Machu Picchu contains the well-preserved ruins of "The Lost City of the Incas", abandoned in the 16th century as the Inca Empire fell to the Spanish. Nestled between mountains high above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish conquerors of Peru. The city was forgotten for centuries until its rediscovery in the early 1900s.
I took these photos while visiting Machu Picchu on May 18, 2007. These first two photos are my favourites:
This sign post just outside of Machu Picchu reads "May peace prevail on Earth" in four languages:
The town of Aguas Calientes lies in the Urubamba Valley below Machu Picchu. It receives the trainloads of tourists who come to visit:
I arrived in Aguas Calientes on the Vistadome train service from PeruRail. The onboard entertainment included a fashion show featuring the train attendants in Peruvian alpaca clothing: