MACHU PICCHU
...and how could I talk about Peru without mentioning Machu Picchu??
The morning my travel partner and I trekked to this mountain-top treasure, the mist got the best of us. Unfortunately, we weren't able to view the sun rise over the mountains from Inti Punku (Sun Gate), as the entire area was engulfed in white fog and we were lucky we could even see the trail!
As we made our way back down, however, the mist began to clear, revealing terrace upon terrace upon terrace of 600 year old structures, mysterious stone sculptures and grazing llamas (or alpacas? Still can't tell the difference).
What is Machu Picchu? Well, to this day, it remains a mystery. Some believe it was a hacienda built for the Incan king Pachacuti. Others believe it to be a place where the ancient Quecha people would observe and worship the sun and stars. Another theory is that it was some type of mountain-top citadel.
I was c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e-l-y floored. Its immensity alone will take your breath away.
If you haven't yet seen it with your own eyes, consider it a MUST. And while you're in the country, check these out.
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