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 Machu Picchu Ruins

　We entered the Machu Picchu ruins to see the sunrise before breakfast at Sanctuary Lodge. After seeing the sunrise through the slightly cut clouds, we climbed the lookout hut and a wild llama welcomed us.We took a commemorative photo with Llama and Huayna Picchu and returned to the hotel.

　Breakfast after walking was delicious.There was a little time before the sightseeing started, so we re-entered the Machu Picchu ruins.As the sun rose, the clouds broke and the blue sky became visible. We climbed the terraced fields and walked from the lookout hut to the special observatory and returned to the Sanctuary Lodge.

　After 10 o'clock, we entered the Machu Picchu ruins for the third time with a guide. The sun was getting higher, and the Machu Picchu ruins were getting hotter and less shaded.First, We climbed the terraced fields and aimed at the lookout hut.At the scenic place on the way, the guide took a photo for us. All of the terraced fields were the points of the best shot of the Machu Picchu ruins with Huayna Picchu in front.
　A large stone with stairs was placed in the grassland behind the lookout hut, and it seems that there is a possibility that it was used for astronomical observation, a theory that a tribute was placed, and a theory that it was used for a funeral.

　Many people had already visited the sun gate seen from the lookout hut.From the special observatory, I could see people climbing Huayna Picchu and people standing on the rocks at the top of the mountain.

　We entered from the entrance of the city of the ruins and tooka leisurely tour inside the ruins and imagined the city in the past as it was shown to us by a guide. After passing through the gates, there was a residential area.There was a villa of the king that the emperor visited to escape the cold in winter, a place called the princess's palace, and traces of the kitchen.
　Down the living area was the Temple of the Sun.The cylindrical temple has two windows, the eastern window in front of which receive the sun on the morning of the winter solstice, and the southern window on the morning of the summer solstice.

　From the Temple of the Sun, we returned to the hill again and went to the quarry.Most of the stones used in the Machu Picchu ruins seem to have been cut out here, and large stones still remained. Next to the quarry is the Holy Square and the Main Temple, and to the east of the Holy Square is a temple with three windows.
　Up from the Holy Square is the highest point in the city of Machu Picchu, where a large stone called Inti Watana is placed.The corners of the stone pillars point to the north, south, east and west, and it is said that it is a sundial that taught the days of agricultural festivals, but it is also said to be the biggest power spot in Machu Picchu.

　From the hills of Intiwatana, we could see the ruins and the central square, the aristocratic settlement on the east side, and Huayna Picchu up close. After getting off the hill, it was a short walk to the Huayna Picchu trailhead and preparation room at the end of the ruins.Looking back on the south side, we could see the terraced fields, the lookout hut, and Machu Picchu mountain over the central square.
　It was past 12:30 when we arrived at the trailhead of Huayna Picchu, so the entrance was already closed. The exit was open and the guide was waiting for the Huayna Picchu climbers to return.

　The return of Machu Picchu ruins passed through the east side of the ruins.A PeruRail train was visible along the Urubamba River.The remains of a stone mill and the temple of Condor were left.The remains of the stone mill are also called astronomical observation stones, and it is said that the pits of the stones were filled with water to observe the night sky.The name of the temple of Condor seems to be derived from the fact that the temple looks like a condor with its wings spread.We returned to the hotel through a water fetching place, terraced fields and a grain warehouse.

　Lunch time was over as we walked around the Machu Picchu ruins slowly for about 3 hours, but we were able to enjoy a leisurely course lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge restaurant.Cuscena's red beer was delicious!

　Lunch time was over as we walked around the Machu Picchu ruins slowly for about 3 hours, but we were able to enjoy a leisurely course lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge restaurant.Cuscena's red beer was delicious!

　After lunch, we re-entered the ruins to see the Puente Inca. By this time, the number of tourists had decreased, and we were able to monopolize the best position around the lookout hut and take a commemorative photo freely.
We rushed to the Puente Inca a little later than the 15:30 curfew because we were too slow at lunch and the lookout hut. When we arrived at the entrance to the Puente Inca, there was no guard already, but we were able to go sightseeing safely without being recalled because we signed in according to the curfew time.

　The Inca Bridge is a wooden bridge built so that it can be dropped immediately when an enemy attacks it. It's like the chasuble bridge in Iya, Japan.It is interesting that both are wooden bridges in a superb view.There was a plate with a return arrow in front of the bridge, but it seems that there was a daredevil trying to cross the Inca Bridge. On the way back from Puente Inca, we took a commemorative photo around the lookout hut with Huayna Picchu in the background, and we finished the first day of sightseeing in Machu Picchu ruins.

　We were able to enter the Machu Picchu ruins four times because of the location of the Sanctuary Lodge like the official hotel in front of the ruins. It was fun to suffer from overeating and drinking too much because of the all-inclusive comfort.
After leaving the Machu Picchu ruins, we went down to the foot of the mountain and moved to the Casa del Sol Machu Picchu Hotel for the second night.After refreshing in the shower, we went shopping. Dinner at the hotel. We didn't have time to get hungry, but we could eat because we were moving around.

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