It has been quite a long time since I’ve put up a blog post, but man have I been busy. As the time is winding down, I’m realizing that I still have so much I want to see and do and a dwindling amount of time in which to do it. But, I’ll save that sentimental post for closer to the end. Now, I finally have to tell you about MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD: Machu Picchu. 

I’ve been struggling with how to approach this post about Machu Picchu. How do you describe a place whose beauty is indescribable? You can’t. I wrote a draft of a post last week, read it, and hated it. It didn’t even come close to capturing the magnificence of this ancient civilization ensconced by the Andes. So, I decided to step away for a little and come back to write afresh, but I still couldn’t find the words. Machu Picchu is one of those places that you have to see to understand. 

As soon as I first saw the ruins and looked up at the surrounding mountains, I felt an instant connection to nature and history: a connection that I’ve never felt before. I realized how much I take my life and my opportunities for granted. I get caught up in my daily little problems and don’t stop to look around. I never take a day to hike a mountain or lie by a lake, connecting with the natural beauty around us. That needs to change. ASAP. I need to take a lesson from the Incans. They understood the innate harmony that exists between nature and us humans. The world consists of more than our own fabricated microcosms. That’s how they were able to build this incredible palace more than half a millennium ago.

I’ve already said more than I intended, so I’m going to let my pictures speak for themselves. Without further ado, Machu Picchu:

Location: Machu Picchu, Peru