Post by jadedsage on Sept 15, 2004 15:49:49 GMT -5
Machu Picchu's ruins enchant visitors
VICKIE KILGORE THE OLYMPIAN
MACHU PICCHU, Peru -- This ghost town is not something to just see, although that's what day-trippers typically do.
It is a glimpse into the past that should be experienced.
The ruins of this Inca-built stone wonder, deserted probably by the mid-16th century, convey a spirituality most acute in the quiet early morning before the day- trippers arrive or in the late afternoon. By then, most visitors have boarded buses for the half-hour drive down the steep, winding road to the train station.
With clouds drifting above and below, the city seems to be floating. It's both enchanted and enchanting. The setting is in what's called a cloud forest, which sounds magical in itself. The thick clouds contribute moisture but little rainfall to the arid land.
An eerie, other-worldly feeling hovers over the evidence of unfinished work, the intense effort that went into the assembly of the massive hand-cut stones, the knowledge of astronomy displayed in the alignment of the windows of the sun temple or the careful position of the sun dial, probably the best-known of the giant rocks at this much-photographed site.
Machu Picchu was not the most important city of the Incas, nor the largest, and not even the empire's last stronghold. But it is the most intact, and its mystique since its discovery in 1911 by American researcher Hiram Bingham continues to captivate visitors and researchers alike.
Forty years after Bingham stumbled on the overgrown ruins nestled high in the Andes, a road was built that opened the door to a stream of tourists that hasn't stopped.
Today, although the Peruvian government controls vehicle access, Machu Picchu is in danger of being loved too much. Visitors can wander unrestricted throughout almost the entire city.
The foundation remnants, walls, city plan and intricate irrigation system continue to be studied for clues of the inhabitants, how they lived and how they built such an impressive mountaintop city with so few resources.
Recent discoveries of neighboring ruins have led to speculation that Machu Picchu was an administrative center for a region of Inca settlements.
Why it was abandoned remains unclear. Theirs was not a written language. The only chronicles from that era are those recorded by the Spanish, reporting what they had heard.
Walking through the remains of the city and contemplating the lives of its vanished residents is part of the experience. Breathe in the clouds. Follow the play of light on the neighboring towering mountains the Incas considered gods. It's a feast for the imagination.
Vickie Kilgore is executive editor of The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-4223 or vkilgore@olympia.gannett.com.
getting there
Visitors can reach Machu Picchu on foot via the Inca Trail, a popular three- to five-day trek, or via train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, a four-hour journey. Buses run every hour throughout the day from Aguas Calientes up the mountain to the ruins.
For the best access, stay either in the lone hotel outside of the gates to Machu Picchu or in one of several hotels or hostels in Aguas Calientes.
VICKIE KILGORE THE OLYMPIAN
MACHU PICCHU, Peru -- This ghost town is not something to just see, although that's what day-trippers typically do.
It is a glimpse into the past that should be experienced.
The ruins of this Inca-built stone wonder, deserted probably by the mid-16th century, convey a spirituality most acute in the quiet early morning before the day- trippers arrive or in the late afternoon. By then, most visitors have boarded buses for the half-hour drive down the steep, winding road to the train station.
With clouds drifting above and below, the city seems to be floating. It's both enchanted and enchanting. The setting is in what's called a cloud forest, which sounds magical in itself. The thick clouds contribute moisture but little rainfall to the arid land.
An eerie, other-worldly feeling hovers over the evidence of unfinished work, the intense effort that went into the assembly of the massive hand-cut stones, the knowledge of astronomy displayed in the alignment of the windows of the sun temple or the careful position of the sun dial, probably the best-known of the giant rocks at this much-photographed site.
Machu Picchu was not the most important city of the Incas, nor the largest, and not even the empire's last stronghold. But it is the most intact, and its mystique since its discovery in 1911 by American researcher Hiram Bingham continues to captivate visitors and researchers alike.
Forty years after Bingham stumbled on the overgrown ruins nestled high in the Andes, a road was built that opened the door to a stream of tourists that hasn't stopped.
Today, although the Peruvian government controls vehicle access, Machu Picchu is in danger of being loved too much. Visitors can wander unrestricted throughout almost the entire city.
The foundation remnants, walls, city plan and intricate irrigation system continue to be studied for clues of the inhabitants, how they lived and how they built such an impressive mountaintop city with so few resources.
Recent discoveries of neighboring ruins have led to speculation that Machu Picchu was an administrative center for a region of Inca settlements.
Why it was abandoned remains unclear. Theirs was not a written language. The only chronicles from that era are those recorded by the Spanish, reporting what they had heard.
Walking through the remains of the city and contemplating the lives of its vanished residents is part of the experience. Breathe in the clouds. Follow the play of light on the neighboring towering mountains the Incas considered gods. It's a feast for the imagination.
Vickie Kilgore is executive editor of The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-4223 or vkilgore@olympia.gannett.com.
getting there
Visitors can reach Machu Picchu on foot via the Inca Trail, a popular three- to five-day trek, or via train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, a four-hour journey. Buses run every hour throughout the day from Aguas Calientes up the mountain to the ruins.
For the best access, stay either in the lone hotel outside of the gates to Machu Picchu or in one of several hotels or hostels in Aguas Calientes.