© Dale Leatherman 2004
Machu Picchu, Peru's "Lost City of the Incas," made my life list when I was about 13. As I studied geography and history I became more aware of the world outside the small town where I grew up. Grainy images of Machu Picchu, a mysterious city built deep in the jungle by a long-lost civilization, stirred in me a sense of curiosity and adventure. Someday I had to see the mountain citadel for myself.
Over the years other places struck the same chord. Egypt's pyramids, Cambodia's Angkor Wat, China's Great Wall, Africa, and the Rwandan mountain gorillas joined my list. Now, more than 40 years later, I realize I may not visit all the places I hope to see, though I'll keep trying.
But I have been to Peru. I have seen Machu Picchu, one of the most stunning architectural wonders in the world, and it’s not hyperbole to say it brought tears to my eyes. Years from now, I’m sure a word, a scent or the sight of an alpaca rug will bring to mind vivid memories of Peru.
Isn't this why we travel in the first place?
Peru is a complex country, layered in history, mystery and culture, and Lima, the "City of Kings," is Peru in microcosm. Awash in meztiso, the mixed-blood heritage of many peoples, the city is built upon the tiered remains of civilizations dating back 12,000 years.
Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro founded Lima in 1532 while plundering the gold and silver of the vast Incan Empire, which at one time stretched 2,500 miles from the present-day city of Quito, Ecuador, to the heart of what is now Chile. A concentration of wealth, trade and culture quickly made Lima one of the most important cities in the Americas.
Contact me to read the entire story or to discuss second rights or a rewrite. daleatherman@cs.com