On the way to Machu Picchu , Peru

On our way to MP we passed a man sowing the field with ox. Most people use hand tools to work the farm. The large farms are owned by companies and they can afford machinery.



We stopped and bought balls for the school. The teacher said there were no balls for the kids. She was thrilled where we dropped them off. These kids had nothing in their school. The field was terrible and there were cows in it.



Our guide took us to an old part of the town. We walked through stone streets that were very narrow. He took us into a old Peruvian house, very old but people still live in it. The guinea pigs were eating on the floor. It is a delicacy to eat in this country. Dried meats and fish hung from the rafters. The little niches have religious items in them. There were three heads of dead relatives in a niche. Bed in corner. TV and table and chairs. The children slept in the rafters.







Guinea pigs eating and pooping and running loose in the house.














This is a doll that a couple will get when married. It has all the things you wish, for a long happy marriage. Money, love, car, tv, food.



Little girl playing in the street. Dogs are roaming all over. The guide explained the reason for the kids brown red faces. They are out in the hot sun and wind.

We took a train up to the city of Machu Picchu. It is the only way to get there. No road has been built yet. PAVEL explained that the train was built for small, short Peruvian people. We were stuffed in. Two people sat facing two others. Once you got your feet planted, there was no moving them. We had boxed lunches that were quite good. PAVEL sat in the middle of the group and pointed out things along the 1 1/2 hour ride up the mountain. He never stops talking and educating us.
The Incas built about 197 cities placed equal miles apart. Machu Picchu is the largest. It is said the Hiram Bingham found the city in 1911. But it never really lost. The farmers knew about it and had told people about it in earlier years. Bingham had three things in his favor. He was married to a wealthy woman and had the money needed, and he had the support of Yale U. And the national Geographic magazine. He was looking for a different city. The other cities were farming in the valley and up the hill sides. The people lived on the mountains. MP Has mountains all around it. No valley to plant. They did the gardening on terraces, as all the other cities did also. But MP could not grow enough for the 500-100 people that probably lived there. This city was for religious reasons. This was the main city where is priests lived. The Incas believed in Pacha Momma or the good earth. They led their life around seasons and dec 21 and June 21.
The city of MP is all tourist and has grown very quickly. A lot of junk stores. Tons of restaurants and hikers everywhere. Our hotel was not good. We had hot water but not all of our group did. No clean bathrooms. But we were only in the rooms for ten hours. Got in late and at MP the next AM at 6:30. The guide said not a good amount of motels there. Many people just come for the day.

Location:Imperio de los Incas,Aguas Calientes,Peru