“Be different…….. so people can see you clearly amongst the crowds.”
My travel buddy, Jody, is blonde and very tall. She always stands out in a crowd……in a good way, of course. Here in Peru, she is definitely one of a kind, as most people are short and chunky with dark skin and black hair. While I blend into the crowd a little bit, Jody often garners the attention of the locals because she looks so different from them and is quite a bit taller. Yesterday, on our day in Machu Picchu, we were both grateful for the difference. I could see her and she could see ahead of the crowds to help guide the way. I really think that she helped to keep our entire Gate 1 group together!
I can honestly say that in all of my travels….even in Rome….I have never seen crowds like I saw yesterday at Machu Picchu. All I could see as I stood in the line for the “Vistadome” train, for the bus up to the site,
….to enter the attraction and the line we formed with our tour guide, Arturo, were the bumps of hundreds of hats with some black and white heads sprinkled in, that were the same height as me.
I couldn’t see over them. But, Jody, with her head a bit over the crowd was able to see a little further ahead…..and, we all could see her. As we climbed up and down through the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, I would often look up to see if I could find Jody.
I am so glad to have seen Machu Picchu. It’s everything you always hear about….striking architecture and construction with perfectly symmetrical stones, ingenious strategies for providing food and water for those living in the intricate cities they built, and seriously unbelievable views. But….. I don’t need to do it again. The crowds were overwhelming and the experience of waiting in line with all of your stuff….walking stick, water holder and backpack as well as the frequent checks of tickets and passports was enough to make me realize that this is truly a “once in a lifetime” experience…..at least it is for me.
But, what an experience!
We have been learning a lot about the intelligence and ingenuity of the Incas since we have been in Peru. But, these ancient cities like Machu Picchu clearly illustrate how superior these folks really were. They are on par, or maybe even a step above, the Romans in building and construction. The Romans were also building very advanced structures, but they were doing a lot of it on flat land. The Incas were building cities on the sides of mountains.
It is absolutely mind-boggling what these people were able to do with just their brains, a lot of elbow grease and some very primitive tools. It took then awhile, but the result of their efforts was quite dramatic and lasting. They were experts in mathematics, geometry and logistics.
The major cities, like Machu Picchu, were all developed in and around the sides of mountains. The Incas believed that the mountains had special significance and mystical powers. So, they picked these seemingly impossible spots on which to build cities so that they could benefit from the powers. Many of the structures within the cities were built so that they could honor and please the gods, of which there were many.
For me, the thing that really showcased the skill of the Incas was that all of the walls were made of huge pieces of carved stone, many of which were carried from neighboring mountains. They brought the stones to their final resting places by pushing them up and down primitive ramps that they built for this purpose. Then, they cut the stones and used other harder sorts of stones to polish them. No one knows exactly how the Incas were able to carve these stones so perfectly. After the stones were carved and polished, they were lined up together perfectly fitted and aligned. Most of them are not attached together with mortar. They just sit perfectly together side by side and on top of each other in rows.
In order to have fruits, vegetables and grains for food, they made terraces that jutted out from the sides of the mountains and planted gardens.
When you see them from a distance, they look like stripes on the sides of the mountain. The terraces gave them flat surfaces for planting and the position of the terraces allowed them to take advantage of the melting snow from mountain peaks to irrigate their crops. They were also meticulous about what they planted where. Some things needed to be lower in a warmer climate and others did fine up high. At Machu Picchu, we could still see the terraces lined up in rows on the sides of the mountain.
The Incas also had a clever drainage system that allowed for water from the melting snow to run down the mountains and into stone ditches that ran into large waterfalls where the 1200-1500 people in the city would come to get their water.
I was very captivated with not only the genius of the Incas, but also their dedication to their culture and religion. They worked together as a society to build these cities and a way of life. It’s hard to imagine.
It was a remarkable experience to view these “wonders” and to wander around back in time with the Incas. You should do a little “wandering”, too. But, if you do, you should probably begin to line up now….or, at least bring your tall, blonde friend!
Once in a lifetime experience….literally!
Travel With Betsy 
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