Maca, de wonderknol?

Onlangs ontvingen we van één van onze bezoekers een heel open e-mail met een duidelijke vraag die onze aandacht trok. De e-mail begon zo: "Zoals ik al eerder in diverse reacties had aangegeven ben ik een burn-out patiënt en daardoor heb ik ook (hopelijk tijdelijk) last van impotentie als bijwerking van een sterk verminderd libido. Ik heb van alles al geprobeerd. Van die blauwe pilletjes, waar ik de naam maar niet per e-mail noem i.v.m. spamfilters (Viagra red.) Ik kreeg idd een kloppende kop, alleen was dat helaas de verkeerde kop. Dat was dus één keer en nooit meer die zooi. Toen ben ik wat middelen op natuurlijke basis gaan proberen. Een paar maanden terug kreeg ik van een mede-GW'er de tip over de Maca wortel welke in poedervorm, maar ook in pilvorm verkrijgbaar is en bovendien voor zowel de man als de vrouw werkzaam is. Wat ik weten wil: Wat weten jullie van deze wortel en heeft er iemand ervaring mee? En zo ja, is het een aanrader? Waarom is er nog geen artikel over deze wortel?" Aldus de e-mailschrijver die in de kantlijn nog liet weten dat hij weinig op heeft met de zogenaamde 'farma-maffia'. Begrijpelijk, het kan inderdaad ook anders met de Maca-knol: (Maca knol) Erectiestoornis en impotentie De termen erectiestoornis en impotentie worden nogal eens door elkaar gebruikt. Bij een erectiestoornis raakt men wel opgewonden, maar wordt de penis niet stijf genoeg voor geslachtsverkeer of is de erectie maar van korte duur. Uw arts gebruikt voor een erectiestoornis de term erectiele disfunctie. Impotentie is een wat bredere term waarbij er ook sprake kan zijn van een libido-probleem of anders gezegd het geen zin hebben in seks. De gevoelens van opwinding en lust blijven dan - net zoals de erectie - uit. Stress, overmatig alcohol- of drugsgebruik, gebruik van bepaalde medicatie, depressie of neerslachtigheid zijn dan meestal de achterliggende oorzaken. Wat dat betreft past onze e-mailschrijver dankzij zijn burn-out in het plaatje. Slapper dan gedacht De noodkreet van onze e-mailschrijver is overigens niet uniek. Volgens onderzoek heeft in Nederland ongeveer 1 op de 7 mannen van 18 jaar en ouder last van erectiestoornissen. Omdat het onderwerp nogal gevoelig ligt, niet voor iedereen even makkelijk bespreekbaar, zou het werkelijke cijfer best wel eens hoger kunnen liggen. Ook komt het voor dat problemen met het hebben of behouden van een erectie van tijdelijke aard zijn, zodat niet iedereen naar een dokter gaat. Tegenwoordig kan een arts verschillende soorten medicatie aanbieden, van pillen tot injecties. En natuurlijk kennen al deze middelen ook ongewenste neveneffecten. Zo kan het gebruik van Viagra hoofdpijn, blozen, duizeligheid, bonkende hartslag, problemen met het zicht en een verstopte neus veroorzaken. Klik hier om de bijsluiter van Viagra te lezen. ("Gringo! Vergeet pillen en neem een knol!" lijkt deze Peruviaan te denken.) In Nederland is een aantal medicijnen op de markt voor de behandeling van erectiestoornissen, waaronder Androskat, Cialis, Levitra, Muse en Viagra. Deze medicijnen werken over het algemeen alleen gecombineerd met seksuele stimulatie. Dus wanneer de man niet langer opgewonden is, verdwijnt de erectie. Samen met de arts kun je bepalen welk middel het meest geschikt is. Androskat (werkzame stoffen: fentolamine en papaverine) Dit middel wordt via een injectie toegediend en zorgt ervoor dat de spieren in het zwellichaam van de penis slapper worden en dat de bloedvaten wijder worden. Hierdoor stroomt er meer bloed in het zwellichaam, waardoor er een erectie kan ontstaan. De werking treedt vrijwel onmiddellijk in, ook zonder seksuele prikkeling, en is maximaal na ongeveer 15 minuten. De duur van de erectie is afhankelijk van de dosering en de oorzaak van de erectiestoornis. Cialis (werkzame stof: tadalafil) Dit middel zorgt voor vaatverwijding waardoor de bloedtoevoer naar de zwellichamen in de penis verbetert. Hiermee krijg en behoud je een erectie bij seksuele prikkeling. Cialis heeft een werkingsduur van 36 uur. Levitra (werkzame stof: vardenafil) Dit middel stimuleert de bloedtoevoer naar de penis wanneer je seksueel geprikkeld wordt of opgewonden bent. Je neemt Levitra ongeveer 25 tot 60 minuten vóór seksuele activiteit in. De werking houdt zo'n 4 tot 5 uur aan. Muse (werkzame stof: alprostadil) Dit middel wordt toegediend via een staafje dat wordt ingebracht in de plasbuis. Het medicijn wordt daardoor rechtstreeks in de penis ingebracht. Na toediening resulteert Muse in 5 tot 10 minuten in een erectie, ook zonder seksuele prikkeling. Muse is al voorgevuld en meteen klaar voor gebruik. Viagra (werkzame stof: sildenafil) Dit is waarschijnlijk het bekendste middel tegen erectiestoornissen. Viagra zorgt ervoor dat de bloedvaten in de penis zich ontspannen. Zo kan er bij seksuele prikkeling makkelijker bloed in de penis stromen waardoor een erectie ontstaat. Je neemt Viagra in ongeveer 1 uur voor de seksuele activiteit. De werking houdt vervolgens zo'n 4 tot 5 uur aan. Bron. Hoewel de farmaceutische industrie verschillende preparaten aanbiedt blijft de werking daarvan louter gericht op de fysiologische aspecten. Om weer zin in seks of libido te krijgen zijn ze nutteloos. Het is overigens een fabel dat men door het slikken van Viagra of aanverwante medicatie gelijk een erectie krijgt. Wie niet seksueel geprikkeld raakt krijgt ook, ondanks de preparaten, geen erectie. Maca: van oudsher gewaardeerd Om het libido te verhogen zijn er tal van middelen op de markt die allemaal wonderen beloven. Helaas blijkt dan maar al te vaak dat het enige 'wonder' van dergelijke middelen is dat er ergens wat handige jongens en meisjes rijk worden door de verkoop van gebakken lucht aan radeloze mensen. Toch zijn niet alle 'wondermiddeltjes' flauwekul. Het knolgewas Maca (Lepidium meyenii) verdient wat dat betreft wat meer aandacht. Maca (Lepidium Meyenii) is een knolgewas uit Peru. Het is een taaie plant die vanaf 4.000 meter en hoger in het barre klimaat Andesgebergte weet te overleven. De lokale bevolking weet deze eetbare plant als sinds mensenheugenis op verschillende manieren te gebruiken. De knollen van de Maca plant smaken zoetig en kunnen zowel rauw als verwerkt gegeten worden en vormen een goede bron van voedsel. Maar er is meer. De lokale bevolking meende dat de Maca ook goed zou zijn voor verschillende kwalen, je algehele conditie en je uithoudingsvermogen. Zoals gezegd groeit de Maca vanaf ongeveer 4.000 meter hoogte in de onherbergzame Andes. Toen de Spaanse conquistadores het gebied introkken moesten ze noodgedwongen halt houden. De Spanjaarden waren bang om hun paarden te verliezen omdat er niet genoeg voedsel voor de dieren in het ruige Junin-gebied te vinden zou zijn. Een ander probleem was dat de paarden zó hoog boven het zeeniveau hun vruchtbaarheid verloren en zodoende zou er geen nieuwe aanwas zijn. Al snel kwamen de Spanjaarden er achter dat er wel degelijk goed voedsel voor hun paarden was dat ook nog eens de vruchtbaarheid van de dieren positief beïnvloedde: de Maca. Niet lang daarna brachten hun paarden prachtige veulens voort die ondanks de grote hoogte uitgroeiden tot mooie grote paarden. Het is dus niet verwonderlijk dat de onderworpen Inca's hun belasting in Maca knollen aan de Spanjaarden mochten betalen. (En de boer? Hij ploegde voort...) Dat de Maca een krachtig voedingssupplement was wisten ook de Inca krijgsheren. Zij gaven hun krijgers tijdens oorlogen en rooftochten de knollen te eten. Ze waren ervan overtuigt dat de Maca de soldaten meer energie en vitaliteit zouden geven. Maar als de krijgers eenmaal een stad of nederzetting veroverd hadden mochten ze geen Maca meer eten. De reden voor het tijdelijke Maca verbod was om te voorkomen dat de onderworpen vrouwen verkracht werden. (Bron PDF Alert) Onderzoeken (zie voor bronnen hieronder) hebben uitgewezen dat mannen door het gebruik van Maca meer sperma produceerden (inclusief verhoogde aantallen zaadcellen en de beweeglijkheid daarvan.) Op zich al een aardige wetenswaardigheid, maar er is meer. Een 8 weken durend onderzoek onder volwassen mannen waarbij de controle groepen 1.500 mg Maca, 3.000 mg Maca of een placebo kregen toonde aan dat de mannen die Maca hadden gekregen verbeteringen zagen in hun libido. Hoe het middel precies werkt om het libido te verhogen is nog niet helemaal begrepen, men vermoedt dat het MTCA molecuul er iets mee te maken heeft. Het is in ieder geval wel duidelijk dat het gebruik van Maca geen veranderingen in de hormoonhuishouding teweeg brengt. Onderzoek toonde ook aan dat Maca probleemloos naast geneesmiddelen gebruikt kan worden. Voorzover bekend is kent het gebruik van Maca geen neveneffecten en kan het ook in grote hoeveelheden probleemloos ingenomen worden. En dat laatste is maar goed ook want wie van de libido verhogende effecten van Maca wil genieten zal drie maal daags minimaal 800 mg moeten innemen en dat, als we de onderzoeken mogen geloven, voor een langere periode. Maca is overigens geen medicijn maar een plantaardig voedingssupplement. Gelukkig heeft, zoals Johan Cruijff eens zo mooi zei, ieder nadeel ook een voordeel. In het geval van de Maca pillen of poeders is dit dat het ook gezondheidsbevorderend werkt. Zo zou de algehele doorbloeding beter worden en men zou zich vitaler voelen. Nu steeds meer mensen hun vertrouwen in de Maca knol of liever het poeder daarvan gesteld hebben dreigt er roofbouw te worden gepleegd. De onherbergzame streken waar het plantje zich thuis voelt brengen maar net genoeg op om aan de stijgende vraag te voldoen. Maar omdat er behoefte is probeert men momenteel om het knolgewas te cultiveren. Het GW-advies In geval van onze e-mail schrijver zouden we op basis van wat we over Maca te weten zijn gekomen niet inzien waarom hij het middel niet zou proberen. En we willen er gelijk het verzoek aan toevoegen om ons te laten weten of de Maca daadwerkelijk zijn naam heeft waargemaakt. Natuurlijk zijn er ook andere planten die de naam hebben bevorderlijk te zijn voor uw seksleven zoals de Polygonum+multiflorum de Epimedium+sagittatum en Eurycoma longifolia en de Pausinystalia yohimbe. Toch hebben geen van deze planten die potentie in zich zitten die Maca wel schijnt te hebben.

Maca en kankerpatienten

MACA is een natuurlijk middel dat veel gebruikt wordt voor het optimaliseren van het immuunsysteem en vitaliteit en ook wel door kankerpatiënten wordt gebruikt. Dèsirèe Röver, medisch journaliste gaf me toestemming om haar artikel over MACA dat reeds is gepubliceerd in de Orthomoleculaire Koerier van december 2001, 37-41. en Arts en Apotheek op onze site te plaatsen. Wat ik hierbij ongewijzigd doe. Voor alle duidelijkheid wie MACA eventueel wil gaan gebruiken raadpleegt daarvoor eerst een deskundig arts liefst orthomoleculair of natuurarts (zie pagina nuttige adressen). verder is en blijft ook op dit artikel onze disclaimer onverkort van kracht. En let op alleen MACA uit hooggelegen bergland - Andes - is de enige echte goede aldus verderop in dit artikel. Een website die verwijst naar dit product is o.a. www.aov-vitamines.nl Voor alle duidelijkheid wij hebben geen enkel commercieel belang of welk ander belang dan ook met deze organisatie. MACA, KRACHTIG ADAPTOGEEN UIT DE ANDES De natuurlijke weg naar een optimale endocriene balans, meer energie en een beter seksueel functioneren voor mannen en vrouwen Maca spreek uit: 'makka' is een knolgewas gerelateerd aan de familie van de aardappel en inheems in het onherbergzame landschap van de hoge Andes. De plant is daar al meer dan 5.000 jaar in gebruik als smakelijke en hoogwaardige voedingsbron met opmerkelijke eigenschappen voor vitaliteit en fertiliteit. De Spaanse conquistadores, van wie de paarden door de ontberingen op deze grote hoogten verzwakt en onvruchtbaar waren geworden, kregen van de lokale Indiaanse bevolking de raad de dieren Maca te geven. De resultaten in dier en mens waren zo overtuigend dat koloniale annalen melding maken hoe Maca in hoeveelheden van 9 ton als betaling werd geëist door het thuisland Spanje, zodat men ook daar kon profiteren van de bijzondere kwaliteiten van de plant: verbetering van geheugen, bloedarmoede, depressie, uithoudingsvermogen en seksuele activiteit. Désirée L. Röver, medisch journaliste In 1961 ontdekte de Peruviaanse biologe Gloria Chacón de Popivici de vrijwel verdwenen Macavariëteit Lepidium peruvianum Chacón. De brede verscheidenheid in medicinale eigenschappen die zij tijdens haar pioniersresearch tegenkwam, bleek toe te schrijven aan een scala van actieve biochemische bestanddelen in de plant: essentiële aminozuren, vitamines, sterolen, mineralen, alkaloïden en isothiocyanaten. Chacón stelde vast dat Maca een adaptogeen is dat het lichaam via de hypothalamus-hypofyse-as aanzet tot verbetering, balans en stabilisering van de eigen productie van de benodigde (hormonale) stoffen: een holistische wijze van beïnvloeding in overeenstemming met de behoefte, de leeftijd en het geslacht van de desbetreffende persoon. En dit maakt Maca voor zowel mannen als vrouwen succesvol inzetbaar bij problemen rond vruchtbaarheid, viriliteit, menopauze, vermoeidheid, geheugen, weerstands- en uithoudingsvermogen. Voor vrouwen blijkt het de meest natuurlijke, veilige en effectieve versie van HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Voor beide seksen is Maca als voedingssupplement de beste natuurlijke, revitaliserende en opwekkende substantie die er bestaat. De plant draagt daarom de bijnaam van 'Peruaanse Ginseng'. Geschiedenis De Macavariëteit Lepidium peruvianum Chacón groeit uitsluitend op hoogten tussen 3.000 en 4.500 meter in de Peruaanse Andes en heeft geleerd zich aan te passen aan de daar heersende extreem wisselende omstandigheden van ijzige koude tot meedogenloze zon. Aanwijzingen voor primitieve vormen van cultuur van de plant zijn aangetroffen op archeologische plaatsen daterend van 1600 v. Chr. Al vele duizenden jaren vormt Maca de knol zowel als het groen voor de lokale Indiaanse bevolking een belangrijke bron van voeding en medicinale toepassing. Een recent uitstapje naar een westers dieet bleek zoveel nutritionele tekorten op te leveren, dat dit resulteerde in een dringend advies om terug te keren tot het traditionele gebruik van Maca. Zowel in de tijd van de Incas (1200-1532) alsook later in Spanje was het gebruik van Maca, vanwege de krachtige werking ervan, voorbehouden aan de vorsten. Sinds de plant door Noord-Amerika is 'ontdekt' als libido- en energieverbeteraar is de vraag ernaar de afgelopen jaren enorm toegenomen en vormt het gewas voor de arme lamaherders van Peru een belangrijke bron van inkomsten. De plant smaakt naar butterscotch en kan in verschillende vormen worden genuttigd: behalve bij wijze van groente gekookt of geroosterd kan Maca als meel worden verwerkt tot pasta, jam, bouillon, pudding, drank of marmelade. De kwaliteitsverschillen van Maca zijn aanleiding tot veel verwarring. Er worden verschillende variëteiten op de markt gebracht, zoals naast zelfs synthetische, ook soorten uit lager gelegen streken in Bolivia en Chili. Echter alleen de organische Macavariant Lepidium peruvianum Chacón afkomstig van een bodem op grote hoogte (vanaf 3.000 meter) en rijk aan mineralen beschikt over alle nutriënten en alkaloïden verantwoordelijk voor de helende effecten die al millennia lang aan Maca worden toegeschreven. Onderzoek toont aan: dat Maca het seksuele functioneren verbetert; dat Maca libido- en potentiestoornissen verbetert; dat Maca vrouwelijke vruchtbaarheid, en productie van mannelijke zaadvloeistof verhoogt; dat Maca een energiebron is vrij van vet: dieren gevoed met Maca wegen even zwaar als dieren gevoed met andere producten. De 'Macagroep' is echter beduidend actiever en energieker; dat de jongen van 'Macamoeders' een hoger geboortegewicht hebben; dat Maca in kinderen en volwassenen osteomalacie (rachitis, Engelse ziekte) tegengaat; dat Maca de fysieke en intellectuele capaciteiten revitaliseert; dat Maca effectief is tegen vroegtijdige ouderdom en energieverlies vanuit organische zwakte; dat Maca de botdichtheid verbetert; dat Maca controle houdt op verschillende vormen van bloedarmoede. De werkzame bestanddelen De hoge voedingswaarde van Maca komt voort uit het feit dat de plant 59% koolhydraten, 14% eiwitten, 9% vezels en 2% lipiden bevat. Andere componenten vormen de resterende 16%. Op een rij genoemd zijn de werkzame bestanddelen: - 4 Alkaloïden, macaïne 1, 2, 3 en 4 genoemd. Deze activeren het calcitoninehormoon dat onder meer het calcium- en fosformetabolisme reguleert; - Maca blijkt een ware schatkamer van aminozuren: asparaginezuur, glutaminezuur, serine, histidine, glycine, threonine, cystine, lysine, alanine, arginine, tyrosine, fenylalanine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, tryptofaan, proline, hoproline en sarcosine. Lysine en arginine hebben een effect op de regulering van de mannelijke en vrouwelijke vruchtbaarheid. De mannelijke reproductieve cellen bestaan voor een belangrijk deel uit arginine. Vandaar dat Maca, door het niveau van dit aminozuur te verbeteren, de problemen van gebrek aan libido en sommige vormen van mannelijke onvruchtbaarheid kan verhelpen; Brom: www.kanker-actueel.nl

Eigenschappen Maca:

Verbetert het seksuele functioneren. Verbetert libido en potentie. Verbeter vrouwelijke vruchtbaarheid en productie mannelijk zaadvloeistof. Is een energiebron en vrij van vet. Baby's van "Macamoeders" hebben een hoger geboortegewicht. Revitaliseert de fysieke en intellectuele eigenschappen. Heeft een gunstige invloed op ouderdomsverschijnselen en helpt prestatie verbeteren. Houdt controle op het behoud van een goed ijzergehalte in het bloed. Verbetert botdichtheid.

GESCHIEDENIS VAN DE MACA

Maca wordt al 5.000 jaar gebruikt door de plaatselijke bevolking van de Peruviaanse hoogplateaus als hoogwaardige voedingsbron. Ook bij de Inca's, een zeer goed georganiseerde en ontwikkelde Peruviaanse beschaving, stond Maca bekend om zijn ondersteunende invloed. Vóór de strijd zouden de Incakrijgers Maca gegeten hebben als extra krachtbron. Ook de boodschappers en de koeriers, die enorme afstanden moesten afleggen door het Incarijk, kregen Maca van de Incakoning. Door hun veroveringsdrang op het Zuid-Amerikaanse continent, kwamen ook de Spanjaarden met Maca in aanraking. De Spanjaarden kregen van de lokale bevolking de raad om hun paarden Maca te geven vanwege de positieve invloed op uithoudingsvermogen en vruchtbaarheid, die aan Maca werd toegeschreven. De conquistadores waren zo onder de indruk van de positieve invloed van Maca, dat ze daarna zelfs hun belastingen in kilo's Maca die naar het thuisland geëxporteerd werden. Want ook in het oude Spanje werden aan Maca de volgende kwaliteiten toegeschreven: verbetering van geheugen, uithoudingsvermogen en seksuele activiteit. Uiteindelijk geraakte Maca in Europa in de vergetelheid. Alleen in de Peruviaanse Andes bleef men Maca gebruiken. De potentie ondersteunende wortel was tot een paar jaar geleden enkel nog te koop op de lokale markten van de Andes. Maca werd herontdekt in de zestiger en tachtiger jaren van de twintigste eeuw door plantkundig onderzoek naar 'de verloren gewassen van de Andes'. Eén van deze verloren gewassen was Maca. Vandaag groeit de populariteit van Maca zeer sterk. Steeds meer mensen ontdekken de positieve invloed van Maca op energie, libido en seksuele prestaties.

Wat is Maca

Maca Maca (Lepidium Meyenii) is een knolgewas dat op grote hoogte, tussen 3.000 en 4.500 meter boven zeeniveau, in de Peruaanse Andes groeit. Maca is de enige eetbare plant die op deze plaatsen overleeft, omdat het er 's nachts erg koud wordt en de zon er overdag onverbiddelijk warm kan zijn. De bodem waarop Maca groeit bevat een grote hoeveelheid mineralen. Maca is gerelateerd aan de familie van de koolsoorten. Ook zijn kleur lijkt op die van de aardappel. Van vorm lijkt hij op een grote radijs. Maca heeft een zoete smaak. In Peru wordt Maca op verschillende manieren verwerkt: rauw, gebakken of gedroogd. Peruvianen maken koekjes, taarten, chips en drankjes met Maca. Hier in Europa kennen we Maca vooral gedroogd, verwerkt in capsules of gegelatiniseerd. Gedroogd kan de plant makkelijk zeven jaar bewaard worden. Maca is een hoogwaardige voedingsbron die de gezondheid ondersteunt. De knol wordt al duizenden jaren gebruikt door de lokale bevolking (zie geschiedenis). Ook nu nog gebruiken Peruvianen Maca als voedingsbron. Maar ook ver buiten de grenzen van Peru is Maca ondertussen bekend geworden, zowel in Zuid- en Noord-Amerika als in Europa. Maca heeft zowel bij de man als bij de vrouw een positieve invloed op het libido. Maca is een 100% natuurlijk product. U kunt Maca dus met een gerust gevoel innemen

Sjaal & stola van baby alpacawol

Detailhandel in Baby alpaca wol sjaals & omslagdoek

Mode accessoires zoals alpaca wollen : stola’s, sjaals, poncho’s, mutsen, omslagdoeken en nog veel meer. Inca Dream importeert alpacawol mode accessoires uit Peru. Dat kunnen mode accessoires zijn als alpaca wol/zijden sjaals, poncho’s, capes en prachtige mutsen. Naast de webwinkel heeft Inca Drean ook een groothandel in mode accessoires, voornamelijk gericht op alpaca wollen /zijden sjaals. Eigenaresse Yuliett Castro reist regelmatig naar Peru om de mode accessoires uit te zoeken die passen binnen de groothandel van Inca Drean. Tijdens die reizen heeft ze persoonlijke contacten opgedaan met fabrieken in Cuzco, Arequipa en Lima. Hierdoor onderscheidt de groothandel in mode accessoires zich door kwaliteit en exclusiviteit en hebben de mode accessoires een goede prijs-kwaliteitverhouding. Inca Dream heeft ook ervaring in productontwikkeling van mode accessoires zoals de stola’s van alpacawol en zijden. In samenwerking met Peruaanse fabrieken kan een product geheel op maat worden gemaakt. Ook bent u bij ons aan het juiste adres als u zelf kleding wilt laten produceren onder uw eigen beschermde private label. De groothandel van Inca Dream levert mode accessoires aan detaillisten, veelal damesmodezaken in het hogere segment, en aan inkooporganisaties. Voor detaillisten en inkooporganisaties rekent Inca Dream speciale groothandel tarieven! Heeft u behoefte aan meer informatie? Neem dan contact met ons op via: Contactformulier of 0031 (0)6 30 83 23 74

Tourist trein naar Machu Picchu

Tourist TrainAmong all the possible options to reach Machu Picchu, traveling by train is the best of them all. Its levels of impact on nature related to contamination and the infrastructure required, are far lower than those related to the construction of a highway, for example. That is why it´s the only tourist ground transportation approved by the authorities to get to Machu Picchu. In addition to that, the spectacular view of this machines running gently and majestic trough the forest, is a wonder itself. This also complies with the parameters that international institutions like UNESCO considered to name Machu Picchu as one of Mankind’s Cultural Heritage, a nomination that forces the authorities and travel agents to take care of this wonders and its delicately balanced environment. But this transportation has many other alternatives inside. Depending on each tourist, they could vary on prices, rates, departure and arrival schedules, services, and the places visited along the route. According to this, there are three basic types of train packages: Vistadome Tourist Train: A very creative option, specially designed for visitors interested in experiencing each and every one of the wonders of nature that exists on the route. The panoramically designed wagons of this tourist train have big glasses on both sides and a series of windows on their ceilings. The tourists will feel closer and deeply involved with the landscape. There are no boundaries between humans and nature onboard this train; a totally unique experience. In the Vistadome Tourist Train package you can also choose to depart from Poroy train station, for a three hours tour, or from Ollantaytambo train station, that would lead you to Machu Picchu in just 1 hour and a half. This tourist tour includes an amazing mixture of music, dance and food show, specially prepared for tourists that enjoy celebrating the delicate beauty of other culture´s art and imagination. On the first stage of the route, the Vistadome tourist train crosses the villages of Cachimayo, Izcuchaca, Pampa de Anta and Huarocondo. Then the little gorge of Pomatales opens, upgrading a few kilometers later as the Urubamba river, near the Pachar station. With the great river roaring aside, it´s time for the panoramic windows to unveil the Ollantaytambo ruins for the tourist. On the next stage, the Veronica snow mountain appears beyond two nearest mountains, announcing with its presence more villages and archeological touristic sites, like Chillca y Piskacucho. Km 90: the weather begins to change from cold and dry, to warmer and wet. Finally, Chachabamba is at sight, right from your seat. And if you look very carefully to the top of the hills, the famous archaeological site of Wiñaywayna will hide no more its secret location from you. A few minutes later, the tourist train steam turns off in the Aguas Calientes train station, right at Machu Picchu´s feet. These are the schedules for the Vistadome tourist trains: Cusco – Machu Picchu (1 train): US$ 71 Machu Picchu – Cusco ( 1 train): US$ 71 Sacred Valley –Machu Picchu (5 trains): US$ 43 to US$ 60 Machu Picchu – Sacred Valley (5 trains): US$ 53 to US$ 60 Expedition Tourist Train: This package include the same type of wagons than Vistadome, with windows on the ceiling and panoramic glass on both sides of the wagons. It also provides the same routes alternatives for tourists and gives access to all the amazing places included in the Vistadome route. The service on the Expedition Tourist Train includes air conditioning, some relaxing background music and snacks. This is an option designed for tourists interested only in enjoying the view, with no special distractions or performances inside the wagons, but keeping some commodities, like the heating or the wide spaces between the seats. These are the schedules for the Vistadome Tourist trains: Cusco – Machu Picchu (1 train): US$ 48 Machu Picchu – Cusco (1 train): US$ 48 Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu (1 train): US$ 43 Machu Picchu – Sacred Valley (1 train): US$ 34 Backpacker Tourist Train: It´s designed for backpacker tourists; people used to live the travel experience without thinking on how many plus items they get, or how many commodities are included. They´re true believers in traveling as a chance to share emotions and wonders with their beloved ones and friends; nothing else matters. That´s why the Backpacker Tourist Train has four comfortable seats located one in front of the other, ideal for family or young tourist groups to fully enjoy the ride together. There are racks for backpacks specially located on the ceilings, and snacks and beverages are available with a little extra cost. To get this tourist train route, backpackers could reach Ollantaytambo train station (Sacred Valley) traveling by bus or by taxi from Cusco city. The costs vary a lot, because of the many operators on the route to Ollantaytambo. But the average could be, for bus, between US$ 5 and US$ 10; and for taxi, between US$ 15 and US$ 25. The other alternative is to take some of the other tourist train packages routes, from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, and make the transfer there. Either way, ask your travel agent very carefully, in order to get the full information about the possible combinations and take the best choice for you. These are the schedules for the Backpacker Tourist Trains: Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu (4 trains): US$ 31 to US$ 34 Machu Picchu – Sacred Valley (4 trains): US$ 31 to $ 43 *Two new railway operators are scheduled to start their tourist train routes possibly from the last months of 2010. They will aloud more tourists not to lose this magic experience. Some pretty fantastic news!

Luxe trein naar Machu Picchu

Having Machu Picchu -one of the New Seven Wonders of the World on their homeland- is a privilege, a luxury just a few people could have all over the planet. To meet that blessing of history, Orient Express, the worldwide luxury trains corporation, offers the Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train to Machu Picchu; a travel included on an elite of exclusive routes for the most spectacular destinies of the planet. Such a stylish experience begins when you arrive to Poroy train station, brought there from your hotel by special designed vans. It ´s 9 a.m. and most of the trains have already left to Machu Picchu, so the train station is almost empty. A highly professional crew welcomes you, meeting the strictest standards of hosting of the world. Onboard the Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train, travelers are not passengers; they are exclusive guests. So, let the assistant offer you a welcoming cup of champagne, even before you sit. Ten minutes later, the great machine begins to roar, like the first Orient Express metallic jewels did, back on 19th century´s later years. The wagons of this powerful transport are delicate pieces of art from inside. The view point wagon, for example, is the favorite for some expert travelers. Its soft passenger seats include a long red chenille sofa and some stylish wide chairs that invite the observers to comfortably comment the magnificent view of towering mountains and endless prairies, full of color and life, exclusively developing right in front of their eyes. To taste the finest spirits and drinks a wooden bar, surrounded by golden-bordered red-velvet chairs, is waiting for you at the other extreme of the wagon. The most exotic beverages come from the bartender´s magic shaker. The famous pisco sour and coca sour are a must. As villages and other amazing landscapes are making their own and never ending marks on your life, it´s getting time to enjoy a meal onboard on any of the two large and elegant dining wagons. Exclusive bright-white tablecloths are the perfect canvas to support the art that is about to be displayed over them. Made by the most prestigious hands of the world famous peruvian cuisine, you will enjoy the most exquisite plates, a mixture that could begin with soft and juicy corn tamales, followed by alpaca meat with green vegetables sauce and asparagus. Finally, a gently cup of fine red wine as a refreshment to amplify you senses. Right from the beginning, the luxury train will reward you with delicate flute music while dazzling your eyes with dancers wearing reds, oranges and greens, sharing joy all over the wagon. Then, a guitar player sings some famous peruvian songs, inviting their public to help him with the chorus. Onboard the Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train you will find the most complete information about your trip. From route maps and altitude and distances charts, to a detailed geographic, weather, agricultural, population and wildlife data. A fully specialized crew is set to explain the history, characteristics and richness of every single village and archeological site, as the luxury train approaches them. The Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train tour is a full day trip that also includes the visit of Aguas Calientes village at the end of the railway, receiving the stylish hosting of the exclusive Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge and, of course, a guided tour to the Machu Picchu citadel, accompanied by the most qualified experts. On the Aguas Calientes train station, a colorful welcome takes place. A group of agile dancers seems to float, spinning and shaking their thick cotton-shaped ropes over their heads, spreading their joy to the astonished and very lucky tourists. Then it´s time to visit the craft shops of the village, before climbing to Machu Picchu. The local people offer a huge diversity of ceramic, jewelry, and clothes to the visitors. Fine ornaments and souvenirs are also available. Some minutes later, you are climbing the Machu Picchu mountain by bus, using the Hiram Bingham´s road, so called in honor to the great american explorer. It takes some fifteen minutes to finish that narrow zig-zag-shaped climbing. Into the ruins, an expert guide shows you the wonders of Machu Picchu. The time of arrival to the citadel is ideal because then most of the tourist groups have already left. That´s how all the sites of Machu Picchu are available to visit without problems. After the ruins, all the luxury train passengers meet around the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. The Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is a five stars luxury hotel, also owned by the Orient Express Corporation. This is one of the most stylish world hotel chains, known for creating a perfect polished diamond out of each and every exclusive palace they build near the most impressive and monumental sites of the planet. The Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train passengers enjoy a delicious buffet there, before descending to catch the train back to Cusco. This luxury tour also offers the possibility to stay a night in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge and enjoy the unforgettable afternoons and dawns, right through your room´s window in Machu Picchu. The Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train gives the most exclusive service of all. They care about solving all your needs, attending with all their heart and really loving what they do. This is how this journey meets the luxury of a whole country for having such a majestic wonder within its borders. The Hiram Bingham´s Luxury train is a successful effort to deserve it. These are the scheduled routes/prices of the Hiram Bingham´s Luxury Train: Cusco – Machu Picchu (1 train): US$ 334 Machu Picchu – Cusco (1 train): US$ 307 Take a trip to Machu Picchu; you´ll get the journey of your live

Machu Picchu Transport

It´s five o´clock in the morning and you find yourself jumping from bed, getting ready and dressed, faster than you can remember. This is a very special day: you will finally know Machu Picchu by train, the mysterious and monumental citadel, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Your room´s phone rings and a very nice woman voice reminds you about your date with ancient history: the bus that will transport you to the train station is waiting outside the hotel. You give a last and fast check to your backpack: sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, raincoat; everything is packed. In the bus, a group of travelers joins you, just as excited and anxious to board the train as you. The Poroy train station, located some 20 minutes from the center of Cusco, is already boiling with people from all around the world with their tickets in their hands, commenting about what they´ve been told about Machu Picchu and boarding their train wagons with enthusiasm. Finally, the first breathing of the powerful machine begins to blow at 6:50 am. You´ve selected the Vistadome train route, that will take you from Cusco to Machu Picchu in approximately 4 hours. There were many other transportations options, but you love the magic of trains and knew that the Sacred Valley countryside was a beauty to enjoy completely. Just leaving the station, the train begins to climb the so called Picchu hill. At this point, the railway takes a zig-zag shape to reach the top of this natural elevation. Meanwhile, your spirit goes up too, watching the whole picture of Cusco city, its red roofs, colonial churches and trees displaying right before your eyes. Right in the summit, known as “The Arc”, you look up to the windows of the train ceiling. The sun is shining bright in a pure blue sky, dotted with small and cotton-shaped clouds. On the way down, the train is on route to the Sacred Valley, and beyond that, Machu Picchu. The landscape seems to own the whole green spectrum. Seed fields, eucalyptus little forests and forgotten breeding terraces -known as “andenes”- are everywhere, decorating the towering mountains as far as you can see. Some minutes later, the rhythmic chirps of the railway and the steam blasts of the train start combining with another distant roar: it´s the Urubamba river, the Sacred Valley´s great snake. Its flow has been considered a blessing by the Incas, giving shape and transporting life to the valley for millions of years. Now the river is your mystic tourist guide on this route to Machu Picchu. It will take you up and down along its riverside, trough canyons and forests, trough rocky tunnels and narrow railway bridges. The fury of steam and water flowing now sound the same; a perfect synchrony between nature and man -you think-, right in the middle of nowhere. The twinkling sunlight from above the train relaxes you. Then, a train assistant offers you some snacks, beverages and sandwiches. You choose a frozen orange juice; only orange, water and sugar. It won´t be appropriated to mix colorants and certified stabilizers with that amazing natural view. You´ve already left behind Chincheros, Anta, Izcuchaca and Cachimatyo. They showed you a vast prairie spotted with little houses everywhere, inhabited mostly by farmers and their cattle, disperse and free in the immensity of nature. Now your transportation is approaching Ollantaytambo. Some train routes include a little stop here to know the Ollantaytambo ruins; yours is one of them. There are some astonishing places to see in Ollantaytambo. The Temple of the Sun, the hills full of andenes, the Amphitheater, and of course the main ruins, are wonders you should not lose. But walking there, something caught all your attention: a rock-carved spring. Its shape is geometrically perfect, design like a ninety-degrees-angles ladder that goes up and down, perfectly polished and without the slightest irregularity. The water still flows, brought from the mountain to the spring by an aqueduct, also made of solid and perfect pieces of rock. You take a sip, and the pure, cold and crystal water refresh your spirit. Sadly, it´s time to continue your train trip. Now the andenes are everywhere, almost covering the mountains that rise on both sides of the railway route. They appear even in the most impossible hillsides, so steep and high no one knows how the Inca people managed to reach those places, build the andenes there and cultivate them for years. Some of them could be seen in Patallacta, Qoriwairachina o Chachabamba. But the best of them are located near Torontoy, closer to Machu Picchu. At this point, your have descended almost one thousand meters of altitude since you left the train station in Cusco. The sacred valley gets deeper and the mountains get so high that in some places the sun fades behind them, almost at noon. The railway seems to be glued to the mountains walls. They are so near that if the crew would aloud you to open the window, your hands could touch their wet surface easily. Finally, the train crew announces the arrival to Machu Picchu village, known as Aguas Calientes. The doors open and a breeze of fresh air invades your lungs. You look up in that narrow valley and see some huge pieces of granitic rock giving a solemn welcome to the visitors. One of those giants is preparing for you the greatest of all experiences, hiding the Machu Picchu ruins on its summit. Your train trip has come to an end. But you have seen nothing yet; the wonders of Machu Picchu citadel and its magic environment are still up there, waiting for you.

Het weer in Machu Picchu

The exotic character of Machu Picchu has many faces; one of them is the weather. Due to its unique topography, climates, high altitudes, humidity and vegetation this weather is classified as subtropical weather. The geographic morphology of the region is extreme, from hills so small that lie hidden above the moss, to mountains so high, climbing to altitudes from 2,000 to more than 6,000 meters high. The average temperature of the year is between 11°C to 23°C. But this playful weather could surprise you with at any time, decreasing the levels below 0°C and increasing them to more than26°C in the same day, any time of the year. The dense vegetation, conformed by trunks, leaves, moss and brush manage to capture the rain, maintaining humidity and creating a variety of microclimates that represent one of the sanctuary´s natural richness. This microclimate also influences the whole weather of the place, giving for example, a cold feeling in a full sunny day. On the other hand, high and higher mountains aligned by canyons and river streams create a virtual playground, where winds from the four cardinal points converge, spreading life from hill to hill, conforming another important weather factor. The change on their direction through the day serves birds to regulate their natural clocks, reproductive and feeding habits and even detecting danger. In the rain season, from November to march, the temperature goes from 18°C at noon to below 0°at night. During this season, especially in September, nature displays all its magic painting with infinite colors all the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu Sanctuary. This attracts a myriad of birds and other animals that fill the place with life. But the weather of those months is also known for carrying the biggest amount of rain of the year, causing floods, avalanches and increasing the rivers flow like Urubamba´s, that passes through the reserve by a canyon cut by itself over millions of years. For travelers going to Machu Picchu in this season, it is recommended to bring thick clothes, umbrellas and raincoats as protection. It would also be a good idea if you bring some recyclable bags for protecting your camera and other expensive equipment you may have. But most important of all, you have to be permanently updated about the weather conditions of the day, so you can decide to start or to cancel the schedule of the day. A normal day during the dry season, from April to October, has temperatures that range from 23°C to below 0°C. But you could be lucky and find a very nice pick of some warm 26°C during your visit. This season counts with only 20% of the year´s precipitations for the region. This lack of rain in the weather turns off the colorful brightness of Machu Picchu. Even the moss retires from the rocks, turning it grey and dry. The Urubamba´s river turns into a tiny stream, a pale remainder of its vigorous power. This tiny water thread gets overshadowed by the huge pieces of rock in the riverbed. Because of the altitude and the dry weather, it is recommended for tourists to bring some sunscreen -with UV protection if possible-, light clothes, hats and sunglasses during that period. Within this season, specifically during the months of May and June, is when most of the travel advisors recommend the trip to Machu Picchu. The weather during those months is the best. But the weather in Machu Picchu is so unpredictable, that a heavy rain could appear next to a shiny day in the dry season, soaking your shorts and t-shirt and ruining your bird watching expedition; or a bright sunny afternoon could surprise you wearing your thick and heavy wool sweater, right at the rain season. Depending on the weather, always bring an emergency set of clothes and accessories with you. Mountain sickness (the so called “soroche”) is very common among visitors. It´s caused by the extremely high altitudes that causes a lack of oxygen. Its effects depend on the individual. Some of them could get very sick at lower altitudes, like at the approximately 2,400 meters above the sea level of Machu Picchu. In others this weather element could have no effects, even in Cusco, a city located almost one thousand meters higher than Machu Picchu. Some recommendations are given in order to avoid this inconvenience. If you travel right to Cusco and stay in that city from the very first day, try to use that day to rest at the hotel, eating some light food easy to digest, and making no efforts. You can take a little walk by the main square, for example. Meanwhile, you could feel even better by drinking the coca tea, a very effective beverage made with this medicinal plant renowned for its healing properties. But another strategy is well known among the tourist guides and travel agencies to fool the weather: try to get to Machu Picchu for the very first day, so that you will get properly acclimatized at a lower altitude. Only then, after fully enjoyed the weather and other wonders of Machu Picchu, the slow return to Cusco will make almost impossible for you to get the mountain sickness. But it means you will have to arrive on the first flight of the day, in order to immediately get a bus at the airport that will take you to Ollantaytambo just on time to get the last train departure to Machu Picchu. This is the better way to enjoy your trip, wasting not even a minute of it. Ask you travel agent about the best schedule to take. From a fresh air to a bright opened sky; from a walk in the mist to a rain shower for breakfast, the Machu Picchu weather is a summary of all the ways nature has to welcome you in its kingdom, far enough from pollution, noise and daily stress. This is your chance to walk with you own feet without having to obey the semaphore lights or the traffic signals; this is your chance to breathe.

Wilde leven en planten

The wonder of Machu Picchu is not only in its amazing ruins. Just looking at the big picture of that land we can understand the multiple sources of such an inspiration that turned the Incas into one of the most important civilizations of the History. One of those sources: wildlife in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. The Machu Picchu Sanctuary is a reserve of 35,000 hectares -which includes the famous ruins site- where thousands of animal and vegetal species have lived in harmony for thousands of years. This astonishing diversity of wildlife was possible also because of the weather, a sub-tropical combination that brings humidity to the cloudy forest every year, to a soil full of nutrients. The paradise of life, down here on earth. The Machu Picchu Sanctuary was created in 1981 to protect all the wildlife of the region, flora and fauna, but the illegal hunting and the strong demand for their beauty or fur as exotic ornaments in the black markets have increase, carrying lot of animal and vegetal species even to the brink of extinction. The wildlife list is infinite: all kind of trees, moss, bushes and ferns cover all the place, offering an incredible landscape, an unforgettable view no photo could ever copy. They are also home and shelter for millions of animals, from the elusive lizards, to pretty rare insects and colorful butterflies. But when the green become too much, you only have to look up to the cliffs that surround you; then the blessing of an orchid could touch your soul. The Machu Picchu Sanctuary has one of the greatest variety of orchids of the planet. There are approximately fifty species of this exquisite wonder of wildlife climbing its mountains, painting them with colors even the most expert painter won´t mix in his palette. They could be pale or full of brightness, microscopic or really big, living in groups or hidden in an isolated kingdom up in a leafy tree. They could smell bad or make you fall in love immediately because of the fine fragrance they exude. Hundreds of orchid collectors visit Machu Picchu from all over the world, just to enjoy the fortune of being there, with this garden of natural elegance all around. There are some hotels in the town that offers orchid trails, where you could find almost four hundred of different orchids. A blooming festival unveils in front of the visitor eyes there, sharing the beauty of nature´s wildlife as the great gift of all. Feeling grateful with this experience, a visitor (could be you) leaves that place and walk to the river aside the town, the noisy Urubamba. Your hands in your pockets, your mind floating, your lungs purified. Suddenly, at the opposite riverside, right in front of you, a black figure moves over the rocks and behind the bushes. Then it stops and takes a lazy look directly at you. You can´t move. You can´t believe it: a spectacled bear have just cross right in front of your life. It´s the only bear species that belongs to the south american wildlife and it was right there, sniffing on your direction. The spectacled bear is another elusive habitant of the Machu Picchu Reserve. They used to live all over the place, but because of the human presence and their illegal hunting, there are much fewer that in the past. They are most vegetarians, but they also eat some small animals of the mountain forest, just as elusive as them. Some important projects of wildlife protection where created to save the spectacled bear of extinction, organizing donations campaigns, for example. Maybe your fortune is because of their success. Joining the spectacled bear, there are other species that enrich this wildlife list of wonders. Animals like the vizcacha, the forest bobcat, the dangerous puma or the funny otter could be seen by the most diligent and persistent explorers. Time flies. You realize its getting dark and have to return to the hotel. As you turn, a red spot on a light pole capture your attention. It´s the famous cock-of-the rock, locally known as gallito de las rocas or “tunqui”, the peruvian icon. It is one of the most exotic birds of Machu Picchu and they are hard to find in nature. You´re lucky to see one of these birds. Hypnotized by its intense red clothes, you approach. But the nervous bird flies away, leaving you in sorrow. There are some bird watching tours in Machu Picchu that could get you in closer contact with those amazing creatures, among other rare species of hummingbirds, tanagers, and dippers that populate the cloudy forest. The cock of the rock is an endemic species. There is no other place in the world they live in besides the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. Its dawn in the small village near Machu Picchu ruins. The bus that will take you up to the ancient ruins will be leaving soon. But first, you decide to go for a little walk, following a stream route that climbs a mountain throat. Crossing the main square and outside the town, you find a bridge made of ropes and wood. You are right in the middle when you see, down in the stream, a female deer drinking some of that pure and crystal water; another amazing view of wildlife. The deer look up and stare at you but, unexpectedly, she don´t run and continue drinking. You think it´s strange the lack of fear to humans in that beautiful beast. Maybe she didn´t smell the danger in your clothes. Maybe she knew you´re not there to harm her. Feeling like that unique moment was enough for a lifetime, you turned back to the bus. The journey continues; what wonder is next? Take a trip to Machu Picchu: you´ll have the journey of your life.

Mystic Machu Picchu

You can feel the energy of Machu Picchu right from the beginning. If you get the full package and can welcome the new day in Machu Picchu, you will know exactly what all those thousands of visitors felt, at six and a half in the morning, with a thin mist just fading to unveil the magnificence of that magic place. The panoramic makes you feel like floating, weightless. At the bottom, the ruins wait for your touch, to persuade yourself you´re not dreaming; that you are truly there, that all of that mixed nature and human achievement is really there, as it was for hundreds of years, hidden and proud. That is the kind of pure, pristine and natural energy you will get full of. But that is not enough; you are there for more: the mystic energy. And it´s all around Machu Picchu, at your hands reach. There are many theories about why the incas decided to build Machu Picchu right in that place. Some researchers discovered that the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu draw concentric circles, in which center are the ruins of Machu Picchu. The incas believed the Cosmos itself gave them that mystic place to build Machu Picchu. So they concentrate all their mighty efforts to build it, using all of their cosmological, architectural and technical knowledge to make this Wonder of the World. Other discoveries point in that mystic direction, like the shape of the Urubamba river, a gigantic snake that passes through the ruins while licking their mountain´s feet; or the puma face on one of the sides of the Huayna Picchu. Other studies say the shape of the Sacred Valley of Urubamba reminded the incas of the Milky Way. All of this signs were also added to the planning of the city, combining them with a unique style. The result was one of the most magic and mystic sites of the world, believed to concentrate a huge part of the planet and cosmos energy. It could sound crazy, but let´s open our minds just for a minute to ponder this. There are many spiritual ceremonies that took place in Machu Picchu. One of the most famous inca rituals is the Coca Ritual. Its origins are lost in ancient times, even before the incas, when man was deeply, mystically connected with nature. The natives knew how to read the breathing of a tree, to explain the sudden fly of birds, to wait for the solstices and equinoxes. They surrender themselves to the power of nature, weather and wildlife. Every expression of it was magic, everything had a meaning. They recognized that power and submitted their lives to them, asking for their mercy, first by sacrifices, later by rituals, like the Coca Ritual. This was used to know the destiny, if the harvest would be good or bad, if their people would be happy, or a calamity were approaching. They paid tribute to the sun, the apus and the wild entity that they thought where inside every living thing. The jaguar, the condor, the snake; the incas saw them as spiritual representatives of the cosmos energy on earth. An energy captured inside every rock of Machu Picchu. A power that could be perceived only by few, like the shamans, inheritors of the inca´s wisdom. Holding the leaves to the Apus and the winds, this bringers of spirituality sing quechua formulas to awake the mountain spirits, praying for their protection. Besides the Coca Ritual -the paying to the pachamama (mother land)-, Shamans also can see your personal destiny by the Reading of the Coca Leaves. Machu Picchu includes lots of mystic tours, a whole different journey, full of magic and mysteries. They could take a few kilometers of the Inca Trail, or vanish right in the middle of nowhere. They could show some ancient petroglyphs strategically placed, or include the visit to the secret spots of energy all over the circle of mountains; the energy walls of Machu Picchu. As a part of the mystic energy of Machu Picchu, there are a variety of medicinal plants, used in hot springs baths, relax drinks, or some exotic species thought to have powerful healing properties. Their vapors and fragrances are an open door to enjoy the welfare and pleasure in other dimension. And just for the believers: the extraterrestrial connection of Machu Picchu. Part of this theory explains the formidable ability of this people, the perfection of their constructions, based on geometrical data so sophisticated, even now is hard to understand. Were the Incas the only builders of Machu Picchu? Where all of this knowledge came from? Are their unknown bringers still visiting the result of their sharing, their masterpiece? Would it be the same that happened in Egypt, Babylon or Mexico? Even the so called “exopolitics” have its place in Machu Picchu. With a lack of a complete explanation – a mystery so huge even now- it´s another way of trying to find the truth, holding the answer right in the middle of nowhere. It could reach you walking through the forest in the Inca Trail, or drinking from the eternal waters of the aqueduct. It could happen while looking through one of the Three Windows, or trying to catch the Sun at the Intiwatana. Or you could breathe it from a sudden breeze in the middle of your climbing to the top of the Huayna Picchu. It doesn´t matter where you are, the mystic energy of Machu Picchu will reach you, entering your spirit without a warning. Don´t be afraid, enjoy it. Let that energy be your guide, back to routine, where no conventional medication is enough to heal the isolation, the lack of meaning in an allegedly perfect society. Are you a believer? Then consider Machu Picchu in your way for seeking the truth. Take a trip to machu Picchu: you´ll get the journey of your life.

Machu Picchu locatie

Its location was a local mystery for centuries. Even the spanish conquerors didn´t know nothing but rumors about the lost city of the Incas, hidden somewhere into the deeper region of an impenetrable forest. But many years later, the same wall of vegetation and rocky giants opened their secrets to an exploration team, led by the american explorer Dr. Hiram Bingham in 1911. Since then, thousands of fortunate visitors know exactly where Machu Picchu is located. They won´t forget its location for the rest of their lives. In a politic map, the Machu Picchu citadel is located in Cusco- Peru, in the province of Urubamba, district of Machu Picchu. In a geographic map, Machu Picchu is located in the southern Andes of Peru, 130 kilometers from the Cusco city and 2,440 meters above the sea level. In an ecologic map, it is part of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a 35,000 hectares natural reserve that shelters millions of animal and vegetal species, hundreds of them endemic. If you have a GPS gadget, you could adjust it with geographic data at 13º 9′ 47″south and 72º 32′ 44″ west, to get its precise location. And finally, in a spiritual and cosmologic map, this magic ruins are located at one of the main planet energy system´s spot. That´s why Machu Picchu is known as “the navel of the world”. The beauty of the place results from the diversity of its geography, life and weather elements in the region, like the Urubamba river, a furious snake of water and rocks that fertilize the Machu Picchu mountain, flowing some 450 meters below the 10 hectares suface citadel. The 2440 meters above the seal evel altitude of the ruins is perfect, because it puts the most exotic wonder of nature in sight . But even today getting there is not so easy. That is deliberate, aimed to control and protect the delicate natural balanced of this ecosystem. The citadel ruins can be reached only by bus climbing the zig-zag-shaped Hiram Bingham´s trail from Aguas Calientes, a small village that guards the access to Machu Picchu; or by trekking, following many of the endless routes of the Inca trail. Even Aguas Calientes is not fully connected with modern civilization. The only links from its location to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca´s Empire, are the train railways or a helicopter fly. Machu Picchu is located in a mountainous region geographically classified like a cloudy forest, because the perpetual mist that floats over the treetops characterize the view, especially from May to September. Colossal mountains draw a curious circle surrounding Machu Picchu´s location, reminding us of a great wall, like if nature made them intentionally to protect that magic site. They are mainly made of granitic rocks, hundreds of millions of years old, from the Paleozoic Era. One of those mountains is the Hayna Picchu (young mountain); the towering, solid green cone that seems to shelter the ruins like a bodyguard, monitoring any threat against its older sister. The Wayna Picchu is connected to the citadel site by a thin piece of rock. Up in its throat there is an Inca platform supposedly used in inca times as a checkpoint and for very special ceremonies in Machu Picchu. The Wayna Picchu seems like cut by a sharp knife, and its hillsides doesn´t stop until they dive deep in the Urubamba river, almost seven hundred meters from the top. The sight from the top of Wayna Picchu is magnificent and it´s worth the very hard climbing struggle to get there, by far. Other mountains also appear as the region sentinels at the background of the view, like San Miguel and Putukusi mountains, to the right. Looking back, there is the rest of the whole Machu Picchu mountain, with the Intipunku (The Gate of the Sun) ruins right at the top, in a location one kilometer far from the citadel. Those are some of the silent giants of this wonderful place, full of life and history. The closest territory occupied by humans is Aguas Calientes, a small village where visitors could find a variety of craft and souvenirs made by the villagers. There is also a complete supply of hotels and restaurants, from the luxurious to the modest, providing an option for every kind of traveler. Aguas Calientes is located fifteen minutes from the citadel of Machu Picchu by bus, and it´s the only nexus to Cusco city, only reached by train or helicopter. The main train station is located right in its center, with the railways cutting the town in the middle. In recent years, the community made several efforts to organize itself, despite some mess related to the village expansion with illegal constructions that posed a danger to the environment of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary and an unpleasant visual experience for the visitors. Fortunately, the common sense prevailed. But nature has no common sense. The last weather disruption in the climate has also affected the region of Machu Picchu, boosting the Urubamba river with historic records of water flow and posing a huge rebuilding challenge to local residents and the top authorities of the country. The response was fast and arrangements to avoid another calamity have been displayed. So, Machu Picchu is located in a pretty wild region. It´s also an example of the indomitable personality of The Andes, constantly puzzling the human inventive and challenging their development efforts and live for thousands of years. Machu Picchu is a symbol of the supremacy of nature over mankind. You just have to be there, with the mountains, the river and the ruins surrounding you to understand the ultimate lesson for us: the power of Nature will prevail.

Machu Picchu Cultuur

Machu Picchu Culture Machu Picchu also reflects what is is alleged to be one of the most organized cultures of the history. Two blocks of stone-made constructions are separated by the Sacred Square, right in the middle of Machu Picchu ruins. One of them sheltered the Hanan Cusco (High Cusco), the other one belonged to the Hurin Cusco (Low Cusco). The rest of the people lived in the perimeter, doing the harvest of the terraces or “andenes”. The inca culture was a pyramid structure that had demographic divisions. The lower you were in the pyramid, the lower rights and privileges you had. It´s not clear how many people lived in the Tawantinsuyu. According to some data, the Tawantinsuyu population reached the 40 million people, but other versions come to lower amounts, as 4 million people. Whatever the exact amount could be, it´s for sure the system had to be strong and efficient enough to aloud its leaders to rule that society, living on a very difficult terrain and with a variety of weather, from extreme to paradise. That precision is reflected in the Machu Picchu ruins, the mirror of an ancient culture that reflects thousands of years of compiling living knowledge, showing a society that manage to live in a close harmony with the environment. And from that environment they extracted the most beautiful works of art, a cultural expression that continues to puzzle the scholars. Since their spoken language never had a written expression, they concentrated their creative impulse on the arts, achieving colorful textile designs, elegant ceramics, and exquisite jewelry made of pure gold and silver. The textiles had multiple uses. The Incas invented the “telar” or loom, a wooden gadget used to weave really fast and exactly as the model. Even today it´s still being use among the rural people of the Andes. The exquisite figures and designs, geometrically displayed, showed the amazing variety of habits and uses of the Incas, like the harvest seasons, the cults and worships. The nature also played a very important role, visible in the geometric stylizations of llamas and jaguars. Like everything in this culture, the textiles were all different, depending on the user; they were made in softer cotton for the nobility than for the rest of the people. The most known ceramic was the aribalo or aryballo (known by the local people as “macka”), big and generally used in carrying chicha, a holy beverage, to the ceremonies. This ariballo had a conic bottom that matched a hole made in the soil, so it could be tilted to pour the anxiously desired beverage. In those ceremonies, the nobility used to drink chicha in glasses known as keros. Made and carved in wood, the keros were decorated with figures of jaguars, and even with gemstones. Smelting metals was another art that the Incas culture dominated with high performance. It also made this civilization famous hundreds of miles away from its borders. Many fabulous myths, like El Dorado, were believed by treasure hunters to have their source somewhere deep in the mountains of the Incas Andes. Tons and tons of gold, mountains of precious jewels filled the dreams of many. But it also became the beginning of the end for the great Inca culture. The foreigners´ greed allowed them to discover this civilization, crushing it completely. But they never found the treasures of Machu Picchu. It was four hundred years later that finally one explorer, Hiram Bingham, unveiled the sleepy ruins and their magic to the world. All that Hiram Bingham found is now at the Yale University, in the United States. All the inca´s cultural expression in ceramics, metal and cotton he founded in Machu Picchu is there. It´s unclear if they have catalogued everything Bingham took away. Some voices are protesting about the lack of gold pieces, in a place created for the royalty and left on the running, in a civilization known specially because of their gold art. The list is still awaited. Their religion was monotheistic, with the Inti (the Sun), as their almighty God. As many other cultures, the religion is mixed with myths about their genesis that also serves as a base for the social organization. One of the most popular myths about the origins of the Inca culture was the Myth of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo. They were sons of the sun, who sent them to establish the Empire, and to teach people about different techniques to make their lives easer. They emerged from the Titicaca Lake with a golden crook and travelled to Cusco, where Manco Capac plunge the crook. Manco Capac appears as the first Inca that began to organize and rule the region, and Mama Ocllo taught new things to the people. There are a lot of ritual places all around the Tawantinsuyu, dedicated for the Sun. But amid the most important ones are those found in Machu Picchu, like the Intihuatana, and the Temple of the Sun. Believed to be a calendar tool, the Intiwatana (Sun catcher) is a huge piece of solid rock, sculpted with geometrical perfection. It shows the astronomical knowledge of the Incas culture, because it´s located to point exactly to the Sun during the winter solstice. Also the pillar in its center makes no shadow exactly in the two equinoxes of the year. The Temple of the Sun is a semicircular-shaped construction, with three windows. The trespassing was allowed only to the Inca and the priests. It could have been decorated with gemstones, specially the windows and the door. Despite the curvature, their builders manage to pile up perfectly cut rocks one next to the other -no breeze between them- to make a solid wall. It was full of offerings and ornaments that even now excites the imagination of the visitors. That is how the cultural inheritance of Machu Picchu seems to be among the richest ones of the world. That is another powerful reason to visit its ruins.

Machu Picchu 7 th wonder

Machu Picchu, The New Seven Wonder of the World Lisbon, July 7th, 2007. Millions of people all over the world were sitting in front of their TV watching the The New Seven Wonders of the World ceremony. A few countries were almost paralyzed and Peru was one of them. Why? Because its national icon, Machu Picchu, was among the competitors. There were monuments like the Statue of Christ in Brazil, the Great Wall of China and Petra of Jordan that were already chosen. Then, the moment for the fourth one came. The whole Andean country, with Cusco above all, hold their breath until they heard the great news: Machu Picchu, one of The New 7 Wonders Of the World. An explosion of joy instantly unified the nation. It was a feeling of millions, even more than the country´s population. They could listen the “Estadio da Luz” (Stadium of Light) roaring with them. It was amazing: an ancient wonder, made with their bare hands by their wise ancestors in that wonderful land, was already in the heart of the planet. The ceremony of The New Seven Wonders of the World was a very impressive one. It included many famous music and film artists, like Jennifer Lopez and Ben Kingsley. A festival of lights and sound preceded the nominations, while people at their homes were guessing if their favorite would win. Colorful staging, amazing fireworks and huge structures descending or emerging from the stage, showed the outstanding creativity and imagination that inspired the organization of this event. The New Seven Wonders ceremony was intended to be a milestone in massive communications and technology. Seven years of hard work promoting Machu Picchu on the web finally had it reward. Ministries, politics and other public institutions like Promperu, joined efforts with their private counterparts, like all the media and many cosmopolitan peruvians known all over the world that offered their fame for having their heritage among the 7 Wonders. On the last months, the rumors were saying Machu Picchu was among the favorites of global voters. The campaign intensified, showing the greatness of Machu Picchu everywhere. Hollywood stars visited us, praying for the conservation of the ruins, the beauty of human achievement. A lot of documentaries appeared on cable, and even the peruvian president himself acted like a touristic guide in one of them. Travel agencies organized a combined strategy to engage more tourists from all over the world, creating new wonder´s travel packages and adding some creative alternatives like mystic journeys or news about the later discoveries in the region, like the amazing ruins of Choquequirao. The wonder of internet made possible this election, one of the widest of human history. As Bernard Weber, the founder of the N7W said in his web, nor the chinese nor the indian people had most of the votes. It was in the hands of the children and young people that were able to access this election by a click. This give us a new hope about a new generation deeply concerned about the future and its connection with the nature health, like others –the builders of Machu Picchu among them- understood in the past. But, what does it mean for Machu Picchu to be recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World? To fully understand this, we have to know more about the spirit that inspired the whole New 7 Wonders movement. They were looking for two things: motivation and knowledge. The first, to understand why do we have to protect, respect and cherish this wonderful planet. The second, because nobody can protect what simply doesn´t know. Then the candidates for the N7W contest were announced. They were models of many key values for the world preservation. Respect for nature, effort, unity, sensitivity and beauty. The candidates represented all of this and more: everything is possible if we are united. But Machu Picchu had more; much more. Its history was full of mystery, from the energy enigma to the secrecy of its location, hidden in the cloudy forest and protected by huge mountains. Its solid walls of rock represented one of the most technically advanced civilizations of their time, a civilization that manage to dominate a huge and extremely difficult territory, owner of a planet´s weather mixture. Machu Picchu had even more wonders to show: the life testimony of thousands of visitors. They didn´t return home happy only because of the fabulous things they saw. They returned feeling blessed by the kindness, the joy of living, the wisdom and the willing of that humble people to share all of this magic with them. They didn´t vote for a picture; they voted for the journey of their lives. A wonder to share. This was one of the reasons for the fifty thousand people on the Estadio da Luz to acclaim Machu Picchu with one voice. The New Seven Wonders made Machu Picchu available for millions more. Now the famous ruins are receiving almost the double of visitors than before the Seven Wonders contest. It´s a reason to be proud, but also an alert for all the people and institutions involved in this success to care for the protection of the whole Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, side by side with the foreign and local travelers. With more than a hundred million of votes made by internet, the New 7 Wonders achieved the greatest goal of all: to present seven reasons to protect our planet; seven examples of how our ancestors did it; seven miracles of human invention. And Machu Picchu is one of them. If the world understands this, then there will be seven reasons for hope in the future of our planet; a future of wonders.

Machu Picchu geschiedenis

It was running the 15th century. A very persistent people were developing and creating their own identity between forests and mountains, high altitudes and one of the most difficult geographies of the planet. They were the Incas; they were preparing for History. For the last centuries, this people created new techniques. They learned how to take full advantage from the soil, how to cut stones like butter, how to communicate with the magic world through nature. A nearby neighbor, the Chancas, a furious and brave opponent in the searching of territory supremacy, was in their way. Because of the Chancas, the young Inca´s Empire was locked into the Cusco region and its provinces. Then came Pachacutec (Pachacuti, 1438 to 1471), one of the most important Inca Emperors of history. An intense period of continuous conquests began, promoting the faster growing of the Empire. Pachacutec is thought to have been a great and courageous strategist that reorganized all the Empire by a very strict order including the army, achieving many victories and expanding not only their territories, but the fear all over the subcontinent. One of these events was the historic campaign against their old enemy, the Chancas, the people that ended submitting itself to the vast and huge power of the growing Empire. The Chancas were blasted. According to archaeologists, Machu Picchu was build to honor this great emperor, bringer of progress, and his legacy as the commander of the brightest period of the Empire -and the last of all. Machu Picchu was conceived as a refuge for the upper casts of the inca society. Its location was thought very carefully, looking for the best place for rituals and ceremonies, the best weather, the best isolation. Stone by stone, lots of people and years later, the humankind achievement was finished. They used the local source of rocks to make most of the construction. The shapes of some magic animals were taken into account in its design, like the condor (upper world), the jaguar (the human world) and the snake (the underground world). They considered everything, from the size of the rooms to the location of the toilettes and decoration. As time passed, Machu Picchu began to cover the whole landscape. Everywhere they look there was a building, a terrace or an aqueduct´s branch crossing the terrain. The low casts also lived there, but only working on the terraces or “andenes” and fields. The city had one zone for the agriculture and two for houses and temples. One group of houses was for the nobility and some temples, like the Temple of the Virgins of the Sun; the other was exclusively for the Royal Rooms and the Temple of the Sun. The Sacred Square divided these two areas. This division (Down or “Hurin”, Up or “Hanan”) was established before in their historic main city, Cusco: the center of the world. Suddenly, Machu Picchu was mysteriously abandoned for the first time in its brief history, probably because of the news they heard about the invasion by the Spanish conquerors. The goal could have been to protect the Emperor and the royalty members. It was forgotten even by the inca people because its existence was only known by a few nobles and upper casts. Years later, Machu Picchu played the last act of its history serving the incas. During the Resistance against the Spanish conquerors, Manco Inca, the last royal descendent of the great dynasty, defended what was left of his huge empire sheltering in those great walls of solid rock. He and his army almost defeated the invaders. But finally they had to run, scattering all over the region. Spanish went after Manco Inca, never knowing about the existence of Machu Picchu. Manco Inca ran to Ollantaytambo, and was killed years later by another group of spanish renegades. Four hundred years later; July 1911. An expedition of learned foreign explorers where opening their way through the dense mountain forest looking for rests of the Inca´s civilization. They have heard about the historic ruins of Choquequirao, located near Machu Picchu, and their visit to that place was the motivation to investigate more about what they thought may exist deeper inside de forest: the lost -and the last- capital of the Inca´s Empire. They got information about a lost inca city from villagers. They believed those fantastic stories. But they never imagined what they were about to discovered. The expedition leader: the famous american archeologist Hiram Bingham. Guided by a villager and followed by a peruvian police, Bingham began a new exploration of that region, tracking the rumors. Some weeks later, they found a place full of andenes, the historic storing-food terraces, still being cultivated by the natives. Those terraces seemed to Bingham as the ladders to some mystery, right on the top of that mountain, hidden behind the mist. Bingham decided to climb, discovering a lot of walls made by rock bricks. Behind the first cut of brush, the explorer was able to complete the picture of perfect geometry in his mind. Full of excitement, Bingham managed to get the support of the Yale University, returning almost immediately to fulfill one of the most extraordinary discoveries of the human history. Half a millennium later, Machu Picchu concentrates the meaning of thousands of beings that lived and died there, fighting for survival, for their land, for their culture. Half a millennium later, Machu Picchu remains, not just like a witness, but acting a leading role in History. Take a trip to Machu Picchu: you´ll get the journey of your life.

Over Machu Picchu

It could be in your favorite cafe, at work, or walking with friends at the university. It doesn´t matter where you heard about Peru; the name Machu Picchu must have been on those talks. Machu Picchu (Old Mountain) is the most important touristic site of Peru. Located deep into the mountain forest, it has been visited by millions since its discovery by Hiram Bingham in 1911. But it was just on the last few years that Machu Picchu had become an icon in the traveler´s world. The New Seven Wonders of The World was one, among other reasons ,for that. But it doesn´t matter what your friends could have told you about Machu Picchu. The experience of being there, just on time to see the sun rising for a new day behind the mist of Machu Picchu, is unique and unforgettable. When you finally get there, after coming by train, taxi or bus, fatigue will be gone, erased by the sight of a huge landscape that can left you breathless. You´ll find yourself surrounded by nature, your senses will get overdosed by light, pure air, color… and silence. The amazing silence of Machu Picchu. Ancient, gigantic rocks everywhere, taken as bases for some great architectural design master. They were there, lying for centuries, perfectly cut, sharp, and polished by some sophisticated technique no one could imitate exactly today. There are no holes between them. Not even a knife could break through them. The symbol of human adaptation to nature. The opposite of our civilization. As far as your sight fails to get details: ruins everywhere. Ruins going down the hills of Machu Picchu or climbing the most impossible angles right to the sky, fading behind the forest and reappearing as an aqueduct that still takes crystal water hundreds of meters down, right to the Urubamba river. But, what is Machu Picchu? Which is the source of this magic attraction that makes people around the world dying to visit Machu Picchu as the goal of their lives? Machu Picchu is a remaining witness of the ancient, great past of Peru, when the Inca´s Empire ruled in all the Andean Region. Machu Picchu is located in the central Andes of Peru, 2,400 meters over the sea level and near the city of Cuzco, center of the Inca´s Empire. Machu Picchu has been built in the 15th century, but the reasons for its construction are obscure. Some archaeologists said it was a rest place, others believed it was a fortress. But they all agree that Machu Picchu was used as a refuge for the people, hiding from the spanish conquerors. And it worked; the invaders never found Machu Picchu. This astonishing building and knowledge force made the Incas one of the great civilization of the ancient world, equal by experts to Egyptians, Mayas and Babylonians. They conquered many other peoples. From Colombia in the north, to Chile in the South: 2 million square kilometers. Only this kind of people could have been capable of building a wonder like Machu Picchu. Even some people believe Machu Picchu ruins hide mystical powers. They think the whole world energy converges there, turning Machu Picchu a great energy center, where you can cure yourself from negativity and connect to other dimensions. At least, one thing is true: Machu Picchu is an extraordinary place to relax, to meditate and find yourself far from the noise, contamination and stress of the modern society. In Machu Picchu you could also find The Intihuatana, The Three Windows, The Sacred Square, The Aqueduct or The Temple of the Sun. All of them are rooms or places were different rituals took place, revealing the beliefs and the advanced knowledge of this people in cosmology and physics. If you´re looking for wildlife and vegetation, the sanctuary of Machu Picchu offers you one of the biggest and exotic variety of species of the world. With an idyllic weather as framework, colorful orchids, rare birds like the cock-of-the-rock (gallito de las rocas), a precious species for birdwatchers, or even the elusive spectacled bear are waiting for you deep inside Machu Picchu. Because of its importance for the culture and history of the region, Machu Picchu became a powerful reason of pride for peruvians. Pride about their past, the levels of technology, culture, and the social and military organization that the Incas achieved. All of them written between the rocks of Machu Picchu. Now you have reached the deeper zone of Machu Picchu. Right in front of you, a huge and curiously shaped rock blocks the forest view. You suddenly realized that its shape is similar to the first sight that welcomed you at the beginning. You think its the end of the visit, but then you manage to pass the rock, and a whole new mountain appears: it´s the Huayna Picchu. Connected with the main mountain by a thin piece of rock, Huayna Picchu invites you to climb it. It´s a risky decision, would you take it or leave it? Up there, the glory waits for you. At the top, a 360° panoramic of the mountain forest, with Machu Picchu ruins at the bottom, is the final reward. Four hundred meters down, the Urubamba river roars. The day is ending, you are exhausted and your mind is full of shapes, wonders and legacy. You don´t want to leave Machu Picchu. You won´t: Machu Picchu lives inside you. A world that has been lives now in your mind, your spirit, you soul. Take a trip to Machu Picchu: you´ll get the journey of your life.

Machu Picchu 100 jaar

The city of Machu Picchu is the department of Cusco's most important tourist attraction. Discovered to the world in 1911 by the American explorer, Hiram Bingham, this city is considered to be one of the most extraordinary examples of scenic architecture in the world. The city of Machu Picchu itself was built at the top of a granite mountain. The Incas, using ingenious engineering techniques, were able to transport heavy stone blocks up the mountain side, and once there, they used their excellent masonry skills to produce amazingly polished stones that fit together perfectly.

Hoesjes iPhone iPad

Als iPhone/iPad liefhebber houd ik natuurlijk ook in de gaten waar je de leukste hoesjes kunt scoren. Op de website www.incadream.nl (leuk verzonnen!) gaat er een wereld voor je open. Kon je tot nu toe nog niet slagen? Hier vind je voor elke iPhone een hip hoesje. Er is zoveel keus dat je, man of vrouw, hier iets naar je smaak kunt vinden.

Moeder Dag

In de geschiedenis dateren de vroegste vieringen van moederdag zijn eigenlijk al rond 1600 in Engeland te vinden. Door het vereren van Rhea, de moeder van de Griekse goden, werd in die tijd een soort moederdag gevierd: Mothering Sunday. De dag waarop de moeders in Engeland werden vereerd. Op deze dag in de geschiedenis was het de gewoonte om de dag bij moeders thuis te zijn en een speciale cake te bakken, de zogenaamde Mothering Cake. Moederdag is ontstaan in Amerika. Sinds 1914 wordt moederdag al in Amerika gevierd. In Nederland is het de feestdag waar moederdagcadeaus de belangrijkste rol spelen. In zijn vroegste oorsprong, de tweede zondag in mei in 1914, ging het vooral om het vereren van de moederrol zijn. De oprichter van moederdag is Anna Jarvis. Een alleenstaande lerares uit Philadelphia die leefde van 1864 tot 1948. En zij had haar passie voor de bewondering van rol van moeders niet van een vreemde. Haar moeder organiseerde al diverse zaken voor moeders. Zo zette zij een netwerk van zogenaamd Mother’s Work Clubs op. Groepjes moeders die gezamenlijk probeerde ziekten en kindersterfte, wat in die tijd nogal voorkwam, te bestrijden. Anne Jarvis is de beroemdste vrouw in de geschiedenis van deze dag Anne Jarvis is de geschiedenis ingegaan als oprichtster van deze dag Zij gingen ervan uit dat de moeder centraal kon staan in een betere samenleving: ‘Better Mother’s, better homes, better men and woman’. Toen haar moeder in 1905 overleed heeft Anne Jarvis op de eerste zondag na het overlijden van haar moeder - haar moeder overleed op de eerste zondag in mei - een persoonlijk eerbetoon georganiseerd voor haar moeder. Het jaar daarna heeft ze op de eerste zondag na de overlijdensdag van haar moeder de eerste ‘General Memorial Day of All Mothers’ georganiseerd. Maar het heeft tot 1914 geduurd voordat moederdag als officiële dag was ingevoerd. In al die jaren heeft Anna Jarvis er keihard voor gestreden en heel veel brieven naar bestuurder gestuurd om een officiële vereringsdag voor moeders te krijgen. Uiteindelijk schreef ze geschiedenis, moederdag was geboren. De geschiedenis in Nederland en België Nederland en België waren er vroeg bij om moederdag te vieren. Het is bekend dat in 1922 al een soort moederdag werd gevierd. Sinds 1928 is ook in Nederland deze dag als officiële dag geïntroduceerd. Moederdag kent in Nederland en Belgie al een hele geschiedenis. Al is de geschiedenis in België met moederkesdag al wat ouder. En in Nederland was moederdag vanaf dag één de dag van cadeaus, cadeaus kopen wel te verstaan. Het initiatief om ook in Nederland moederdag te gaan vieren is in 1926 gekomen van de Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Tuinbouw en Plantkunde die in moederdag de kans schoon zag om extra bloemen te verkopen. In 1927 kregen alle schoolkinderen in Rotterdam een tulp mee naar huis. Voor moeder ter promotie van moederdag. In Amerika was er ook al een relatie met bloemen. Hier krijgen moeders traditioneel een bos anjers. In België begon de geschiedenis van de moeder verwendag in Antwerpen met moederkesdag. Cadeautjes horen bij de geschiedenis van deze dag De extra bloemen verkoop lukte in de hele geschiedenis van deze dag altijd prima: ‘Viert moederdag’. Dit tot ongenoegen van de banketbakkers in Nederland. Die wilde natuurlijk ook wel iets aan moederdag verdienen. En dat deden ze. De Nederlandsche Banketbakkers Vereeniging introduceerde speciale moederdagtaarten. Ter promotie kreeg de koningin elk jaar een door de banketbakkerschool gemaakte gigantische moederdagtaart. En daar was onze vorstin natuurlijk elk jaar erg blij mee. In het begin van de geschiedenis waren bloemen en taarten hét moederdagcadeau. Maar sinds het midden van deze eeuw is het aantal producten meer en meer toegenomen. Ondertussen gaat de hele detailhandel helemaal los. Niemand kan meer om moederdag heen. Moeders verwendag schrijft nu vooral commerciële geschiedenis. Sinds de vroegste geschiedenis wordt moeder verwend In Nederland en België worden de rollen omgekeerd, althans moeder hoeft die dag niets te doen. Dat doen de kinderen, vaak (noodzakelijkerwijs) bijgestaan door vaders. Moeder wordt vrijgesteld van haar zorgtaken én niet onbelangrijk: haar huishoudelijke taken. Traditioneel wordt het ontbijt door de kinderen gemaakt en aan moeder op bed geserveerd. Tijdens ontbijt wordt moeder verrast met een zelfgemaakt moederdagcadeau. Dit hebben de kinderen vaak op school of de crèche gemaakt. Gevolgd door een moederdagcadeau waar vader voor gezorgd heeft. In de geschiedenis spelen cadeautjes een steeds belangrijkere rol. Traditioneel wordt op deze dag ook oma met een bezoekje verblijd. Bloemen al in de geschiedenis meest favoriete moederdagcadeau Bloemen hebben in de geschiedenis een belangrijke rol gespeeld. Anna Jarvis de Amerikaanse oprichter van moederdag (Mother’s Day) had al een rol weggelegd voor bloemen, anjers in het bijzonder. Zij wilde dat aan moeders anjers cadeau werden gegeven. Ook zag zij graag dat er op moederdag anjers werden gelegd op het graf van overleden moeders. Deze bloemenstart bood natuurlijk prima kansen voor de bloemenhandel die hier handig op in sprong. In de geschiedenis commercialiseerde moederdag meer en meer. Iets wat Anna Jarvis afschuwelijk vond. Zij strijde tot haar dood tegen de vercommercialisering. Tegenwoordig mogen de Amerikanen zich op de vierde zondag in oktober ook verblijden met schoonmoederdag. In Nederland en België heeft schoonmoederdag nog geen enkele geschiedenis. En of dat Nederland of België ook gaat gebeuren lijkt niet zo waarschijnlijk. Al met al heeft moeders feestdag al een hele geschiedenis doorgemaakt. Hoe oud moeders mooist dag ook is een leuk cadeautje hoort erbij