Take Me Back To: Machu Picchu

I have the travel bug real bad. Planning my upcoming European adventures is making me rather nostalgic for my escapades in South America. Specifically, I've got Peru on my mind.

Peru altered my life in many ways. For one: I can officially die happy now. Why, you ask? After dreaming about it for over a decade, I finally visited Machu Picchu. It was more incredible than I had ever imagined. The first sight of it absolutely took my breath away. I was even more enthralled as we explored it further, venturing through the beautiful and complex architecture. We were lucky enough to have a private tour, and our marvelous guide José took us to all of the most magnificent spots as well as the lesser-known sites free of the many hordes of tourists. From the sun temple to the astrology tower, to the Incan university and to the famous viewpoint in front of Huayna Picchu, I was in complete awe the entire day.

In the midst of the stunning Andes Mountains and lush jungle foliage, Machu Picchu epitomizes grandiose, mysterious beauty. Its entirety is simply majestic. I am so profoundly amazed at how advanced the Incas were, and how their innovative technology preceded their time. In Machu Picchu, we were shown how they had an exact compass made of stone before modern compasses were even invented, and how they had precise ways of determining the solstices without a regimented calendar. Their architecture was advanced enough to remain stable through earthquakes and tremors, and they even developed different styles of architecture for different ranks of nobility. Their technique of perfectly shaping enormous boulders astounds me. Everything the Incas did was an impressive feat.

Machu Picchu is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my entire life. My mind cannot even comprehend its divine exquisiteness and captivating history. Sometimes I feel like it was all a dream, because in those moments of soaking in its enchanting splendor, it all just seemed so surreal. The entire experience was eyeopening and spiritually invigorating. As much as I wish I could go back and experience it all again, I'm grateful enough to have experienced it once in my lifetime. I guess some dreams really do come true.