Sunrise at Macchu Picchu

Two weeks ago, my classmates who are working in Lima this summer made it out to the Sacred Valley to visit me. When I met them in Ollanta's Plaza de Armas, Ben's first words to me were "Josh's eyes are going to get tired this weekend from him rolling them at you. This place is rediculous." Ridiculously AWESOME. I know. I'm so so grateful that I get to spend my summer in Ollanta and pretty happy that I got to share it with some friends. So our main agenda for the Sacred Valley weekend was to visit Macchu Picchu. I've done it once before when I was here 5 years ago with my mom, but the boys wanted to do it "right": at sunrise. After a little tour of town, and introduction to the host family and host animals, including family cow Chiara, we grabbed a drink then hopped on the train to Aguas Calientes for a few hours of sleep before our epic sunrise adventure. 

It was incredible. I'll let some of the photos speak for themselves, but it was so sureal to see the ancient city take on a whole new life after the tranguility of the dark and cool morning. Once the sun hit we climed Huaynapicchu for yet another view of the ruins.  We took our time on the top for a mid morning snack and nap on what felt like the top of the world. Then ventured down and across to the other side of the citadel to the Sungate, where the Inca Trail enters Macchu Picchu.  Gorgeous.

Exhausted by 1 after being up since 4:45, we trained back to Ollanta, grabbed dinner with my volunteer friends, and took some Cuzqueña beers to the ruins for some star gazing to finish off the night... or so we thought. The small Ollanta disco tec still doesn't know what hit it.