What can you say about Machu Picchu? It’s one of the seven New Wonders of the World for a reason. The setting is spectacular. Built during the reign of the “Napoleon of the Andes”, Pachacuti, Machu Picchu had its own stone quarry, water sources, and terraces to grow food. Easy to defend, Machu Picchu could survive on its own for months, or years. Or just disappear entirely.
Because it was never found by the Spanish, Incan items that were destroyed elsewhere in Peru survived here. That includes the ceremonial Intihuatana stone, a kind of astronomical calendar that casts no shadow during the Spring and Fall equinox.
We hung out with the park employee tasked with telling people not to touch the stone. Almost every tour guide tells their flock to rub their hands together and hold them as close as possible to the stone, to release its ‘ancient energy’. The oily tourist fingers soil the sacred stone, and encourage unsightly lichen growth. Instead of putting up a sign telling people to keep their hands in their pockets, our poor friend gets to shout at tourists all day. (The stone was also damaged during a beer commercial shoot in 2000. Maybe it will be destroyed after all.)
If you wait until after about 3pm, most of the day-trippers disappear, and you have one of the wonders of the world practically to yourself. There’s no food allowed, and no bathrooms, so be prepared for a wee bit of deprivation if you’re staying for the long haul.
