At the end of Part 1 we had just arrived at 7 a.m. with our guide to explore Circuit 1 of Machu Picchu. This one provides the iconic views like the one above, but doesn’t allow entry into the interior of the ancient complex. That would be happening with our tickets for Circuit 2 at 1 p.m.

Machu Picchu’s altitude is around 8,000 feet above sea level, less than what we are used to in Cuenca. Still, the ascent was somewhat steep and challenging. While climbing we got a preview of what we were about to witness.

And suddenly there it was. The view was everything we could have ever hoped for. Photos cannot properly capture the magnificence of not only the site itself but the surrounding mountains. Breathtaking!

As we were taking it all in, our guide caught us completely off guard by saying, “My next tour isn’t until 11 o’clock. When we’re finished here I’ll talk to someone and see if we can go ahead and do Circuit 3 if you'd like.”

Well, sure!

So o...