MACHU PICCHU, PERU
Machu Picchu, one of the most incredible experiences I have ever come across. We took an observation train car into the mountains as I viewed Elephant Ear Palms passing by, which were bigger than my head. After the winding curves on the road towards the top, a fresh stamp in my passport; I watched the morning clouds pass overhead.
PERU FUN FACTS:
1. There are 43 native languages spoken in Peru.
2. The Amazon river begins high up in the Peruvian Andes mountains.
3. Guinea pig, also known as cuy, is a traditional Peruvian dish.
4. It can take up to 600 hours to create (spin, dye, and weave) a Peruvian poncho.
5. Three-quarters of the world's alpaca population live in Peru.
Do you know the difference between an alpaca and a llama? Llamas ears are long, banana-shaped ears, while alpaca's have short spear-shaped ears. Alpaca's generally weigh around 150 pounds while llama's can be as heavy as 400 pounds.
Llama's have a longer face and an alpaca's face is a bit more blunt, giving a "smooshed in" look. Alpaca's produce finer fiber than the llama, and have been bred for fiber, while llamas have been bred for pack animals and meat. An alpaca produces more fleece than llamas, as llamas do not have as much hair on their head and face!
Lastly, llamas are more independent minded (The Emperor's New Groove, anyone?) while alpacas tend to be more skittish and herd animals. If you guessed the friendly animal above was a llama - you would be correct!
Machu Picchu is often referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas" - Machu Picchu is located in southern Peru on a 7,970ft mountain ridge. The Inca civilization had no written language, and Europeans did not visit the site until the 19th century, so there are no written records of the site while it was in use. It is believed that the Incas built the estate around 1450 but abandoned it a century later, during the Spanish conquest.
Did you know? Machu Picchu's buildings were designed to be earthquake-proof! The foundation of the Lost City is located in a seismic zone and the Inca's were familiar with potential earthquakes. To protect against them, the Inca's built buildings by using precisely fit stones, held together by gravity alone. It is said that not even a credit card can be inserted in the cracks, so the stones are able to move during an earthquake and settle back into place.
