Machu Picchu

Surprisingly I don’t have much to say about this. It was absolutely breathtaking and really words cannot describe it. I expected to be amazed but this exceeded any expectations. The mountains were the most beautiful natural things I have ever seen and the ruins were equally amazing. Here is a little history about Machu Picchu:

Machu Picchu is the Lost City of the Incas. When you look at the typical pictures of the ruins themselves, the mountain behind them is not Machu Picchu, that mountain, meaning old mountain, is actually behind the photographer. The mountain you see is called Huayna Picchu. At the top of that mountain lived an old wise man who would give advice to any who visited him. You would visit the mountain if it called to you and then receive your advice at the top. The ruins were actually found in 1911 by an American historian.

It is considered a sacred place because when the Spanish invaded South America and killed most of the people, those of higher ranking fled and hid here. This city was never found by the Spanish and is why it is so special today. It housed a school teaching the boys to be king and the girls to be queen, another symbol if its upper class status. No gold was found here, it was taken with the people when they left and is said to be hidden somewhere in the mountains in another hidden city. Legend says that only those of pure intention can find the city because the gold has no monetary value, rather, it is the force of life. It is said that lone searchers have seen the city but whenever a large party sets out for it, it cannot be found.

Up on the mountain of Machu Picchu itself, there is a big rock and beneath there they found the body of a woman in a fetal position. With here were a pin for their necklace beads, a mirror, tweezers, and a tool for cleaning ears among other things, telling them that these people took care of themselves. There was also found a mass grave near-by. In the ruins themselves, there is an interesting area with rocks that do not belong in any close radius to the ruins. These are believed to be offerings brought from visitors to this sacred place. There is also a huge stone called the Intihuatana stone. It has a point to it in the direction of the winter solace. It is believed to have been used as a place of mummification of the Incan people.

Inside the ruins themselves are many buildings and rooms. There is a temple with windows directly facing each solace. There is also an interesting room with two circle things in the floor. They have some water on the top and during Incan times, young girls would fast and enter this room, looking at the moon only from the reflection on the water, praying to become queen.