May 14 - Machu Picchu. Enough said!

These two words that are synonymous with Peru evoke images of centuries-old Inca Emperors and rituals. Yet no one knows for certain what purpose this mountaintop citadel served or why it was abandoned. This place doesn’t disappoint and it certainly lives up to its fame as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The exquisite architecture of the massive Inca stone structures, the formidable backdrop of steep sugarloaf hills, and the Urubamba River winding far below make Machu Picchu an incredibly beautiful place. We‘be been fortunate to have traveled the world and this spot ranks high on our list of extraordinary places. The “Lost City of the Inca” was missed by the ravaging conquistadors and survived untouched until rediscovered by Hiram Bingham, a Yale University historian, in 1911. Debb and I traveled in style on the Presidential Car of the Inca Rail line which includes welcome champagne, an open bar, a tasting menu, and an observatory lounge with 2 Peruvian musicians, one playing the famous flutes! It made for an incredible journey up the Sacred Valley from Ollantaytambo, and one I’d highly recommend. After exploring Machu Picchu for several hours we retired to our hotel oasis, Sumaq for a well-deserved Pisco Sour and a lovely dinner accompanied by a gorgeous Chilean Cabernet.

The citadel of Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu in the background

Inca Rail Presidential Car Observatory Lounge and welcome aboard champagne!

Ollantaytambo to Aguascalientes is just shy of 2 hours by train, but going in style makes it all end too soon!

That “top of the world” feeling at Machu Picchu!

Food storage buildings to the left flank the main plaza. At its peak, Machu Picchu was a small city of fewer than 200 buildings and 1000 residents

Verdant greens, steep cliffs all shrouded in mystical clouds make this place ethereal.