This photo was taken on March 10, 2009 at the end of a grueling four-day hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru.  Despite the rainy season, we were very lucky to have an almost rain-free four-day hike as well as a rain-free day at Machu Picchu.  This was one of the few super dooper famous sites I have been to (along with Angkor Wat) where the old happiness = reality/expectations equation didn’t come back to bite me in the butt.  However, I have heard of other traveler’s who have found the whole thing much ado about nothing.  I don’t really know what’s with those guys, I just want you to be forwarned.  Oh, one more thing, while there was lots of good in Peru, there was lots of bad and ugly, especially in Aguas Calientes, just down the mountain from Machu Picchu.