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.

Three Tips when Visiting Australia for the First Time

Vikas Mishra formerly served as an AWS DevOps architect and cloud engineer for Robert Half International in San Ramon, California. An avid traveler, Vikas Mishra of San Ramon has visited multiple continents, including Australia. 

Australia’s massive size leads to a diversity of experiences, from the vibrant cities to the lush rainforests and sandy beaches. The following three considerations will help first-time visitors make the most of their trip: 

1. Seasons. Because it is in the southern hemisphere, Australia’s seasons happen at the opposite time of year from what many travelers from the western hemisphere are used to. That said, the northern portion of the country typically experiences massive storms and lots of rain between November and April. 

2. Size. While Australia is indeed a country, it is also its own continent. With that in mind, planning to explore one specific area will give you more time to enjoy your vacation. If you try to cram the entire country into two weeks, a large portion of that time will be spent traveling, giving you less time to see the sights.

3. Tipping. Tipping is not customary in Australia. Most restaurants, hotels, taxis, and bars do not expect patrons to tip. However, you can leave a small tip to acknowledge great service at upscale dining establishments.

The Difference Between IaaS, SaaS, and PaaS

An AWS cloud engineer and architect, Vikas Mishra works at Robert Half, a San Ramon, California-based staffing company. Prior to this, the San Ramon resident held various roles in the IT industry that granted him experience in areas such as the design and development of software applications. Vikas Mishra has developed a strong understanding of PaaS and IaaS as well as Saas, three models of cloud service..

The average consumer is likely most familiar with SaaS (software as a service), which covers such services as Netflix and Gmail. With this model, customers don’t have to worry about maintaining, updating, or developing software. Instead, they use software that was developed and deployed by the SaaS provider.

The other two models are platform as a service (PaaS) and infrastructure as a service (IaaS).Typically, customers buying IaaS services are responsible for maintaining and installing operating systems, databases, and applications. Meanwhile, the provider manages networking, storage, and other services. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure are examples of IaaS.

Finally, there are PaaS services. While SaaS provides customers with a developed software, PaaS services only provide customers with the resources needed to develop and deploy software on their own. This is perfect for customers who want to focus only on developing applications without having to worry about the business side of the software, such as scalability.

Historic Sites of Jaipur in Northern India

A San Ramon, California-based entrepreneur, Vikas Mishra has extensive experience in IT infrastructure development. An international traveler, Vikas Mishra has visited five continents and had the experience to explore areas ranging from Machu Picchu in Peru to Jaipur in India.

The capital of northern India’s Rajasthan state, Jaipur is a historical city with many well-preserved glimpses of the past. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jantar Mantar was created by astronomer, scholar, and maharaja Jai Singh II in the early 18th century. Featuring 19 large stone instruments, the outdoor assemblage includes the world’s largest sundial, which can tell the date and time based on the sun and planetary patterns. Additionally, stone instruments on the grounds are used to calculate celestial latitude, longitude, and altitude.

A hilltop highlight is the 16th-century Amer Fort, which was constructed by Raja Man Singh and features high walls and embankments. Noteworthy for its Indo-Islamic architectural style, the walled interior is populated by exquisite temples, palaces, and courtyards. The Mira Mandir is particularly well known and has been featured prominently as a setting in the Bollywood hit Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

When to Visit Turkey

Vikas Mishra of San Ramon, California, leverages more than two decades of IT experience to design, deploy, and monitor various computer applications using AWS (Amazon Web Services). In his time away from work, Vikas Mishra enjoys travel to foreign countries, including Turkey.

Turkey’s high season for tourists is roughly April through September, which spans the country’s spring, summer, and fall seasons. Spring in Turkey, from March to May, is characterized by long days and temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 

While there is some rainfall in April, the skies stay mostly clear throughout the spring season, leaving plenty of activities open to tourists. Hotels in much of the country are fully booked in these months, and prices are generally high. However, spring is an off-season for beach resorts along the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.

In the summer months, temperatures get very hot in most regions of Turkey. In June through August, the average daytime temperature stays between 80 and 90 degrees in areas such as Cappadocia, Fethiye, and Istanbul. Rainfall is at a minimum during these months, and beach resorts are crowded and expensive. Fortunately, this is when tourists can find plenty of deals inland.

In the autumn months of September and October, temperatures are mild, but the days are noticeably shorter. Rainfall also picks up in October. Many hotels again fill up, particularly in Istanbul and Cappadocia, which leads to higher prices. Beach resort prices drop in autumn, however.

Winter is the least popular time to visit Turkey because of the low temperatures and high rainfall from November through February. However, the weather is offset by smaller crowds and lower prices, which makes winter a good option for visitors looking for an affordable vacation.

Trekking to Machu Picchu in the Andes

A longtime San Ramon, California, technology professional, Vikas Mishra engages with Robert Half as an AWS solutions architect. Outside of his work in the San Ramon area, Vikas Mishra enjoys experiencing new cultures and has visited locales from Australia to Machu Picchu. 

Situated in the Peruvian Andes, Machu Picchu was part of the Inca Empire and stands as one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries of the early 20th century. Since Hiram Bingham and local farmers rediscovered the abandoned city in 1911, the site has earned UNESCO World Heritage status. It attracts thousands of visitors each day, both by tour bus and on foot. 

The classic way of reaching Machu Picchu is via a 26-mile stretch of the Inca Trail, which has been in use for centuries and features cobblestones along much of its length. The high-altitude hike takes four days from the terminus of Ollantaytambo on the Sacred Valley railway line and traverses a number of minor Inca ruins before reaching the Sun Gate, or Inti Punku. At this point, dramatic drystone terraces emerge on the steep mountainside, reflecting centuries of agricultural history.

If trekking into Machu Picchu, it makes sense to plan well in advance, as only 200 trekkers, accompanied by 300 trekking staff, are allowed on the Inca Trail on a daily basis.

A Look at AWS Certification

Vikas Mishra, a recent AWS solutions architect for Robert Half International, is based in San Ramon, California. While in San Ramon, Vikas Mishra has completed several certification exams offered by Amazon Web Services, the web giant’s cloud platform.

Today, many companies are utilizing cloud computing platforms for the majority of their workload. As a result, those in the information technology field are finding that they must be fluent in designing, deploying, and managing cloud-based applications. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is often the platform of choice for public cloud services.

AWS offers nine different certifications that validate technical knowledge in several areas. The related exams are known for their rigor and thoroughness. Each exam serves as a tool to measure an employee’s skills and understanding of key concepts in AWS technologies.

The AWS solutions architect exam validates the ability to design and deploy secure applications on AWS and measures the ability to define, design, and implement a solution using architectural design principles. 

The AWS developer exam validates proficiency in developing, deploying, and debugging cloud-based applications, while the AWS sysops administrator exam measures expertise in deployment, management, and operations of AWS.