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4/1/2000 - The Race for Machu Picchu by Peter Keller

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Bryn Barnard Carole Beaulieu Mary Lynne Bird William F Foote Peter Geithner Pramila Jayapal Peter Bird Martin Judith Mayer Dorothy S Patterson Paul A Rahe Carol Rose John Spencer Edmund Sutton Dirk J Vandewalle Sally Wriggins HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A PK THE AMERICAS Peter Keller Forest Society Fellow Institute writing about national private parks Chile Argentina The Race Machu Picchu By Peter Keller April PUC N Chile Is Machu Picchu Or I looking wrong direction All I This first Machu Picchu Sun Temple above ruins religious capital Inca Empire My hiking panions I coming journey along Inca Trail greeted sight Which surprise because during rainy season often brings enormous cloud hangs continu ously Peruvian Andes During month Peru I recall complete unbroken sunshine So Machu Picchu I Peru instead Chile where I should I Peru begin three month Spanish Castellano teachers prefer language immersion course lively Cusco The language school highly recommended along accent spoken highlands central Andes In addition I wanted investigate first proposal build cable system Urubamba River Valley Machu Picchu But first appropriate explain about history Fellowship program brought Peru As short background Musser Fellow began John Miller Musser provided fellowship through foundation General Service Foundation enable Crane Rogers Foundation provide opportunity The fellowship available people graduate degrees forestry related specialties relationship forest resource problems humans including policy makers scientists environmentalists among others John Musser college classmate John Hazard became fellow Institute These other classmate journey world after graduating never spirit exploring horizons This connection along Musser forestry sector Institute desire memorialize following death development Memorial Fellowship Initially three fellows funded pursue their aspirations The inaugu group included Gary Hartshorn studied peoples relationships forest resources tropical Latin America William Knowland investigated forests economic development Malaysia Indo nesia Deanna Donovan spent three years forests Nepal writing about fuelwood crisis country The longest Musser Fel lowship Paula Williams spent seven years studying human forest resources francophone Saharan Africa tries Senegal Burkina Faso Mali Burundi However years funded sources other Crane Rogers Foundation Cynthia Caron developed exciting opportunity through classmate Yale University enter Kingdom Bhutan learn about impact forest preservation projects people secluded country Finally Randi Movich spent Guinea reporting forest resources women reproductive health before husband Jeff returned United States prepare arrival their child For years I follow footsteps Musser Fellows I write monthly newsletters about experiences these newslet The Author Machu Picchu written Chile parts Argentina The newsletters focus private publicly owned national parks corner world along other environmental issues These newsletters different groups people those Institute regular mailing which amounts nearly entries another group nearly people I receive these monthly accounts rumblings South America The primary focus newsletters Pu malin correct pronunciation Park project southern Chile In total acreage Pumalin project largest privately purchased owned world dedicated tecting nature As studied worked tional parks nearly dozen years concept privately operated intriguing Not because I competition threat public parks because I think model itself developments manage protected natural areas U S perhaps other countries I clarify months Besides management issues I writing about variety topics including salmon farming dustry located along eastern shore Chilo Island plight indigenous Mapuche people status proposed project hydro electricity power plants Biob Futaleuf Rivers In addition I write about recent community based strategies protection natural cultural resources Valdivia Cocham Valley referred Yosemite Valley Chile The newsletters issue analysis personal experiences The Fellowship provides unique opportunity report everyday possible journals strictly focus science natural resource issues I advantage portunity share experiences behind scenes Chile Recently while residing local hostel eating fellow travelers discussion emerged about dream A woman Argentina wanted piano classical music learn German become famous lawyer overnight course My answer corny I living dream To learn Spanish national around Patagonia Yes What could better Not coming someone worked spectacular areas example river ranger Smith River Montana leading hikes visitors Glacier National Park managing public relations office Redwood National Park recently Yosemite National Park assisting development plans direct future management cherished landscape As dreams realization takes preparation combined occasional I share which given opportu degree Recreation Resource Management PK University Montana Masters Environ mental Law Vermont Law School Afterwards I Presidential Management Intern program government program designed attract recent gradu students federal service For three years I worked variet federal agencies including Environmen Protection Agency U S Forest Service Na tional Park Service based Washington D C But still after I missing I craved years international experience Thus appeared opportunity Institute Current World Affairs explore write about environmental issues Chile Af consternation healthy share bureaucracy option resign government service initial month leave absence pursue dream I regretted For should sufficient information I I doing Now story about popular archaeological South America If close mountains So saying along Inca Trail For those historic route Machu Picchu provides context contemp lation nificance Inca world Catching breath meters I couldn understand Incas would choose route maybe I light headed oxygen But kilometer guide explained reasons began sense Our first organized began other people Kenny seven veteran guiding people along trail Kenny stopped three blocks start point people As turned these Sweden spent night drink dancing Mama Africa The Uptown Irish Pub rolled unfresh nighter As probably names these hotspots cater travelers around world which makes possible spend night enjoying activity Cusco To ejection ahead Norwegians board great fodder jokes about Swedes During three drive trailhead stopped Urubamba porters would carry tents This accomplished first corner opening first seven If there thing I regret getting picture porters They amazing Here latest fancy outdoor backpacks hiking boots porters rubber sandals shorts sleeved shirt carried personal belongings wrapped plastic sheet which doubled Now packing light In Ollantaytambo before trailhead chance purchase minute supplies usual being Coca leaves Many people bination Coca leaves carbonated charcoal mixture which supposedly reduces headaches caused hikin elevations I really works people How Coca leaves though there large difference tween product processed version other purposes The final stretch kilometer starting point along single wouldn qualify country driveway rural Montana As bumping along I began wonder thousands people Machu Picchu considering there automobile The greatest asset controlling access Machu Picchu rugged terrain There there hiking along Inca Trail train Aguas Calientes Machu Picchu helicopter The helicopter service business years rying people Cusco Aguas Calientes Although environmental impact study completed helicopter allowed historic sanctuary sound sight rotors still present during second along Inca Trail Apart there other access except truly brave kayak raging Urubamba River Construction highway recently proposed Ollantaytambo Aguas Calientes luckily shelved being Having major point access advantage managing international attrac World Heritage Site That means funds effort invested route stead three other National Parks Yosemite which roads leading For Machu Picchu there controlling access means train system however chaotic For visitors continue Machu Picchu demand access The start Inca Trail Ollantaytambo PK A World Her itage Site M Picchu World Heritage Site among other places world bestowed title What Simply these special places recognized their international significance United Na tions Educational Scientific Cultural Organization UNESCO This program began ratification World Heritage Convention To World Heritage Site country government submits application World Heri Committee cultural natural resource exceptional universal value If accepted added Currently countries participating An important aspect country tains sovereignty sites My interpretation program method recognizing presenting aspects story value world society But unfortunately inter progra different In years World Heritage program similar program biosphere reserves under I conspiracy theorists society They World Heritage Site actually being managed United Nations UN being tactical training implement world order I worked three tional parks World Heritage Sites several occasions heard these fears expressed One local resident storming office demanding I about Boutros Boutros Ghali signing check former Secretary General United Nations Often I would words helmets black helicopters theorists indicate thought UN troops hiding woods national Needless paychecks U S taxpayers troops existed The reason I bring there enough issues involved managing world heritage sites enough tackle better leave fictional hypothesis bedtime reading dealing reality Enough In Government Peru declared Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary years later submitted successful application placement World Heritage List A master Machu Picchu adopted October It interesting master states roads should built Citadel endorse proposal build cable However November right develop cable system during government bidding process The company bought right company railway Machu Picchu Hotel The company Machu Picchu Cable Car S A hopes begin million project Peruvian government first approve environmental impact assessment EIA In June management created under direction The National Institute Natural Re sources INRENA National Institute Culture INC This response concerns environmental groups World Heritage Committee management Machu Picchu being coordinated among ernment authorities managing The company holding right build cable submitted EIA August Ministry Trans portation Communication although INRENA ernment agency approve project The project proposes towers between meters transport visitors within cabin attached cable extending meters Aguas Calientes visitor facilities Citadel The Citadel attraction Machu Picchu center ancient The dropoff point would nearly meters Cita entrance Two cable would travel trans porting visitors Machu Picchu capacity people In response international concern about cable proposal UNESCO mission three people Peru October investigate issue The mission concluded construction infrastructure would seriously affect World Heritage Values authentic integrity Citadel surrounding landscape The mission recommended carrying capacity undertaken overall planning Aguas Calientes village initiated along reorganizing possibly ducing number visitor facilities Citadel Also mission asked notified Peruvian govern approves EIA In December World Heritage Committee Marrakesh Morocco review report Mission Peru October determine further recom mendations Like United Nations operating UNESCO through World Heritage Committee direct authority manage World Heritage Sites How power suggestion recom mendation When pollution construction natural disasters threaten sites World Heritage Committee option placing sites List World Heritage Sites Danger This helped focus inter national attention emergency conserva actions Currently there sites including Everglades National Park Florida parts Timbuktu Mali Although Committee supported report ommendations elect place Machu Picchu List World Heritage Sites Danger One reason Peru Government officially agreed It seems factors company actually begin approval Environmental Impact Assessment Presidential politics As early April EIA approved according staff World Heritage Com mittee closely watching project As presidential politics cable proposal level issue volving national debate Peru The outcome runoff Presidential election accelerate project towards ground breaking President Alberto Fujimori supports posal would forward His opponent Alejandro Toledo would assume Presidency Machu Picchu Lima tradi tional Toledo strong Indian majority country because Andean peasant family worked ladder become World Bank economist The direction cable posal could change crease Setting quotas access proposed there reason believe measures could imple mented especially along Inca Trail But pressure travel industry icult place limits train access route The number visitors Machu Picchu sensitive issue environmentalists government preceding In Cusco I hiking friend Audrey works governmental organization specializing ecotourism issues visit local National Insti Culture office Instituto Nacional Cultura This bureau manages sites Machu Picchu We looking answers questions How people visited Machu Picchu Are proposed Is cable proposal still alive After shuffled three different rooms explaining several times finally information wanted Our handler reported after extensive consultation another associate would write official letter government requesting information After planation about rests grudgingly visitation statistics The final result meeting piece paper visita total people That average people although maximum count reached August This includes Inca Trail offshoots entrance point One alarming statistics recent increase visitation along Inca Trail In people hiked trail years later annual total increased tenfold increase As overall total comparison Yosemite National Park receives nearly million people three million flock eastern Yosemite Valley square miles Machu Picchu covers square kilome square miles which allows dispersion After reached trailhead began kilome Machu Picchu The first trail I began alize still being nontourism purposes years before height Inca civiliza The still really means transport crops other sustenance country river valley Except sional Coca Cola someone house A gentle meter looming above campsite That first night stayed campesino house chickens lulling sleep The second began ended sound pelting After breakfast pancakes Kenny peptalk prepare pendulum Inca trail meter climb before I could sense among group unspoken spirit competition would first Not brisk I first But within I realized I Dutch couple zipped Next Argentine Kiwi skipping along I delayed recover respiratory infection I caught Cusco I beginning think I should waited Just prior Spanish teacher Jorge realized needed serious attention fered Dina doctor He appointment night would family house Earlier evening family I staying previous three weeks begun experimenting cooked remedies I throat earache difficulty swallowing pains thorax front So housemother insisted placing special The thing fixed I outside window nights which thing illness When Dina arrived brought medical vital signs After short consultation Jorge I would shots I thought would convoluted process But wrote plain piece paper supplies drugs needed signed Then housemother PK walked street farmacia purchased supplies about When housemother returned Dina rolled sleeves syringe began trans ferring liquids glass another until ready I began wonder Is right It pants After making I faint allergic penicillin Dina Jorge headed without charge accepting offer payment Of course I needed three shots I I survived remaining shots fully covered strength I Dead Woman Pass highest point Inca Trail exhausted ready lunch But still several kilometers ahead After short siesta group continued second evening called Sayacmarca This perched mountain ridge fortress But Kenny explained Inca elite complete patios shrines storage rooms possible astro nomic observatory canals supplied permanent source water bathing cooking That evening dinner separate Inca below Sayacmarca served check station hundred years before reconstructed serves field National Institute Culture The Sayacmarca Inca right The switchback Ci tadel connecting Aguas Calientes Machu Picchu The proposed cable system would located above extend river valley below within meters Citadel Machu Picchu staff visiting archeologists organized tours The thatched walls perfectly carved rocks floor candlelit porters speaking native Quechua tongue stimulated sense being After dinner Kenny stories ghosts porters encountered previous trips signifi cance afterlife native people The stories perhaps reality beginning waited break The subsided porters guided campsite their flash lights The dense created atmosphere walking clouds flashlights illuminating stone ahead created eerie sense vertigo Although Inca empire existed barely century century evening I could sworn Pachacutec leading shelter If another follower Pachacutec Inca noted beginning expansion Inca Empire tually extended Quito Ecuador north Santiago Chile south He Genghis Khan South America The third awoke again thanks porters breakfast prepare Wi aywayna Lodge final night Trail Prior hiking trail I heard about place fellow travelers The lodge surround buildings campsites house hundreds people night provide amenities music lively nightlife At first I mortified thought outpost along Inca Trail The purist wanted outside influences along route should years before Incas trekked Machu Picchu However three I problem shower chair place That evening Kenny briefed schedule later opinion about manage Trail Machu Picchu including posals cable system visitation quotas Kenny primary concern protection Inca culture If means reduction visitation alternative transportation Machu Picchu supports result business He feels comes protecting Machu Picchu money should matter He international money rubbing thumb fingers speaking about cable proposal because company Machu Picchu Hotel railroad rights project If built cable would Aguas Calientes Machu Picchu visitor facili I thought Kenny would proposal grounds visual intrusion Citadel which feature historic sanctuary surprised saying supported although different reasons motivation proponents The winding Machu Picchu landscape causes erosion hillside He feels buses travel cause vibrations destabilize He feels cable system reduce erosion vibrations On other construction cable system produce vibrations would still place service visitor facilities We concluded night agreeing PK dozen other needed sleep prepare early departure In order crowds arrive Machu Picchu begins around However everyone staying Wi aywayna filled excitement pinnacle Inca sites Thus morning spent jockeying trail either passing others moving prevent hostile takeover To least pleasant experience rainy season I imagine atmosphere during season twice hikers trail vying first sight Machu Picchu After hurrying nothing relaxed while curtain slowly lifted mysterious Machu Picchu For three hours Kenny guided through Inca world interpreted scholars remaining clues answer basic questions build where The Incas written language Spaniards never found It believed Incas doned before Conquistadors arrived South America Thus nestled saddle mountain discovered North American Hiram Bingham little anything known about At century still complete answers these basic questions however little learned other sites found story Machu Picchu For simple things intriguing about Machu Picchu For instance metry It situated saddle tween mountain peaks To north Huayna Picchu meaning young south Machu Picchu meaning Incidentally those pictures Citadel Huayna Picchu background Machu Picchu From center saddle there single where bottom canyon Urubamba River sides ridge The spectacular because river large shape horseshoe around ancient before ntinuing toward Amazon Basin The linchpin Citadel Central Plaza where construction began terraces At southern Plaza terraces The Temple Sun This temple round building Citadel At point symmetrical simplicity clearly pronounced cardinal directions circle middle I amazed sheer effort skill build Citadel Each stones masonry prefitted carved nearby quarry transported construction That means essence Machu Picchu actually built twice Much quality stonework fitted together carving tongue groove features stone engineering nique created stronger foundation Some founda stones small Moving place itself At other Inca sites there dence boulders moved across Urubamba River waiting season diverting river around boulder before continuing transporta destined Whatever Incas trying perched Andes still mystery because brain formed western framework efficiency produc tivity compute For starters Inca Trail never either Energy saving techniques using switchbacks contouring trail another instead mountainside again In addition there easier routes Machu Picchu utilized How thing I spiritual place features history Citadel watching others reactions first experience Machu Picchu One couple I noticed seemed trance their dropped glassy their When spoke quiet hushed tones almost whispering other knowing stinct perhaps enter place connected other dimen sions underworld above before after As I terrace overlooking Citadel quiet prior onslaught busses brought night Sacaymarca nearly floating through Slowly frame changed techno world mystical world Incas based values ritual balance concerned manner which arrived And I reminded I mountains serenity And I think perhaps reason Incas spiri renewal PK FELLOWS AND THEIR ACTIVITIES Institute Current World Affairs EUROPE RUSSIA Adam Smith Albion Uzbekistan A former research associate Institute EastWest Stud Pra Czech Republic Adam studying about republics Central Asia their importance actors within without former Soviet A Harvard gradu History Adam completed first M Litt Degree Russian East European history guages Oxford University Gregory Feifer Russia With fluent Russian Master Harvard Gregory worked Moscow political editor Agence France Presse weekly Russia Journal Greg Russia latest failures economic political reform continuation failed attempts Westernization began Peter Great failures succession behind scenes elites Russia behind mythic facade strong rulers centuries He plans assess continuation these cultural underpinnings Russian governance Gorbachev Yeltsin succession Whitney Mason Turkey A freelance print television rnalist Whit began founding newspaper called The Siberian Review Novosibirsk worked editor Vladivostok News wrote Asiaweek magazine Hong Kong In switched radio video journalism working Bosnia Korea CBS As ICWA Fellow studying writing about Turkey nexus between East West tween traditional secular Islam Jean Beno Nadeau France A French Canadian journalist playwright Jean Beno drama National Theater School Montreal ceived B A McGill University Political Science His The holder several Canadian magazine investigative journalism awards spending ICWA fellowship years France studying resistance French trend nomic cultural globalization SOUTH ASIA Shelly Renae Browning Australia A surgeon specializing hearing Dr Browning studying approaches traditi healers among Aborigi Australia indigenous peoples Vanuatu problems She B S Chemistry University South studied physician patient relationships China Australia Thomas J Watson Fellowship M D Emory University Atlanta Before ICWA fellow Fellow Skull Base Surgery Montreal McGill University Department Otolaryngology SAHARA Marc Michaelson Ethiopia A program manager Save Children The Gambia Marc moved across Africa Horn there assess nation build Eritrea Ethiopia conditions permitting availing unavailing humanitarian efforts northern Somalia south Sudan With B A political science Tufts degree study London School Economics Master International Peace Studies Notre Dame scribes postgraduate years seven years experience international development programming peace research THE AMERICAS Wendy Call Mexico A Healthy Societies Fellow Wendy spending years Mexico Isthmus Tehuantepec immersed contradic trends attempt industrialize develop along proposed Caribbean Pacific containerized railway desire indigenous peoples preserve their Mexico remaining growth forests With B A Biology Oberlin Wendy worked munications coordinator Grassroots International national campaign director Infact corporate accountability organiza Paige Evans Cuba A playwright former Literary Manager Manhattan Theatre Club New York City Paige looking Cuba through performing With History Literature B A Harvard served counselor Buckhorn Children Center Buckhorn Kentucky Arts Editor International Courier Rome Italy adjunct professor teaching course Contemporary American Play wrights New York University She joined Manhattan The Club Peter Keller Chile Public affairs officer Redwood National Park Yosemite National Park before fellowship Peter holds B S Recreation Resource Management University Montana Masters Environmental Law Ver Law School As John Miller Musser Memorial Forest Society Fellow spending years Chile Argentina comparing operations parks forest reserves controlled Chilean Argentine governments those controlled private persons governmental organizations Susan Sterner Brazil A staff photographer Associated Press Los Angeles Susan received B A International Studies Cultural An thropology Emory University Master Latin American Studies Vanderbilt AP ranging signments Haiti Mexico along U S Mexican border Her fellowship topic lives status Brazilian women Tyrone Turner Brazil A photojournalist Black Star whose appeared U S newspapers magazines Tyrone holds Master degree Government Latin American politics Georgetown University produced photo essays youth violence New Orleans genocide Rwanda mining In donesia As Institute Fellow photographing writing about Brazilian youth S Paulo industrial South Recife Salvador Northeast ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers subscription Phone E Mail ICWA valley Fax Web Site Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Administrator Gary L Hansen Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The information contained publication reproduced without writer permission PK Author Keller Peter Title ICWA Letters The Americas ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia South Asia Mideast North Africa Europe Russia Sub Saharan Africa Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The esult unique reporting analysis periodic assessment international events issues Institute Current World Affairs THE CRANE ROGERS FOUNDATION Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 USA