On
the west side of South America is the land of Peru. It has an
incredible history. The people that live in Peru rival the
Egyptians, the Chinese, and the Mayans. They were builders who left
monuments that still stand solid today.
Machu
Picchu is the most famous, but the countryside is dotted with the
rock monuments that the Peruvians built. Peru is just a little
smaller than Alaska, or twice the size of Texas.
The
population of the country is about 30 million, and now it is made up
of half Inca (the native people of Peru) and half immigrants that
have come from countries all over the world. The Inca civilization
thrived from the 1200 AD up until Francisco Pizarro González
and his Conquistadors conquered the millions of Inca in 1532 with 168
men, 27 horses, and 1 cannon. Pizarro and his men also had guns,
which the Incas did not have.
In
1535, Pizarro found the city of Lima on the coast of the Pacific
Ocean. It is the capital city and currently has eight million
people.
The
millions of tourists that arrive every year usually are drawn to the
buildings that the Inca built. The Inca did not have a written
language, so much of what they built and how they constructed it
without power equipment is still a mystery.
If
you are going to journey to Peru to visit the Inca ruins, your trip
will generally begin in Lima and then take you by air to Cusco, which
is high in the Andes. The Andes stretch all the way down the
western coast of South America, for a distance of 4,300 miles. Most
tour groups will give you a half-day off when you arrive to get used
to the altitude, because Cusco is 11,000 miles above sea level.
Cusco
was the capital of the Inca Empire where they built a mighty fortress
that would stand forever. Sacsyhuaman is this fortress. One of the
things you will find most interesting about the construction is the
Incas did not use any mortar between the stones. The rocks were
chiseled so finely that one cannot put a knife blade between the
stones. Some of the stones weigh 100 tons and would have taken
hundreds of men to move them.
As
you leave Cusco and go north through the Sacred Valley, you will come
to a narrow gauge railroad. A ride of about 90 minutes will bring
you to small town Aguas Calientes that sits on the Urubamba River
that winds around the most famous Inca ruins, Machu Picchu. To reach
your destination of Machu Picchu you will board buses and that a
winding journey of few miles and more than 1000 feet up the mountain.
As
you reach the top you will need your passport or some identification
and a ticket to get into these magnificent ruins.
Hyrum
Bingham, a Yale historian, was the first North American explorer to
discover the ruins in 1911. Since then millions of people have
trekked to see this magnificent city. There are many theories as to
what this site was to the Incas, one of which is that it was built
for an estate for one of the Inca Sapa (king). It has three areas,
which are the living quarters, agriculture area, and common meeting
areas. It was abandoned about 100 years after it was built.
I
first visited the ruins forty years ago and have been there twice
this year. It is one of the most beautiful ruins I have seen in the
world. It is the best- preserved site of the Incas, as the Spanish
did not know about it so they did not destroy it and build their
buildings on top of it.
Dian’s
Outdoor Special: If
you would like to add these fun and easy ideas to your list of
exciting things to try this summer or during an emergency, check out
the special for Roughing
it Easy,
Recipes
for Roughing it Easy
with a DVD on how to cook in a Dutch oven for just 29.99
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It is filled with practical and down-to-earth suggestions for
wonderful outdoor adventures. Go to www.dianthomas.com.
Want
to travel with Dian?
Join one of her trips to China this fall, where you will enjoy a
cultural feast and fun adventure. Email Dian at
Contact@DianThomas.com or
call 801-277-4332
for more information.
Dian Thomas was blessed with the good fortune to be born near and raised in
the remote, breathtaking Manti-La Sal National Forest in southeastern Utah,
where her father was the forest ranger. She took the skills she learned in the
outdoors and turned them into a New York Times best-selling book, Roughing It
Easy. Her appearance on the NBC's "Tonight" show with Johnny Carson
boosted her into the national media scene, where she became a regular on
NBC's "Today" show for eight years and then ABC's "Home Show" for six years.
After more than 25 years of media exposure and 19 books, she now shares her
practical insights and wisdom with audiences who want to savor life.
A former Relief Society president, Dian is currently serving as a visiting
teacher. Visit her website at www.DianThomas.com