Machu Picchu, Peru

Although these ruins are full of tourists now, its still something to behold. We´ve all seen the pictures of the ruins before, but what you don´t see are the incredible views of the surrounding mountains and valleys from the ruins themselves. Hopefully my pictures come out well.

I was here on the first bus at 6:20 am, in time for sunrise at 7:20, but much too late for first light (the sunrise is so late because it has to climb a tall mountain in the east before you see the first real rays). Of course it was nice, but not that much more incredible than yesterday afternoon. 

I´ll save you all the boring details about the ruins...there are hundreds of places to read the history if you want to.

I tried the vibrantly yellow and famous Inka Cola ("El sabor del Peru!") here for $3, which is highway robbery, quite appropriate for this busy of a tourist site. Anyway it tastes just like a carbonated bananna popcicle. Not good.

Oh, speaking of robbery. I just found out that a bus of 21 Italian and Dutch tourists was hijacked and robbed at gunpoint in the Colca Valley 2 days ago, 2 hours after we passed through.  I guess that makes me sound a little brave for having gone there, but to be honest, if I would have heard that beforehand there´s no way I would have gone.  Hearing about a place that´s a little dangerous sounds cool before you get there: Once you´re there and confronted with it, you really start to long for security and there´s nothing exciting about it.