Peru

Machu Picchu is one of the "new" Seven Wonders of the World and has always been on my list of "things to see before I die". I was able to check it off the list in April of 2007. The Inca's were the rulers of a huge South American empire when the Conquistadors arrived. Due to the usual germ warfare (disease carried by the Spaniards wiped out half of the Inca population) and lies, the Inca wealth of gold was stolen and their architecture was destroyed. Fortunately, Machu Picchu was hidden in the Andes and was spared.

Classic view of one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

I took this picture of myself to prove to myself that I was here.

Linda near the entrance

Pool of water used to track movement of the stars.

Machu Picchu is thought to be an Inca astronomical site, with reflecting water pools and an observatory on an adjacent mountain. What ever its original function was it is a sight to see. We took a 3 hour train ride with a 30 min bus ride up the mountain. You can also hike the Inca Trail for 3-5 days if you prefer.

Cusco was the capitol city of the Inca Empire. It is still a busy city of 350,000 people located at an altitude of 11,000 to 12,000 ft. We had to use an oxygen bottle in our hotel room.

The Incas were great architects as well as mathematicians and astronomers. There is a gold foil in a Cusco museum showing the earth as being round. This was made while Europe still thought the earth was flat.

This pre-Columbian gold foil represented the Inca universe

Plaza de Armas Cathedral is built on the foundations an Inca palace

The huge stone walls are fitted together like puzzle pieces

Ollantaytambo city is a large Inca temple and stronghold with perfectly fitted stone walls

While staying in the Sacred Valley, we visited a few of the other Inca cities that were not totally destroyed. The farming was done in tiers to catch the rain and for fortification.

Pisac city was a majoy agricultural center with fields tiered up the mountain side

Inca Buildings above Ollantaytumbo.