December 29, the day after Erin arrived, we were on our train to Machu Picchu (interestingly enough pronounced Machu Pik-chu). Though we were in the throes of the rainy season, the days of our visit were blessed with rainlessness, perhaps El Niño being to blame/thank for the drought-like weather we, as mere passersby, have enjoyed; either El Niño or La Erin, as Erin has always brought good weather with her on her visits to Europe and now Peru. Our trip would be short yet satisfying; train to Machu Picchu, spend the day at the ruins, spend the night in Aguas Calientes, and head back to Cusco the next day, stopping through ruins in the Sacred Valley.
Flashback to high school sporting-events where French-braiding was a highly sought after skill.
There is just one main train track to Machu Picchu; sometimes there were stretches of tracks where there was a double-track and we would have to wait for an oncoming train to pass. Local ladies took the opportunity to sell flowers to the stationary passengers.
They’ve tried to rename Aguas Calientes, the city at the base of Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Pueblo (Machu Picchu Town) to little avail.
We made it! Huayna Picchu (young mountain) is the big mountain in the background.
Caste system revealed through architecture. The better the stonework, the higher-up one was.
Chinchilla!
Terracing and Huayna Picchu in the background
Fancy stone-work
Apprentice engineers were apparently put to work on this temple; the ground isn’t strong enough to hold the weight of the temple wall and with time has started to really lean.
Julien finds this photo-bombing arm so funny. Inca-arm!
Two floor house, upper bit for storage.
A way for the Incas to observe the sun and the moon, looking directly at these gods being heretical.
Sun Temple
Condor rock
The one tree on site, about 50 years old; Machu Picchu (old mountain) in the background.
The dip to the left is the Sun Gate. On the winter solstice (June 21), the rising sun shines through that gap, directly entering the central window of the Sun Temple, illuminating the large ceremonial rock within. Every day tourists at the end of their Inca Trail hike come through that gap and walk the last hour of their four-day trek to reach the site.
We walked about halfway to the Sun Gate, giving us a full perspective of the site.
Inca’s Bridge, to the bottom left. Now closed off, you can still appreciate how the path hugs the cliff side, vegetation clinging to the old path that snakes along the mountain.
The section of the path to Incan Bridge still open to visitors.
Llamas make the best photo-bombers.
The GoPro was able to capture just how much upon a peak the site is. A perfect visit of one of the Seven New Wonders!
This Framerican Life 
Magnifique ! Impressionnant ! J’adore les photos avec les lamas (cherchez Charlie !). Vous auriez regretté de ne pas découvrir ce site.
Bises.
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Les lamas sont omniprésents au Pérou et en Bolivie. Ils s’incrustent sur une majorité de nos photos. Nul doute que ces boules de laine rigolotes vont nous manquer par la suite.
Même si Machu Picchu est une usine touristique qui peut laisser un sentiment amer à certains, son atmosphère mystique ne laisse personne indifférent.
Bises
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So lucky you saw Machu Picchu in sunlight.
I like the openness of the train…..you are able to see everything.
The view from above is spectacular.
The pictures of the women selling flowers, are those the same 2 women? Or is it just the way the picture was taken??. So symmetrical… I keep on looking… but confused thinking that there were 2 mothers with babies and two grandmothers…
So many buildings!!! Some areas look so slippery and dangerous. Did you find out why one mountain is called the Young Mountain and the Old Mountain?
The architecture where the condor rock seemed a bit unstable , the walls seemed like they were going to collapse… or is it the way the picture was taken?
The llama faces look so sweet…. as if they were on a constant smile!
Thanks so much for the beautiful pictures!!!
Did you see many chinchillas?
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Yes, the train was quite lovely; Erin got us the Vistadome tickets which has the windows on the ceiling and sides. The women are just two, reflected in the train window; Julien was quite happy with the shot which he got by sticking the camera out a small, high window. The names of the mountains came from Quechua, but indeed I couldn’t find any reasoning behind the names; Julien suggested it’s because Machu Picchu is much taller than Huayna Picchu. I think the GoPro may have distorted the Condor Rock a little bit, at least it seemed safe at the time. And we saw three chinchillas total: the one in the rafters and then a pair sunning on a rock unreachable by tourists.
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Quel belle visite ! cela a l’air très impressionnant. Continuez de nous faire voyager. Bises à tous les deux.
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Merci Brigitte ! Les paysages que nous avons la chance de voir sont effectivement très impressionnants. Nous sommes heureux que les photos vous fassent voyager !
Bises
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The train looks amazing… i hiked to mp 😦
Next trip it will be train 😀
Amazing how the rocks seem to be laser etched … !
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We were short on time to do the Inca Trail, but I’d love to hike up to Machu Picchu, it must be such a rewarding experience !
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