This is the first installment of our trip pictures. It takes so long to download etc., so I will work on it a little at a time. I hope to find some shots you will enjoy.
This is one of the snow-covered peaks we was on the way from Cusco to Machu Picchu. They say the glaciers on these mts. are where they get their water all year. Also, the global warming is affecting this.

This is one of the first and last sights of the valley you get. It was smaller than I had expected, but when we started to climb around -much too large. The mt in the back ground is called Wyna Picchu meaning little mountain., The real Machu Picchu is to the left and back behind the city.

This stone shows how they broke the stone up. These people used only the stone on the mountain and felt it was sacred and built around the existing stone when they could. They would put balsa wood strips in these holes and then wet them and they would swell and break the stone. Then they would use sand and a smaller piece of this stone as a sanding block to make it smooth. They would use only stones cut so well that you cannot put a piece of paper between them for their most sacred temples etc. The areas that we saw that had other stones or rocks and morter were for the not so important buildings. They also made stair steps in the stone rather than move it in some of the areas. What a time consuming job.

Another shot of the city. These are the Goedes. They are office missionaries in the Lima East Mission. They don't usually get to tour like this, but their Pres. gave them special permission. This shot is taken from the middle of the city.

This is the sun temple or temple of the sun. It had no roof and only small openings on the east and west. When it was summer solsis (spelling) the sun would shine on a certain spot and the same with the winter solsis. They used it as part of their calendar system. These stones have no mortar.

This again is the half-way point about. I would have liked to sit on that big rock the rest of the day. It is such a peaceful place. There are about 3800 people thru the city each day during the season we were there. It is so large you don't run into them very often.

This is one of the doors in one of the not so important buildings. You can see the various stones, but still no morter. This is Gaylene Goede. You can tell who took all of these pictures. I still have not found my camera.