machu picchu – day8
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our last day

The only day we had rain was our last day in Cusco. That didn’t deter anyone from donning our rain gear and heading out.

We began the morning at the fortress of Sacsayhuaman on a hilltop above the city. What is incredible is to see are the various megaliths that make up the walls; some weigh between 90 and 130 tons and they are amazing in their precision – cuts and fits. The site also has a large ceremonial plaza that was still used for re-enactments on the winter solstice.

And the vistas of Cusco from this vantage point were great – terra-cotta tiles filling an Andean valley. In Cusco, you are never far from Catholic symbols. On this mountain top, on an eastern promontory was a tall white statue of Jesus and on a western outcrop a huge wooden cross. The tiled rooftops below us made you forget the religious intruders.

My favorite part of the walk were the fountains and aqueducts at Tambomachay. The image on the right captures three of the fountains. The stone work and the masonry on the top wall are as good as any laser cuts and modern construction. And lets not forget that it was all done with relatively rudimentary tools.

Tomorrow morning we leave for the airport at Cusco and from there to Lima. Because of the long layover in Lima, VBT has reserved hotel rooms for us. And this time the layover in Miami is only 6 hours – Oh joy!