Cusco and Machu Picchu

Cusco has been nice...Machu Picchu was glorious. Probably one of the most spectacular scenes I´ve ever viewed...with the surrounding landscape, the beauty of the architecture, the llamas and plant life, the glimpse into another world and time, and the innovation it took to build this city in its 15th century setting...this is the most incredible combination of Divine and human beauty and creativity. The Dalai Lama says it is one of the places on earth with the most energy...I can see why...the whole scene is just sublime, surreal, ¨charged with the grandeur of God,¨ to steal a line.

Here are some shots:

A great overview, and ¨proof¨ I was there.

I like the lone tree in the center of this one.

Everything is big here...big mountains, big canyons, big rocks. Part of what makes this place a wonder is that hoards of people probably did move and shape rocks like this.

Many more beautiful pics of this place when I return.

As for Cusco (Machu Picchu was a day trip from here), I arrived at a good time. The city is having its annual winter solstice celebration, beginning Friday and ending today, Tuesday. This involved a DAILY parade (which was timely, since I missed my hometown of Woodland, WA´s annual festival and parade this weekend), lots of music, and absolute chaos with the crowds. The climax of the festival involved several dances and marches in the main plaza of the city, traditions going back centuries to Inca times. I´ve never experienced such a celebratory atmosphere on this large of scale.

This is of one of the final dances in the Plaza de Armas.

Here they are carrying what I assume represents a tribal leader of some sort...they will march him through the city streets, up to the hill above the city that has some old ruins called Sacsayhuaman (pronounced ¨Sexy Woman¨).

Here is a church I attended on Sunday of one of the pastors I met with, Pastor Willie, barely there on the left. It´s a fairly large and progressive church for this city (the rest of the band is off to the side, and the rest of the congregation is out of the shot.

Many more photos to show of Cusco when I return home. I leave Peru tonight, after nearly three weeks, though I may get the chance to go visit a church in the jungle city of Iquitos when I return to Peru around the 20th of July or so for the final few days of my trip.

But for now, it´s on to Bolivia...taking an overnight bus to La Paz. Thanks for following along!