Skip to Content Skip to Footer
Goshen College

Machu Picchu

November 7, 2016

[Doug and Maria have been traveling between Lima and service locations visiting students the past two weeks.  Here is the last blog entry from the trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu.  Starting tomorrow entries will be posted from the first service visits, to pause again when we leave Lima midweek for a trip to another service location, and then we’ll resume with the rest of the service entries when we are back in Lima next week.]

 

Wednesday, Oct. 12

machu-picchu-010

Today was the much-anticipated visit to Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world.  From our hotel at the bottom of the valley, some of the students rode the bus to the top while others chose to walk up the steep ascent.  Once the group was united at the top, much time was spent taking pictures before the tour actually began.  Although we had seen the ancient ruins of Caral last month and several Incan ruins earlier this week, students agreed that the ruins of Machu Picchu exceeded their expectations.

At the end of the day we ate together in a nicer restaurant to mark the transition that begins tomorrow, as the ‘study’ portion of SST ends and students begin the journeys to their service locations for the next 6 weeks.

The hiking group in Aguas Calientes, before starting up the mountain.
The clouds begin to lift out of the narrow valley with steep mountainsides.
Nearing Machu Picchu, the jagged tops of other mountians come into view.
The group passed Incan terraces on the mountain sides below the main Machu Picchu ruins.
Rachel, Josh and Riley.
Machu Picchu. The peak on the opposite side is called Huayna Picchu.
A steep staircase climbs Huayna Picchu, and the Incas were able to build terraces near the top.
Maria indicates the winner of the Most Fashionable Hat Award.
A window view of the Urubamba River in the valley floor below.
The women of Fall 2016 Peru SST practice their favorite yoga pose.
Tim thinks it was worth the trip.
Part of the tour of the ruins.
Jungle wildlife seen on the trip.
One last group picture before students begin their separate journeys to service locations.
At dinner Emily is surprised with a birthday cake …
… and live Andean music, ….
… which prompted live Andean dancing in the restaurant.