Machu Picchu, Peru . . . by Andrew Gibson
Just getting to Machu Picchu is tricky. There are no roads to Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo), the nearest town. The only way in is by train from Cuzco. The train winds its way through narrow gorges between the high Andean peaks, descending from Cuzco down to the jungle that characterises the mountains around the lost city.
Then, after arriving at night in Aguas Calientes and finding a place to stay, we got up early the next morning to catch the first bus at 5.30am to Machu Picchu (you can walk but it’s a loooong way up). It was November, the rainy season, and the ruins were covered with thick fog. We had to wait an hour or so for the fog to lift. This is the view that we saw once the sun broke through. Its the classic view of the ruins, with the Wayna Picchu, the small mountain behind, rising above the buildings in the shape of a condor.
I shot the photo in black and white for a timeless feel. I wonder what the world would be like today if the Spanish hadn’t conquered South America. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if ancient civilisations like the Incas and the Aztecs still existed, and places like Machu Picchu were living cities, not restored ruins?
Yes, it would be a wonderful place, human sacrifice and all that.
“I wonder what the world would be like today if the Spanish hadn’t conquered South America. ”
There is a terrific book by Orson Scott Card that plays out this exact “what if…” scenario. It’s called “Past Watch.” Now that you’ve been to the region I bet you’d really enjoy the book.
Oh, and great photo!