I had wanted to visit Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley for many years, and finally was able to do so in August, 2007. It is a fantastic place in its own right, though I found the experience of visiting it was somewhat disappointing.

As a photographer-type, I had seen thousands of photographs of Machu Picchu. I'd also gotten a glimpse of its glories in film from watching Motorcycle Diaries.

So, as sometimes happens, my preconceived notions of what I would see didn't converge with reality. In Aguas Calientes, we arrived at the bus depot at 5:30 a.m. sharp, tickets in hand, ready to be transported up the mountain to see the sun rise, hopefully on the very first bus. But, there were already 300+ souls standing in line ahead of us. Thanks to its iconic status, it seems the only way to experience the ruins of Machu Picchu without crowds must be to walk through them in the moonlight. Once we arrived, the scene was a bit of a circus--Americans doing yoga, some British kids forming a human pyramid, and dozens of tour guides herding their flocks. Fortunately, the place itself tends to transcend the human crush.

Machu Picchu, in August, was difficult to photograph. Farmers in the area were burning their fields, as has been the practice for centuries, prior to planting in the spring. Combined with several forest fires in the area, the air was very smokey.

We stayed, as everyone does, in Aguas Calientes--a small tourist spot derided in most guidebooks, but an interesting place nonetheless.