Terraces

Dozens of terraces were used to grow enough crops to sustain the people living within Machu Picchu. Incidentally, in Quecha, Machu Picchu means "old mountain." I learned that you must pronounce it Motchoo Peetchoo with the "t" sound. Pronounced Machoo Peechoo, it means "old man's penis."

An elaborate water system of spring and rain water wound its way through the maze of complexes. It is estimated that between 400-1,000 people lived within Machu Picchu for a period of less than 100 years. No one knows exactly what happened to them, but the most likely theory is that diseases (like small pox) brought by the Spanish and were carried here by animals, and then there was a mass epidemic.

There were even some alpacas grazing in the grass.