Peru Travel Notes [Departure to Machu Picchu (2)]

Early the next morning, we arrived at Ouyantai Railway Station. The train to Machu Picchu also requires purchasing tickets in advance. The fares vary depending on the luxury of the carriage and the train number, but even the cheapest train is not cheap. We and we went to during the rainy season, and the train between Cusco and Oyantai was out of service, so we could only arrive at Oyantai one day in advance and then take the train The train keeps going.

The interior environment of the carriage is good, and there is a viewing skylight on the top.

The pattern on the wallpaper inside the carriage comes from Códice Murúa, the book is commonly known as The Galvin Manuscript, which was sent by Spanish missionaries in the late 16th century The book was completed by the scholar Fray Martín de Murúa and the Inca Felipe Guaman Pomo de Ayala. The book contains a large number of illustrations that vividly record the customs and history of the Inca Empire.

The feather-like things in the people's hands in this illustration are called Khipu , The Inca civilization had no written language. Khipu It is the knotted cord recording system in Inca culture. Khipu People Call Khipu Kamayuq They passed it down through oral tradition , the picture shows the scene of reporting to the ruler.

We got in the car and sat down, taking out the breakfast prepared for us by the inn.

During the rainy season, thick fog hangs low over the mountainous areas.

Almost the entire railway was built along the Río Urumamba River (Río Urumamba), and many flowers and plants were planted along the way. The Urubamba Valley is also the Sagrado Valley of the Incas (Valle Sagrado de los Incas). The Sagrado Valley is an important settlement place for the Inca people, so there are many Inca ruins scattered there, including Machu Picchu.

The train finally entered the town of Aguas Calientes, which is a tourist distribution center close to Machu Picchu. The development of tourism has also led to increasingly serious local environmental problems. Most of the garbage generated by tourists passes through this road. Shipping out by rail.

In the central square is the statue of the Inca emperor Pachacuti.

When you get out of the train station, you have to go through a handicraft market first, then follow the flow of people to the other side of the bridge, and go to the station to buy a bus ticket. Although it is only a few kilometers away from Machu Picchu, the fare is not cheap. After buying the ticket You can wait in line for the bus.

Look at the map to get a feel for the mountain road up to Machu Picchu. If it weren't for the rain, we would actually choose to hike up and down the mountain.

The name of Machu Picchu comes from the name of the mountain on which it is located, which means "old mountain". The mist-shrouded mountain opposite is Huayna Picchu, which means "young mountain", where Machu Picchu was built. On a ridge between two peaks. Although Huayna Picchu often appears as a backdrop to Machu Picchu in photos, restrictions on visitor numbers due to safety concerns have resulted in packages to Huayna Picchu being more popular than visiting Machu Picchu alone. However, climbing Huayna Picchu is somewhat dangerous and is not suitable for novices.

Near noon, the clouds and fog gradually dispersed.

The entrance and exit of the scenic spot is set up on this side of the terraces. The first thing you see when you come up is the alpacas parked leisurely on the terraces.

There are no trash cans or restrooms in the Machu Picchu scenic area. You can only visit one-way along the established route, and no turning back is allowed, so we better watch the alpacas on the terraces first.

Since the space in the valley is narrow and there is not enough sunlight, the Incas built terraces on the hillside to increase the planting area and to avoid flooding of the farmland when the river surged. These large steps built with rocks can also strengthen the mountain and prevent mudslides and landslides caused by heavy rains.

After passing through the terraces, a small door on the left is the entrance to the city. This wall about 400 meters long is also the only city wall in the city. After all, the other sides are either cliffs or mountains, so there is no need to build any fortifications. The area itself is a geological fault, and the Incas built a city wall, a row of steps and a drainage channel to separate the urban area from the agricultural area .

Below the cliff is the Urubamba River that surrounds Machu Picchu.

I have seen pictures that look like miniature landscapes countless times. The Incas built the city in the sky without large livestock, wheels and iron tools. I can finally be there . There are about two hundred buildings in Machu Picchu. Although the thatched roofs have long since disappeared, you can still see that the roofs are tilted at an angle of almost 60 degrees in order to quickly drain water when it rains.

The upper city is the sacred area. The most important Sun Temple of Machu Picchu, the Three Window Temple and the Sun Stone are concentrated here, so it is also the area where the most tourists gather. The stones used to build temples are much more delicate than those used to build houses. The Incas did not know how to make vaults, and trapezoidal doors and windows are a typical feature of Inca architecture.

The Intihuatana (Intihuatana) is a clock used by the Incas to determine time based on the shadow of the sun. It is located in the center of Machu Picchu. The Incas believed in the sun god (Inti), and the Inca emperor called himself the son of the sun. The winter solstice of the Inca calendar is also the beginning of the Inca New Year. They will hold a grand ceremony on this day, called Inti Raymi. Building a palace on this remote mountain is obviously not suitable for long-term living, so it is generally believed that the Incas should have chosen a place closer to the sun for sacrifice. During an advertising shoot in 2000, the Shuanri Stone was damaged and is now fenced off to prevent tourists from approaching it.

Today, only these stone houses are left standing in Machu Picchu. The cultural relics in them were shipped to the United States under the name of lease long ago. The Peruvian government is working hard to recover these cultural relics one after another.

Although the Incas believed in the sun god, circular shapes were rarely seen in buildings. The few cylindrical houses were generally used to fix roofs and doors.

These large and smallstones are not processed into standard rectangles, but are precisely cut and stacked like puzzle pieces. Almost no adhesive is used in the middle. The stones will break down during earthquakes. They shake but are locked together and not easily scattered, so this structure has better earthquake resistance.

Walk further from the central square to the lower city.

We were unable to go hiking in the mountains, so we could only try to find some life in the cracks of the mottled stones.

It seems that there are still many areas of Machu Picchu that have not yet been restored and are not open to tourists.

After the tour, we returned to the entrance of the terraces. Clouds and mist rose upward from the valley along the terraces. The average annual rainfall in Machu Picchu is about 2000 mm. An important reason why it has been standing on the mountain for hundreds of years despite being threatened by earthquakes and flash floods all year round is because Machu Picchu is not just the buildings that can be seen on the surface, more than half of it The amount of construction work is actually hidden underground. For example, the foundation under the central square is nearly three meters deep, and rainwater from high places collects here and enters the drainage system. The bottom of each terrace is a layer of large rocks, followed by a meter of gravel, then a layer of sand, and finally the soil covering the top layer. This design prevents rainwater from pouring down. It slowly seeps into the ground.

The Incas also designed an ingenious water diversion system. An aqueduct was built to bring spring water into the city, first passing through the noble residential area on higher ground, then flowing to the civilian area, and finally into the main drainage channel.

Today, there is still no puddle of water on the road in Machu Picchu, which proves that this system is still functioning to this day. Children enjoy running up and down watching the small leaves flowing away step by step along the waterway. .

There are not many tourists here in the lower city, and we also found a few rabbits and rats here.

Although this is not the first time we have seen rabbits and rats in the wild, rabbits and rats usually curl up and bask in the sun during the day, and these few are quite lively.

The fur of rabbits and rats was very valuable during the Inca period and could only be enjoyed by nobles.

Looking down the mountain, we can see the road we took when came , including trains, railroad tracks, the Urubamba River, and winding mountain roads.

Get a stamp at the exit as a souvenir when you leave.

Goodbye, Machu Picchu!

Finally, here’s a little gossip: In 2000, while filming a Cusqueña beer commercial, a corner of the sunstone was broken. Cusqueña brand comes from the largest brewery in Peru and is one of the most popular local beer brands.