July 8.

Once we were well rested, well fed, and well showered, we made the trip back up to Machu Picchu. Our guide showed up a bit late, but then peppered us with intriguing tales of the wonder. We were a little punchy after four days in the sun, but we managed to pay attention. I even learned a few things that I didn’t know before.

Here we are looking shiny and clean.

We saw some local wildlife. This is a chinchilla but the kids named it a squabbit because of its characteristic look of both a squirrel and a rabbit.

Machu Picchu never ceases to amaze me. I could walk through all the rooms and climb all the stairs again and again. We saw many ruins along the way on the Inca Trail, but Machu Picchu is truly spectacular. Other worldly.

While I took the doorway photo, Kate took a photo of me. I had no idea a llama had walked up right next to me. So funny to turn around and see him there.

By the time our tour ended, the park was practically empty. It was such a lovely way to see the ruins. Most of the other tourists had left to catch the last trains, but since we were spending the night we could stay until the park closed. We hiked up to the higher view points and watched as the sun’s last rays of the day lit the ruins below. It was a perfect bookend to our morning experience of watching the day unfold. Now we got to see it come to a close.

Until the next time Machu Picchu.