The Inka Trail, Day 5. Through The Gate Of The Sun.

The last day on the trail started with surgery.

O had developed a couple of blisters that were beginning to pain her. Fortunately, Jose was up to the task, skillfully popping them and applying moleskin. O's toes were very grateful.

The last day on the trail starts with a 3:30 am wakeup. We rolled out of our snug sleeping bags without complaint. This was the day we'd been anticipating for so many months! The flat trail was illuminated by the dancing firefly lights of dozens of LED headlamps as group after group joined the procession through the dark jungle.

After about half an hour, we stopped. Jose told us that we'd reached the last checkpoint on the trail, but they didn't open until 5:30. Our excitement took a bit of a nosedive, but we dutifully spread out our ponchos and sat on the damp ground to wait the hour-and-half until opening.

We had thought that the point of getting up so early was to get to the Gate of the Sun, the entrance to Machu Picchu, just before sunrise. Nope. It was to allow the porters to make the first train back to Cusco. 

At last, we were let through the checkpoint. The day was bright enough already so we didn't need our headlamps. Our enthusiasm had returned full force, and we were making good time down the gently-sloping trail.

Then the trail made a hard left, and we confronted the final climb to the Gate of the Sun.

Steep, steep stairs, one long set after another. Finally, we reached the last set, one so steep that even the trekking poles were useless. We started up on our hand and knees, concentrating on each step. When I thought I might have reached halfway, I looked up only to see I still had a long, long way to climb.

But through the mist, I could see what could only be the Gate of the Sun.

I made it to the top as O and Jose were negotiating the final stretch.

As she walked at last through the Gate of the Sun and saw the magnificent vista of Machu Picchu, O burst out in sobs. She has dreamed of this moment since she was eight years old.

We actually did it.

It turns out that there is quite a long walk from the Gate of the Sun to the main site. I'll spare you the many pictures I took of Machu Picchu looking just like every picture of Machu Picchu you've ever seen.

Except this one.

We were exhausted, but elated, with just enough strength left to totter around the ruins for an hour or two. Here are some of the highlights: the main gate to the citadel of Machu Picchu.

The temple of the sun.

The nobles' residential area.

The main temple. The three windows are aligned with the path of the sun during the year.

The buses from Aguas Calientes were beginning to arrive and the mass of tourists grew accordingly. Only 200 people are allowed to start the Inka Trail each day, and we estimated that there were only 50 to 75 at the checkpoint that morning. Over 3,500 arrive by bus from Aguas Calientes each day, however, so the site is quite thickly populated by mid-day.

We saw tourists from all over the world, including this woman from Bolivia.

The vertical slab on this altar is positioned so that the sun casts no shadow at noon on the summer solstice. The Inka had a profound knowledge of astronomy. There are many theories as to why Machu Picchu was built. Some say it was a spiritual center, some a summer pleasure palace. The theory that makes most sense to me is that it was a place of learning, a sort of university for training the next generation of engineers, architects, and astronomers. Some parts of the ruins are supposed to be a series of classrooms. This is the only site where such structures have been found. The Inkan king who built Machu Picchu was reputed to be a master architect, engineer, and astronomer (as well as a god) himself, so this theory makes sense.

At this point, O had faded and was resting in the shade as Jose and I continued the tour.

This huge rock was carved to matched the silhouette of the mountains across the valley.

These two pools of water were used as mirrors to observe the sun.

The temple of the condor. Here's the head.

And the wings.

One last look before we staggered down the hill to the bus.

We splurged after days on the trail with one night at the five-star Inkaterra Machu Picchu. The first thing we did was celebrate with a delicious pisco sour.

The hotel was everything we'd missed: hot shower with plenty of water pressure, a comfortable bed with clean sheets, a fireplace, and an excellent restaurant. Here's the front porch of our casita.

We decided that evening that we really like civilization.

P.