I just returned from my first trip to Peru. I was most taken by how much the people and the culture are still influenced by the spirit of the Incas, and how relevant the messages of that heritage are for us today.

It looks like something out of a dream, but Machu Picchu is a product of hard labor -- an ancient city built into the clouds by hand.

Although thousands of gringos attend the theatrical representation of Inti Raymi near Cusco, Peru, each year, this is different. This is the real deal: a venerable religious ceremony complete with animal sacrifices.

Ahu Tepeu faces inland, as do almost all the statues here. A popular theory is that the statues were created to represent important people who had died.

According to Professor Flenley, "Easter Island is the world in miniature. What happened there is what we are doing now to our rain forests and our other renewable resources."