Machu Picchu

I woke at 4 am to hike from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu with my friend Erin. We could not have recieved better weather. We also were able to look out at the city free of the thousands of other pilgrims for just a few glorious minutes. Our guide for the 5 day hike. Puma, also met us around 6:30am and led us around for 2 hours explaining as much as is known about the many various sections of the 500 year old city. Later a few of us climbed the steep mountain in the background of the first shot. there are ruins up on top of it, including the moon temple, which i was so tired i forgot to even go around the backside and see. Next time i guess! The weather could not have been better, and we were thrilled as it was raining the night before. Much of the magic of the city is due to it never being discovered by the Spanish colonisers, who with systematic efficiency, destroyed all the other sacred citadels of the 2,000 mile long Inca Empire. It is for this reason alone that we are able to see exactly what was where and more easily understand what was what.