Inside Machu Picchu
I met quite a few travellers who were quite disappointed by Machu Picchu since they came with the expectation to see a true world wonder. When I visited Machu Picchu, my expectations were quite low, I thought of it as a place full of tourists with only one famous viewpoint. I was so surprised when I arrived at the Incan city and realised that it is actually possible to walk inside the ruins!
In the foreground of this photo you can admire the Incan architecture. Contrary to other ancient cultures, the Incans did not decorate their buildings with extravagant rock reliefs, but what is amazing is how they managed to cut these huge rocks to perfectly fit inside another without any need for cement.
Camera Gear
The camera I used to capture this photo is a Sony A37 (APS-C) with a Sony DT 18-135mm F3,5–5,6 SAM lens.
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Machu Picchu is definitely a bucket list place for me. This is a really cool window shot.
Thanks! Machu Picchu is such a cool place, much more than the postcard photo you would usually have in mind :)
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Your observation of travellers being disappointed by Machu Picchu strikes a chord. I’ve had a fortunate life during which I’ve travelled to many wonderful parts of the world, and despite nothing ever being quite as I’d expected, I’ve always found something that’s inspired me. Perhaps the lack of intricate decoration on the stonework drew their attention away from an amazing feat of engineering that centuries later, would be difficult to achieve?
I honestly don’t know the answer, but as travel become easier and places more accessible to more people, I’m beginning to meet more travellers who seem to travel only in order to criticize and complain about what they find.
Thanks for sharing .. Geoff @poorcirculation
Its not just travelers. Its just people in the modern world. Group together and complain about things. Sad reality of our times.
I think there is a huge difference between people who travel. There are the "true" travellers who often travel long-term and really want to experience a place, and there are the people travelling with a tourist-mindset with, a bucket list, little time and a huge demand for the same level of comfort which they have at home. The latter are the ones that often complain :D
There was this Indian guy who was in my hiking group knew Machu Picchu from an Indian music video that is called "Kilimanjaro", you have to watch it :D
Unless Kilimanjaro has a different meaning in Hindi, one wonders how many fellow music fans have flocked to Tanzania and been surprised by how different the backdrop appeared?
To my original comment, perhaps @intrepidphotos is right, and it is just a sad reality of our times?
I've always anticipated the complaints and gripes of tourists, but when I first started travelling back in the 1980's, the fellow long-term travellers I'd meet along the way were all generally positive and fun to hang-out with. Not only that, but pre-internet, if you wanted to know what was ahead of you on the road, then fellow travellers were the only people you could ask and share information with. It was a community of strangers, who helped each other to keep moving forwards.
My current journey is about to enter its tenth year, but many of the long-term travellers I meet today appear to have adopted the tourist trait of complaining, to the point where I'll now go out of my way to avoid spending time with them.
Personally, I think the change in attitude I've witnessed can be summed up in one technical invention, the Selfie Stick. Even ten years ago, fellow travellers were the only true source of information vital to the next stage of your journey. Travellers travelled for themselves, because they wanted to learn and grow as individuals, but today, perhaps, it's more about using the Selfie Stick to grow their social media audience? .......... just a thought.
Travelling has become so easy and common that a lot of people are travelling now who wouldn't have travelled some decades ago. My Chinese teacher (who is from China but now lives in Germany) is always making fun of the Asian tourists who are travelling to Europe primarily as a status symbol to be able to post photos on social media, I think you do have a point with your selfie stick argument...
Maybe the internet is part of the problem as well. Some people are planning everything in advance and have seen dozens of photos and reviews of their accommodation and the places they plan to visit before they get there, so of course, they have certain expectations and are not open-minded at all.
I had an amazing time when travelling without any wifi-device for months and think that travelling is all about the experience and not planning ahead. After all, I think that not the travellers have changed, but there are more people travelling now who don't have a traveller's mindset.
Lovely shot! I came from Tomas’ challenge, and I just want to say again I was so stunned by this magical place. I felt lucky that I had a very low expectation about it and turned out to be greatly surprised. :)
I felt exactly the same. Having experienced amazing but overcrowded sites like the Iguacu Falls, my expectations were quite low, but being in Peru of course I had to visit Machu Picchu! To my surprise, while there were many tourists at the entrance, they quickly spread all over the place. Machu Picchu was so amazing, the nature as well as the Incan city itself, and I was also lucky to experience different weather conditions. Did you also see how well the Incan drainage system is still working after a heavy rain? I also ended up staying the whole day and loved every minute, another highlight was climbing Machu Picchu mountain where I enjoyed this view: https://julianpetersphotography.de/photo/machu-picchu-mountain/
Yes I noticed the Incan drainage system, it's simply amazing that all the rain water just flew along the channels like that! I also climbed the Machu Picchu mountain! I think many others go climb that Huayna Picchu, so again I was afraid it would be over-crowded there, and I'm happy I chose the first one - there's almost no others on the trail, but it's getting pretty steep later. Your photo at the top looks awesome, and a bit scary standing there ;).
I can't believe anyone was disappointed with MP! 😣
Obviously they don't know how to appreciate one's culture and history
I absolutely loved Machu Picchu! Even if it hadn't been for the amazing ruins, the Andean nature is so impressive at this place. But I think the issue is when you have super high expectations when visiting "one of the 7 new world wonders", you can only be disappointed..
Incredible! It always amazes me how people back then without all the modern technology can build such amazing structures. Nice photo!
I still wonder how they managed to transport all these huge rocks there, they must have been organised very well. Thanks for your comment! :)
One place I would love to see even though I am not good with heights. I think it would be worth the fear.
Totally :) The height shouldn't be an issue, unless you decide to climb Machu Picchu Mountain ;) https://julianpetersphotography.de/photo/machu-picchu-mountain/
It is one of the most amazing places I have seen. Love the shot too!
Thank you! I loved Machu Picchu and enjoyed staying there the whole day, even when it started to rain. A truly amazing place!
Maybe it's time for me to go back again. It was one of my very first trips with a DSLR 13 years ago. I'm sur it's changed a bit since then... at least rules for photographers.
The Peruvian government was actually attempting to sell Machu Picchu and other Incan sites to private companies when I was there! But I think they stopped the sale after huge protests, so Machu Picchu itself hasn't changed much probably. But with better photography skills, the view on a place changes, so it would certainly be worth going back!
Lovely! Such a neat place. :)
It is an amazing place!