4 Tage/ 3 Nächte Biking, Rafting und natürlich Wandern: das sollte für uns der Weg zum Ziel Machu Picchu werden. Trotz der amateurhaften Guides, einem verunfallten Tourbus (glücklicherweise ohne uns Passagiere an Board) und jede Menge Muskelkater war dieser Trip ein spannendes und tolles Erlebnis. Mit drei netten dänischen Jungs im Schlepptau haben wir am 4. Tag um 4 Uhr morgens die letzten 1644 Stufen rauf zum Macchu Picchu erklommen und kamen todmüde aber glücklich oben an. Die Ruinen dieser 600 Jahre alten Inkastadt, 1911 von einem Yaleprofessor wiederentdeckt (durch dem freundlichen Hinweis seines einheimischen Führers), sind sehr eindrücklich. Bis zum Einfall der Spanier bauten die Inka an ihrer Stadt, die damals 800 bis 1000 Einwohner beherrbergte. Alle Steine für die Gebäude wurden aus Minen vom Nachbarberg geholt und fast ohne Werkzeuge heraufgeschafft und verarbeitet. Warum bauten die Inka diese Stadt an einem so schwer zugänglichen Ort hoch oben im Dschungel? Ein Guide hat uns erklärt, dass das Essen für die Leute damals das Wichtigste war (soll ja für manche heute noch so sein..:-)), da die Inkas kein Geld kannten, nur Tauschhandel mit Esswaren. Für viel Essen braucht man gute Agrikultur und dafür braucht man gute Kenntnisse der Astronomie oder des Kalenderjahres, damit man die besten Säh- und Erntezeiten nicht verpasst. Das hoch gelegene Machu Picchu ist für die Beobachtung der Sterne ideal, so lässt sich die Auswahl des Standorts erklären. Eine andere haarsträubende Theorie besagt, dass ein Inkakönig sein Blut reinbehalten wollte, indem er seine Schwester heiratete. Dies wurde von vielen Priestern verurteilt, und so gründete er seine Stadt an einem abgelegenen Ort - Machu Picchu. Wie auch immer: der Ort hat bis heute ein grosse Anziehungskraft und strahlt etwas Magisches aus.
4 days/ 3 nights of biking, rafting and hiking of course: this would be our way to Machu Picchu. Altough the guides were amateurs, our bus had an accident (luckily without us passengers inside) and really sore muscles this trip was an adventurous and great experience. Together with 3 nice danish boys we climbed the 1644 steps up to Machu Picchu at 4 am on the 4. day. We arrived dead tired but happy at the top. The ruins of this 600 year old Inca city are truly impressive. They were rediscovered by an Yale professor after the friendly being showed by his indigenous guide. Until the arrival of the spaniards the Incas build their city with 800 to 1000 inhabitants at this time. All the stones were brought from mines from the mountain next doors and carved almost without any tools. But why did the Incas built this city at such a remote place high up in the jungle? One guide explained us that food was the most important thing for the Incas (it still is for some people..:-)) because they didn't know money and had a goods trading system. For a big amount of food you need good agriculture, and for that you need a good knowledge of astronomy and the calendar year in order to know the best times to seed and cut the crops. Machu Picchu is the ideal place to explore the night sky, that could be why they built it there. Another hairraising theory has is, that there was one Inca king that in order to keep his blood pure, he married his sister. This was not much apreciated by the Inca priests and so he founded his city high up and remote the mountains to have it his way. However: the place still contains a lot of fascination and some magical air.
4 days/ 3 nights of biking, rafting and hiking of course: this would be our way to Machu Picchu. Altough the guides were amateurs, our bus had an accident (luckily without us passengers inside) and really sore muscles this trip was an adventurous and great experience. Together with 3 nice danish boys we climbed the 1644 steps up to Machu Picchu at 4 am on the 4. day. We arrived dead tired but happy at the top. The ruins of this 600 year old Inca city are truly impressive. They were rediscovered by an Yale professor after the friendly being showed by his indigenous guide. Until the arrival of the spaniards the Incas build their city with 800 to 1000 inhabitants at this time. All the stones were brought from mines from the mountain next doors and carved almost without any tools. But why did the Incas built this city at such a remote place high up in the jungle? One guide explained us that food was the most important thing for the Incas (it still is for some people..:-)) because they didn't know money and had a goods trading system. For a big amount of food you need good agriculture, and for that you need a good knowledge of astronomy and the calendar year in order to know the best times to seed and cut the crops. Machu Picchu is the ideal place to explore the night sky, that could be why they built it there. Another hairraising theory has is, that there was one Inca king that in order to keep his blood pure, he married his sister. This was not much apreciated by the Inca priests and so he founded his city high up and remote the mountains to have it his way. However: the place still contains a lot of fascination and some magical air.
