MACHU PICCHU Y'ALL! (cole)

With a freshly sunburned nose and ankles covered in bug bites, but none the less, a smile on my face, I am returning from one of the seven ancient wonders of the world: Machu Picchu. I'll begin by simply saying this, it was perfect. 

Just hangin' out with Machu Picchu in the background

When I was 12 years old, I made my first visit to Machu Picchu with my grandmother and was an absolute "aw" the entire time. Yesterday was my second trip. And while the remains haven't changed, I certainly have. I was still amazed by the beauty, but I had a new understanding of what surrounded me. Living and studying in Cusco has given me a new appreciation for the Incan history. I looked at the remains with a better comprehension of Machu Picchu and it's importance.

Example of a house

Example of Terraces

What I love the most is the meticulous architecture and artwork. The Incas don't mess around when it comes to building. Every last corner is perfect. I've come to realize this on my tours around Cusco and the Sacred Valley. They cut granite blocks to fit without any gaps and spaces. Nothing to "glue" them together, simply stone on stones. Crazy, right? Yesterday I was surprised to see imperfections in the stones, but I guess I was being a bit presumptuous. Part of Machu Picchu was a residential area with terracing for farming. While they do have the standard perfect Incan stones for places of importance, the stones for the average joe buildings are not nearly as significant (and by average joe buildings, I really mean beautiful stone structures that have held up for 500 plus years where I wish I could live.) And the places of importance, well there are a lot and let's be real, they are  absolutely incredible, perfect, out of this world, cooool. Around every corner there is a new place to be discovered. Fernando, our fab tour guide, lead us around the remains and spoke of the history and significance of Machu Picchu. 

Sorry to get carried away with a history lesson... I can get a little hyped about Machu Picchu. The whole place is filled with energy. It's interesting because no one knows the true use. Since the Spaniards never discovered it, Machu Picchu became overgrown and vegetated until the early 1900s. Now hundreds of tourists, myself included, come to explore and admire the ancient civilization daily. 

Contemplative llama? 

At the top of Huayna Picchu

I am absolutely ecstatic to return with lovey Laura for the Incan Trail in December! I still remember riding the train when I was 12 and dreaming of the day I could return and hike to Machu Picchu. Now 20 years young and it's right around the corner! And maybe visiting three times is getting obsessive, but there is something magical about it that is irreplaceable. Maybe you'll go on your own trip and experience it yourself...

Adios,
Cole