Swiftly Tilting Worlds

Amidst the sharply rising jagged towers, cleverly situated above the town of Aguas Calientes, Machu Pichu rests, floating in a world of misty white vapor rising slowly from the deep green depths of forest. Early in the morning, the entire complex was shrouded in foggy white. I stared off into the distance to catch a few momentary glimpses of steep peaks swimming through a swiftly tilting world.

We struggled to understand our guide as he narrated the story of Machu Pichu and the Incas in badly broken English. The morning moved forward and the fog began to disappear with the onset of the rising sun. The fog gave way to granite rock, green trees, blue skies, steep terraces, and an example of the ingenious creation of a civilization that once stretched from present day Peru to the tip of South America.

Waynu Pichu, (young steep) stands close watch over Machu Pichu, (old steep), in perhaps the most seamless example of the integration of human architecture within the palette of the natural landscape. The near vertical rise of Waynu Pichu makes for a difficult climb, and offers a true sense of adventure. We ate our lunch at the top overlooking Machu Pichu, and afterwards several of us decided to take a look at Gran Caverna, a stone house built into a large cave. The backside of Wayna Pichu is perhaps more spectacular than the front, overlooking a vast expanse of green mountains, with giant waterfalls lurking within the heart of every valley.

Most of the group decided to head back to Aguas Calientes after Waynu Pichu, but I stayed behind with two others, taking in every last bit. We took a nap on a small terrace situated on a cliff overlooking mountains which eventually give way to the vast Amazonian Basin.

There are many theories on why Machu Pichu exists. Whatever the reason, it seems to only make perfect sense that it has some spiritual significance. It is nestled in between three giant mountains, and although it is a human creation, offers the sense that it is truly part of the landscape, a creation inspired by an attempt to connect with what we cannot understand

We hopped a train out of Aguas and back to Ollantaytambo in the evening. In the morning, we took a bus back to Cusco, one step closer to home. In the swiftly tilting world of the Incas, I came to the realization that my own world has slowly tilted through the adventures of the past month. Perhaps not vastly different, but I am certainly no longer the same person I was when I left home, slightly changed, hopefully improved, and leaving this experience with a bit more wisdom and perspective on the world and the role I hope to play in the big picture.

Many men have the heart. Many men have the intellect. Many have the athleticism, the wit, the candor, the brilliance, the courage to change to the world, but none of these alone is enough. It is necessary to use these qualities to find compassion, and to gain perspective on the great inequities of our time. It is only when we see these inequities and face them with open arms and a bold heart that humanity may truly move forward.

I will do my best.