Train ride to the lost city of the Incas

By ⋅ April 1, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment
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Train ride to Machu PicchuFor today’s Geo Quiz, we’re headed to the lost city of the Incas. Now, we’re not asking you to name that ancient city in Peru. That’d be too easy. It’s Machu Picchu, one of the world’s best known archaeological sites. What we want to know is who discovered Machu Picchu. This American explorer was a Yale professor at the time of the discovery — in 1911. Today, in Peru, you can find a train that bears his name. We’ll take a ride on that train… And reveal the name of this man who some say was a real-life model for the fictional Indiana Jones. (Photo: David Baron)


Geo Answer:
The topic was Machu Picchu — the ancient Incan city in Peru. The site was closed to tourists after floods in January destroyed roads and railways that serve the site.

Today, Machu Picchu re-opened. And our challenge to you was to name the man credited with discovering the archaeological site. The answer is Hiram Bingham.

Bingham was a Yale historian who later served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut. He found Machu Picchu in 1911. Now, there’s some controversy around Bingham’s claim that he was the first outsider to visit the site. But there’s no doubt that Bingham was the person who brought Machu Picchu to world attention.

He wrote about his expeditions in National Geographic magazine and a best-selling book. There’s now a luxury train named after him. It runs from the Peruvian city of Cusco to the base of Machu Picchu, which — in the Quechua language — means “Old Peak.”

The trains are not currently operating their normal service… because of the recent flooding. But before the floods, The World’s David Baron had a chance to ride the Hiram Bingham… And he brings us this audio postcard:

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Discussion

7 comments for “Train ride to the lost city of the Incas”

  • Darby

    Hiram Bingham III is the person who was suppose to have discovered the lost Inca City

  • Jamy Darren

    Great commercial I suppose, but this is fluff of the highest order.

    A missed opportunity to more seriously delve into what the city once represented–not a ceremonial center but a royal retreat which included notable religious venues. But the so-called mystery of why and how MP came to be located where it is was not explained and easily could have been.

  • Eric Reed

    I’d like to know name of performer and how to get a recording of the rendition of “O tico-tico” played on the “Train Ride to the Lost City of the Incas”. Sounded like it was played on panpipes, which would be the link to Quechua culture, I guess.

    • David Baron

      Hi, Eric. I wish I could help you with your request, but the music we used in this radio segment was performed by the musicians on the Hiram Bingham train. I’m afraid it is not available in stores!

  • Bernard McMahon

    Great slideshow and narration! I did that trip back in 1988 with a friend and we loved it. Now I’ve got to dig out the pictures I took back then.

  • Frank Luke

    Riddle: Whats the connection:

    Hiram Bingham / Macchu Picchu / Hawaiian Islands ?

    Bingham’s father and grandfather were a missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands.

    Is his being the model for Indiana Jones true story or not?

    Aloha, Frank Luke