Machu Picchu

[forgeblast]

Were the alpaca clothes reasonable ($$). My wife has a nice sweater that she just loves. Soft and super warm for the weight.

 

[EddieWalker]

I didn't think they where affordable, but I don't have anything to compare them to. There was alpaca, baby alpaca and imitation alpaca. The baby alpaca was very expensive, but also the softest.

Eddie

 

[rsewill]

Very nice pics!! I'd love to go there.

 

[dmccarty]

:laughing: An Italian pizza place in Peru. :laughing:

I guess it is a small world after all.... :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

These are the pictures of Machu Picchu. I took 800 of them in about eight hours. I had originally thought about taking two days to see it, but thanks to advice from here, we only went the one day and that was plenty. My friend was ready to head back down to town after six hours, but I hadn't seen everything yet. With a different person, I might have stayed even longer and waited for the sun to set, but with that many pictures, I think I got it covered.

We kept hearing that it's important to be up there before sunrise and how amazing it was to see the sun rise over the mountains. We were in line for the bus at 5:30 and by six, the line was extremly long. We had plenty of time to make it to the top of the viewing area long before the sun came up, and I think had the best seats in the house. While it was nice, it wasn't anything special to see the sun come up. No color, now great lighting and not really worth the effort we put into getting there for it. Most of those pictures are what I ended up deleting.

It's big enough that if I waited long enough, I was able to get a picture without anybody in it, but sometimes I got tired of waiting. Lots of people, but the are in groups and kind of move around in waves. Security was everywhere, but friendly and easy going. Lots of kids, elderly people and kids in their early 20's.

Eddie

 

[jinman]

Eddie, it occurred to me while looking at your photos that building material selection was a simple step. Your had your choice of big or small stones.

 

[Travelover]

Sounds like a great trip. I'm glad that you go to see the Scared Valley beyond Machu Picchu. The Inca culture was amazing and they left lasting evidence of their intelligence and engineering skill. For instance scientists have recently discovered that the mountain that Machu Picchu is built upon was reinforced with rock terracing from the bottom up to ensure long term stability.

 

[forgeblast]

NOVA | Ghosts of Machu Picchu
PBS has some good information on Machu Picchu, I remember watching a nova show on how they trapped water.

 

[dmccarty]

The rock work, even on the "simpler" structures is astounding. Those terraces are scary. :shocked:

So here is the big question and it ain't about the rocks.

Where did the water come from and where to the poo/pee go to? :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[Travelover]

................
Where did the water come from and where to the poo/pee go to? :laughing:

Later,
Dan

Hint, it all runs downhill.