D114: Discovering Machu Pichu

Have you heard about Machu Pichu? Unless you're living in a cave, you should have seen at least few pictures of this ancient sacred Peruvian city stuck at the top of a steep mountain peak.
Often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of Inca civilization, I was of course looking to see it. And being in Peru immersed into the Inca culture since few days as well as having seen it the day before from Putucusi had clearly excited my curiosity, so waking up at 4:30am was almost easy!

Bus line under the rain... 

The beginning of the day is not really promising: while we are rushing out of the hotel, it is pouring down and feels no more than 10°C. This does not prevent us to face a long line to grab the first buses up to the site... Let's see how it's gonna up there!


PART 1: "MYSTIC" MACHU PICHU 
Or the Machu Pichu with rain, fog, clouds and in the cold!

Reaching the site entrance at the opening, there is already a massive crowd around us, and we are a but like sheep to walk up few hundreds meters and discover the 1st buildings & ruins of Machu Pichu.
Despite all tourists around, the rain, the fog and clouds... the site is impressive: there is a special feeling of standing here, and all those organized ruins and buildings resonate the Inca culture.
Visiting the site in these conditions also added, for me at least, a kind of mystic dimension: it feels like we are out of Earth, back into an ancient civilization, with sacred building around which can be only seen when the fog or clouds move away... I liked it!

After a short walk around by ourselves, we have an 1 hour guide-tour across the site, which will be great to hear more about Incas supposed practices and habits here, as well as about the various theories and debates archeologists have about the uses and meanings the site and its building could really have... I cannot remember all but this was so interesting! A lot of this is out on Internet, key points being:
- Built in the XVth century around 1450, it was abandoned by the Incas a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. No sure fact about this abandon, but the best theory is that Incas did not want Spanish / Catholic priests to destroy it as they did with most other sites, so they stopped living there and going there, so it stays hidden.
- Great idea, as it clearly worked! Machu Pichu stayed unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Various theories have since then built developed on the purpose of the site, from being a domain of female priests (the Virgins of the Sun), to a summer royal retreat of the Inca emperor Pachacuti.

Whatever the reason was, with about 200 buildings, urban, agricultural and sacred sectors, a lower & upper town, the site is an amazing well-conserved / restored monument showing the Inca civilization.

1st view of MP and its terraces

For an hour, we see almost nothing but white clouds!

Clouds and fog are giving a mystic dimension to the site

Temple of the Sun, with its central window aligned to the sun winter solstice

Houses view in the center of the site

Some of the multiples terraces built all around

An overview of the site from the residential area, toward the agricultural terraces

PART 2: SUN GATE HIKE & GOLDEN MACHU PICHU 
Or the trail to Sun Gate and the Machu Pichu with sun! ;-)

Start of the Sun Gate trail

After few hours in the fog and clouds, the weather starts clearing out a little bit... but really just a little bit! To do something while hoping the sun will finally arrive, Stevie, Nina and I start the hike towards the Sun Gate, located West, 300m higher and probably few km away than Machu Pichu.

How lucky were we! After 30mn walking up, clouds look to magically move away, and we can start seeing the site under a bit of sun. Clearly, another big WOW!

The trail becomes then very scenic, and even if we did not have sun and clear when we actually reached the sun gate, we hopefully took enough pics on the way up ;)

Later, I spend some time relaxing a bit with other friends on top of a terrace, then go and walk another time the full site, so I can take another set of pictures, this time with sun! :-)

1st view with sun of Machu Pichu, mid way to the Sun Gate

Yes, I can see it well, happy Seb :-)

Beautiful Machu Pichu

Closer shot pic of Machu Pichu: check all the various buildings & terraces!!

View on terraces... and the steep hillside they are built on!

Houses ruins with a direct view on the valley and mountain

Another view of the site

Some alpacas are wandering around, not sure really what they do it except for tourists pictures ;-)

Another view 

Crazy on-the-edge-of-the-ridge buildings!

The edge of a steep cliff is just a meter away of the houses!

Another view of Machu Pichu from the residential area toward the temples section

Reconstitution: inside a house as it is thought to have been

Overall, I really loved that day and the fact I could see the Machu Pichu under the 2 weather conditions Incas were probably living it. And despite the number of tourists around which I usually don't like, the site is so big that except early in the morning when everyone arrives, the rest of the day was pretty ok about this. This stays as a clear highlight of this trip, and I will for sure come back here, and will try to learn even more about the Inca culture and its sacred traditions, there is so much to discover.