Machu Picchu with my daughter

My name is Phil – I am a 2nd cousin to Diane, our fathers are 1st cousins, Allan and Ernie, who grew up in neighboring farms near Carbon Alberta
A year ago to today, August 25 2013, I traveled with my youngest daughter Naomi to the mystic and marvelous ruins of Machu Picchu, built by the Emperor Inca Pachacuti in the late 15th century just before the Spanish invasion. It was never discovered by the Spanish and therefore preserved from destruction and desecration as it was as much a religious center as a political base for the Emperor. It was my daughter Naomi who suggested that we travel together as she wanted to retrace some of my steps in my previous life. We gave ourselves 5 weeks – and in the end we realized that we could have easily had 2 more weeks. We visited tourist highlights (such as the floating villages on Lake Titicaca), geographical wonders (such as the Colca Valley, the deepest canyon in the world), we climbed mountains and visited a non-tourist Quechua village to visit the mother and family of a good friend. We toured the huacas of northern Peru where the Señor de Sipan artifacts were found and visited the museum which is filled with the wonders from the tombs discovered. But without a doubt the trip to Machu Picchu has to be a great highlight – and traveling with my daughter for 5 weeks and having the opportunity to share this time was for me the greatest aspect of this vacation.