When Spain came a-conquering Peru, Christianity was pushed on the locals; ideas such as angels were completely foreign, so when artists from Cusco were told to draw or sculpt angels, you know, like humans with wings, the result was often human figures with macaw wings – Iglesia San Cristóbal.

Plaza de Armas from the San Cristóbal bell-tower

Getting in Bingham’s shot; Hiram Bingham is famous for making public the existence of Machu Picchu in 1911 – Casa Concha (Machu Picchu Museum)

Supplies list

A letter Bingham wrote to his wife, Alfreda: “My dearest Jane, We reached here night before last and fetched the 7×4 tent in a cozy corner described as above. Yesterday [Fente] spent collecting insects. [Erwing] did some developing and I climbed up a couple thousand feet to a wonderful red Inca city called Macchu Picchu. The man who owns this land (or rents it) told me about it and offered to act as our guide. After a long hard climb, much similar to that up to [Chayquequin] (The mules are found we are off. “

In 1912 this site, the Main Temple, had been completely cleared. This photo is three years later, and the cloud forest has already grown back over the site.

Main Temple today

The Sacred Stone with team-member E.C. Erdis

Sacred Stone today

The Meeting Point Café with resident-cat, Socks

She camouflaged right in with my pants, for hours.

Q’orikancha – Convento de Santo Domingo

Spanish colonists built the Santo Domingo cathedral over the most important Incan Temple, Q’orikancha, Temple of the Sun. Though the Spanish destroyed much of the temple, they used the Incan foundations, making for an interesting and impressive mix of styles and time periods.

Heavy rains coming in on a sunny day.

Museo de Arte Religioso

Cusco from the rooftop of the Marcelo Batata restaurant.

A last meal in Cusco, our home for two weeks, at the delicious Marcelo Batata restaurant. Adios Cusco!