The History of Machu Picchu

San Ramon, California resident Vikas Mishra is a solutions architect with experience working for AWS (Amazon Web Services). Outside his professional work in San Ramon, Vikas Mishra has traveled to five continents and visited the ruins of the ancient city of Machu Picchu.

A designated World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Machu Picchu sits atop an 8,000-foot peak in the Andes mountain range of Peru. American explorer Hiram Bingham revealed it to the world in 1911, although it was likely visited earlier by white missionaries. It immediately became a much sought-after destination.

Consisting of some 200 stone structures, the site is now believed by many archaeologists to have been a home for emperors and nobles of the Inca Empire, which ruled western South America before the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century.

The complex was very well-engineered, with walls, terraces, and stairways seemingly carved out of the surrounding rock. An extensive irrigation system demonstrates the Incas’ construction skills, which involved cutting stones so precisely they fit together without mortar.

Machu Picchu has also been a source of controversy. Bingham shipped many artifacts from the site to Yale University for analysis. The Peruvian government sued successfully for their return during the Obama administration.

Three Things to Do in the Galapagos Islands

An IT professional with more than two decades of experience, Vikas Mishra most recently held engineering positions with Valent and Robert Half in San Ramon, California. When he is not working, San Ramon resident Vikas Mishra enjoys traveling. Among other international destinations, he has visited the Galapagos Islands.

A chain of 18 islands located off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands is perhaps most famous for the research conducted there by Charles Darwin in the 19th century. In addition to its historic significance, the island chain offers a range of attractions and activities for the visitor. Here are three things to do on your next visit:

Hike a Volcano: Hikers flock to Galapagos for the rare opportunity to climb to the top of Sierra Negra, an active volcano located on the island of Isla Isabela. The six-hour trek passes through sweeping views of the island and the surrounding ocean before reaching the volcano’s six-mile-wide crater, which stands as the second largest in the world.

Explore Lava Tunnels: Located just a few miles from the Santa Cruz Island town of Puerto Ayora, the village of Bellavista is home to an intricate network of tunnels and caves formed by ancient lava flows. These tunnels provide endless opportunities for exploration and hiking, though be sure to wear sturdy shoes and be prepared to get on your hands and knees at points. 

Visit Tortuga Bay: Perhaps the most famous site in all the Galapagos Islands, Tortuga Bay features pristine white-sand beaches and diverse flora and fauna such as iguanas, Galapagos mockingbirds, and local cactus. Tortuga Bay is also home to the famous Galapagos marine turtle.

Unique Facts About Machu Picchu

Vikas Mishra, a San Ramon, California, IT professional working for Adobe as a senior DevOps infrastructure engineer and AWS architect, has been in the industry for more than two decades. Outside of work, Vikas Mishra of San Ramon enjoys traveling and has visited noteworthy sites such as Machu Picchu in Peru.

Part of the Inca Empire, Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Below are several interesting facts about Machu Picchu that you may not know:

1) No mortar was used to keep walls together. Despite having not having iron tools, wheels, or animal power, the Inca built Machu Picchu with no mortar. Instead, each stone used to build the city was cut to fit perfectly with the stone next to it. The fit of each stone was so precise that stones are capable of withstanding seismic activity while maintaining such a small gap that a credit card cannot be easily inserted between them.

2) Machu Picchu was never lost. Hiram Bingham III discovered Machu Picchu in 1911 during his search for Vilcabamba. Vilcabamba was a hidden capital the Inca fled to during the Spanish conquests. Upon discovering Machu Picchu, Bingham incorrectly assumed it was the Lost City of the Inca. His theory was proved wrong after his death in 1956. More research argues Machu Picchu was never lost. In fact, three families of farmers lived at the site when Bingham found it.

3) It rests 7,972 feet above sea level. The extreme altitude of Machu Picchu makes exploration of the city difficult for many visitors, and often requires extra medication or medical preparation. However, it also helped the city avoid the destruction of the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, as it cannot be seen from below.

Processing Time for New Passports

With over 20 years of experience in information technology, Vikas Mishra has worked as an Amazon Web Services cloud engineer for companies including Robert Half in San Ramon, California. Outside of his professional life, Vikas Mishra of San Ramon has traveled to multiple countries on five continents. 

The process of obtaining your first passport can take up to six weeks, so plan ahead to ensure it arrives before you leave for your trip. If you need your passport faster, you have two alternative options: 

1. For an additional fee, you can opt for expedited service, knocking your wait time down to two to three weeks. You can make the process even faster by paying for one- to two-day delivery service. 

2. You can also make an appointment to apply in person at a passport agency. When applying in person, you will need to provide proof of international travel, like your upcoming flight reservation. How long it takes to get your passport in person depends on your need, though it often takes up to eight days.