not sure how humid it gets at that elevation.

Eddie

 

[MarkV]

Looks like you had a great trip Eddie. The craftsmanship of the stone work is amazing.

MarkV

 

[brin]

Eddie, thanks for posting some of the pics...Very nice, I know you had a great time. You say it was winter there but yet you are in a short sleeve shirt in one photo....so it must really warm up during the day which is surprising at that altitude...Did you notice if it was any harder to breathe or were you ever short of breath ?

 

[EddieWalker]

In Cusco and the Sacred Valley, I was in jeans and a t shirt during the heat of the day, which I'm guessing was mid 70's. The mornings and evenings where chilly. Again, I'm guessing in the 50's. In Aguas Caliente and Machu Pichu, which was at 8,000 feet, the temps where warmer. Maybe 60's to 80's.

I had a terrible time getting my breath when climbing quickly, but if I took my time, it wasnt bad at all. there are stairs and steps of some kind everywhere. The Inca's build great trails and they likes stone steps. They didn't seem to care if they where consistant, or flat!!!

But for most walking around, the thinner air was never an issue.

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Peru Rail was a very pleasant surprise. I didn't really think too much about it beforehand, it's just a train. But it was just reall nice. Big comfortable seats, spotless clean and great service. They included a snack that was delicious, and on the way back, they put on a show that included an Inca character in costume that danced around the train, then a fashion show with alpaca wear that they sold afterwards. The train is a narrow guage that only goes about 18 mph, so it's easy to take pics, but very hard to stay awake!!!

Aguas Caliente is tiny. It took a few minutes to walk from end to end. They are working on the roads and seem to be doing all they can to make it nice and tourist friendly. We stayed at a bed and breakfast for $60 a night, US Cash only. It was nice enough, but nothing special. There where lots of places to buy stuff, but we found the best prices to be on the shops along the road through the middle of town.

Eddie