We took a short bus ride up into the mountains to a small visitor centre below Machu Picchu. There was a couple of small restaurants and food venues to stop at between hikes and a passport stamp with the Machu Picchu Mountain range on it. They only let you in at 30 minute intervals so we had a little time to kill. Once they opened the gates we climbed up towards the city. It's amazing how it's just mountains for miles and then you take one turn and you are standing in Machu Picchu - the temple ruins blanketing the plateau with the single peak watching over the city.
We were standing on the outskirts of the City in the Clouds with all the lamas. All over the city were these layered terraces much like the ones at the Moray Ruins in the Sacred Valley. We had the hike up Machu Picchu mountain scheduled so we stayed near the edge and made our way to a hiking trail that led up into the mountains. Apparently the view from above was spectacular. After checking in at a little shack we signed our names in a hiking log and started our way up the mountain.
The hike was almost straight up with stairs carved out of the mountain itself. It was flight after never ending flights of stairs. Once we reached the peak another peak almost magically emerged from the clouds above us. We continued onward and the same thing kept happening. Its as though the trail itself was playing mind games with us making the end seem closer than it appeared. Since we were all of varying age and agility soon the family was separated. Kaden had gone way ahead of the pack so I was tasked with finding him to make sure he didn't lose the trail. As it turns out he was much farther ahead than I had originally thought so I had to run to catch up.
All I could see in front of me was winding staircases maneuvering the side of the cliff elegantly. So I ran up flight after flight, step after step, careful as to not trip and fall off the edge to my rocky doom. After what felt like forever I found him waiting on a rock where he had been waiting for us slow pokes to catch up. Once I had the chance to catch my breath we continued further up the mountain. Finally after hours of climbing we reached the top. The city was far below and looked tiny from up here.
The Andean Mountain range stretched on forever in every direction. The trees creating beautiful shades of dark green all around us. Looking over the edge way down into the valleys and rivers it gave you this sense of power and tranquility. Like you had left all your problems and troubles down at the bottom of the mountain. And at the same time the thin air gave terrible headaches and made it difficult to catch your breath. After a while Zaddek joined us and then the rest followed suit later on. We took a long rest at the top making sure to properly enjoy the view knowing we would probably never do this hike again now that we knew how long it was. Some people commented on how they had seen someone signed in as a 4 year old and couldn't believe how well she had done to get to the top. And Mom and Dad hadn't carried her one step. After pictures and finishing our water we headed back. The way down was kind of a blur of exhausted dizziness. We made sure to be extra cautious so we didn't slip.
We headed right past the city ruins to the visitor centre to get more water and some lunch. Food was great after a huge hike. Soon our guide showed up and she took us back up to the City in the Clouds. This time we left the outskirts and entered the ruins and temples. As we walked farther into the ruins the buildings were getting bigger and bigger. The stone work was incredible and the ruins were incredibly intact for their age. Each stone fit its spot so perfectly it was amazing. You couldn't even slide a piece of paper through the cracks. And that is after centuries of wind and rain wearing down on it. Just imagine what they would have looked like back then.
They also built the Temple of the Sun at the highest point in the city above all the other buildings so it would be closest to the sun. It was incredible to see how perfect they built their compass stone. The guide gave us a compass to hold up to it and it was perfectly aligned. As is the whole city. The windows of the temple are located in the north and east and many believe that the priests used these to measure the stars and solstices. They also used the temple for sacrifices and offerings to the sun, moon and the gods. Viracocha the creator god was the most worshipped of the gods, he created everything in the universe including the sun, moon and people. Viracocha was golden and had the sun as his crown, rain drops as tears and he held thunderbolts in each hand.
Along with the Temple of the Sun we visited the Temple of the Condor. The Incans believed that the Condor, The Puma and The Serpent were sacred. They represent the heavens where the gods watch over us (Hanan Pacha), the land and earth where we humans live (Kay Pacha), and the underworld or world of the dead (Uku Pacha). The Andean Condor was thought to be the messenger of the gods down to the earth. Even with its massive wings it would soar at dizzying heights sometimes reaching over 4,500 meters. These graceful fliers may also have impacted the design of Machu Picchu. When looked at from above the city resembles a condor with its wings stretching up the mountains and into heaven.
The strength and wisdom of the Earth is represented by The Puma. This graceful cat also represents patience, will and intelligence. Lastly The Serpent represents the underworld. After the tour of the city we just walked around the ruins enjoying the views before we had to leave. We took a quick bus ride back and we made it home shortly before dark. Since we had a long eventful climb it was so nice just to collapse and stay in for the night.
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