The Land of the Inca, Machu Picchu

John and Cara take the train from Cuzco along the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes. From there they climb up to Machu Picchu to find it completely draped in clouds the nearly entire time. The site was still impressive. The ruins are a honeycomb labyrinth of temples, plazas, living quarters, industrial buildings, passageways, and ceremonial baths that all hang above massive agricultural terraces that fall away into the river below. What is really fascinating about Machu Picchu is how the Incas incorporated the natural surroundings into their mortarless polished stone structures. The temples, for example, are not symmetrical or at all balanced but instead follow the contours of a large rock or cave. Also of interest is the Inca bridge located behind the ruins as a possible escape route.