And now that I'm finally here, looking out on the ruins, I can barely take it all in. For starters, Machu Picchu, a well-laid-out settlement shaped by the geography of the mountain into which it was built, is much larger than I expected. Among the remnants are grassy plazas, precisely designed and well-preserved stone huts and temples, ritual bathing areas, stepped terraces used for farming, and the occasional llama. It's April, which means the immense mountains circling the city are carpeted with vibrant green cover following the rainy season. But it also means somewhat unpredictable weather, and I've only just started to take stock of this remarkable place when thunder begins rumbling ominously over the chatting of tourists and guides, including Julio, our guide from LanChile Vacations.
The air is heavy with moisture but it's not raining yet, and I listen as Julio points out the skill of the Incan architects, who carved and fitted together the often massive stone blocks of these structures without the use of iron tools. Julio leads us through different classes of architecture: the simple one-room dwellings of rough stones, probably used for the lower classes; and the more important, and therefore more elaborate and refined, king's palace and temples. The remains of several temples sit up high on the Sacred Plaza, and it is here that we pause to take in views of the plazas and structures below and the mountains in the distance, all framed elegantly by the trapezoidal windows of the Temple of the Three Windows.
By this time the early morning fluffy wisps have formed a slate-color bank of clouds that hovers over the distant mountains. Soon all is gray and I can no longer separate the sky from the clouds. The wind is gentle but persistent, intent on sending my hair snaking across my camera lens every time I try to take a photograph. And then it begins to rain, not heavily, but enough to send people ducking for cover among the largely roofless ruins, a few of which have luckily been covered with thatch to suggest what the structures would have looked like when inhabited.
I find shelter under an enormous boulder that angles up and out 45 degrees from the ground. Suddenly, all is silent except for the gentle, steady rain: no more tour guides instructing, no more people laughing and talking, no more cameras clicking and noisily rewinding film. With everyone having scuttled off for shelter, the place suddenly seems empty. And after a few minutes of sitting like this, crouched under a boulder, I realize that this is exactly how you should see Machu Picchu -- silenced by the elements that make up so much of its beauty. The rain forces you to sit quietly and try to take it in, and there's so much to take in. "This place is alive," Julio said when we first entered, and now, in the stillness brought by rain, I can see what he means. This place is vibrant, mystical, awesome -- both for the ruins that speak of so much skill and history, as well as for the setting of lush mountains, powerful and fierce, that surround you whichever way you turn.
The Lost City of the Incas
A sense of mystery envelops Machu Picchu as well. Until this city was found in the early 20th century, nobody even knew it had been lost. No written records of its presence existed: the Incas had no system of writing, and the Spanish never discovered this place, a lucky thing since the conquistadors would often raze Incan structures, sometimes using stones recovered for their own constructions and even building over the Incan foundations. When American explorer Hiram Bingham "discovered" the ruins in 1911 (locals already knew of the ruins and led Bingham to them), he initially thought he had found Vilcabamba, the last Incan holdout against the Spanish.
The remains of Vilcabamba, however, have been identified elsewhere, and today no one knows exactly what purpose Machu Picchu served. It may have been an estate of Pachacuti, the great Incan emperor, a religious and ceremonial center, or a combination of the two. It's not even known when exactly Machu Picchu was built, though estimates put the city's heyday in the mid-15th century. Even the names used to describe this place are new, the old names having been lost with time -- Machu Picchu, the modern-day name for the ruins, translates into "old mountain." It is also not known when or why Machu Picchu was abandoned -- did the residents leave long before the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century, or was it only with the coming of the Spanish that they fled, abandoning the city to be swallowed by vegetation and hidden for hundreds of years?
The mystery adds to Machu Picchu's appeal, hinting at a fascinating past that cannot be known. It's a bit like reading a compelling story only to find that the last few pages are blank, the story unfinished, or rather the end of the story is there, but the beginning is missing. When the rain stops, the sky peeks through occasional breaks in the clouds, and we move on. There's still so much to see, and I only have a few hours left here.
When to Visit Machu Picchu
Most visitors to Machu Picchu come during the dry season, approximately May through September, which means sunny skies but also large crowds. There are still ways to find a moment of silence during this time, even without the forced solemnity that comes with a downpour. Plan to spend two days here so you can meander slowly around the ruins, exploring every corner without trying to see as much as possible in a few short hours. If you're lucky, you may be able to snag one of the only 31 rooms in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, which puts you right near the ruins and means you can enjoy peace long after most of the tourists have gone. It's also possible to lodge down in Aguas Calientes, so you won't have to rush around on the same schedule as the many tourists taking the return train to Cuzco. The Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, in Aguas Calientes near the road leading up to the ruins, has lovely stone bungalows set in cloud forest.
Even if, and especially if, a two-day visit isn't possible, find a patch of grass or slab of stone all to yourself. Put your camera away; no photograph will ever do this place justice anyway. Find a moment of stillness. Take it all in.
Contacts
LanChile Vacations (tel. 877/219-0345, www.lanchilevacations.com) can custom-design trips for individuals and groups traveling to Cuzco, Machu Picchu, and other areas of Peru.
Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (Aguas Calientes, tel. 084/211-122; 01/610-0404 reservations, www.inkaterra.com.pe).
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (Machu Picchu, tel. 51/84-21-1039 or 51/84-21-1038, fax 51/84-21-1053, www.orient-express.com).
On her next trip to Peru, Associate Editor Deborah Kaufman plans to spend at least two days exploring Machu Picchu, rain or shine. She has edited Fodor's guides to Argentina, Vietnam, and Japan, among other titles.
By Deborah Kaufman
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment