This is the second half of journal entries by Carol Devorkin, a Bibliographer for the Antiquarian, Rare, and Collectible books at BWB. You can read part one here. July 2nd

It’s Machu Picchu Day!

It is raining and cool. Grasses, cacti and succulents lay claim to their space. Some farms at first. Cattle are tethered to rocks. Bright white Calla lilies are farmed for market.

As we travel farther, more varieties of flora join in, adding some pink and white trumpet shaped flowers on bushes and trees. Some of the reeds gently brush against the trains windows. Deeper in the cloud forest we see orchids and bromeliads.The cloud cover comes and goes. The mountains are all business. Huge, sheer rock, with patches of flora. The forest sits at the bottom of the ruins. The touring paths have become muddy, and have been covered with plastic sheets. The steps are damp and uneven. At the first rest stop, Janet and I opt to remain. The group will come for us on the way back. These ruins are so important, because the entire city is intact. As the Spaniards came, the Incans fled to the forest.

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