Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located 2,400 feet (7,875 feet above sea level).  It is the most known symbol of the lost Incan empire, and was "discovered" in 1911 by archeologist Hiram Bingham. Machu Picchu was built by the Incas around 1450, but abandoned a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. My friend Shirley and I visited in July 2007.  

 
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Shirley Chen

I met Shirley through my brother Norman; they went to school together at GA Tech, where Shirley graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering.  No matter who you are, my friend Shirley is smarter, fitter and more accomplished than you, hands down...sorry.  She is a great person to go on physically challenging trips with, since she'll volunteer to walk up and down the mountain, carrying a gallon of water in her backpack.  Shirley will wake up early to run 5 miles at the hotel gym - before your day has even started.  

Earthquake proof architecture

The most impressive thing to me was the architecture that was built to withstand earthquakes, with no mortar, at that.  

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The train from Cuzco

The train from Cuzco up to Machu Picchu zigzags up the mountains.  It takes awhile.  Still easier than hiking through the valley.  It's very dusty there, which causes coughing.  Not to mention high altitude.  Those pot leaf candies didn't help me much.  

  • The sun is really strong at Machu Picchu so bring sunscreen and a hat.
  • Shirley is an adventurous eater.  Guinea pig is a food in Peru.  I decided that two bites was enough, but Shirley ate the whole thing.
  • Our trip got sidetracked when a local protest cut off the bus route to our next destination.  We decided to check into a nice hotel.  The room service photo is from that hotel.  Big mistake eating there...we somehow both got food poisoned by that meal. I went to the hotel lobby bathroom in the middle of the night to get more toilet paper, and Shirley barfed in the back of our taxi the next day.  
  • We also went to Lake Titicaca, which was pretty interesting.  There was a museum with a scary dark room with mummies, who were buried in a crouching position.  I made Shirley go in first since I was scared.
  • We saw a statue where people could pray for bad things to happen to their enemies, which was discovered when slips of paper with curses on them was found during a renovation.   
  • We did a border crossing by foot, into Bolivia.  There was a local kid who knew all of the countries' capitals by heart.  
  • For more photos, go here.