If you ever decide to do the 4-day Inca Trail hike, you’ll probably come across these ruins in Llupachayoc (“Place of Offerings”) at the end of the first day. Our tents were pitched in a tiny field that was part of a settlement that had aspirations of becoming a full-blown village someday. Miles from nowhere, it was obvious that the inhabitants made their living off the cornfields which surrounded the area and the tourists passing through.

As evening was approaching and we were resting up, one of the students in my group, Cervantes, walked over to the ruins and perched himself atop the highest wall for some quiet time. I took some time out from playing hacky-sack to grab my camera – it was the first and only time that only one person was visible in the ruins.

I have to admit that part of why I like this photo is because of the memories it invokes. I made a gentleman’s bet with someone that I could throw a Frisbee from where I took the picture to someone standing on the ruins. We sent someone over to join Cervantes, fellow students and locals alike gathered to watch, and everyone told me that the disc would fall short and get lost in the corn field. They psyched me out. When I finally did throw the disc, I threw it as hard as I could… and it sailed high over the ruins, drifted left, and landed at the far end of the cornfield below.

With the help of spotters in the ruins and scampering kids, we did manage to get the disc back, though. We then designed a game (of sorts) where we threw it to and fro between the campground, the ruins, and all around the cornfield. As the sun set and the light waned, it seemed as though every hiker and ever villager came out to watch us teach the local children how to throw a Frisbee.