Did you see the Peace Pole on your trip to Machu Picchu?

It  was standing alone, tucked away in a shady corner at the main entrance to Machu Picchu. A Peace Pole. I recognized the white pole with dark lettering right away because there is one at my children's school.  Virginia Beach Friends School. Although not prominently displayed at Machu Picchu, it's not hard to find if you are looking. When you get off the shuttle bus, look downhill, away from the steps leading up to the main entrance. The pole is planted in a small clearing that blocks the view of the Urubamba valley below.  
 The public expression of Peace as a movement was first started in 1955 by the late Masahisa Goi in Japan.  He was inspired to share the message of peace after awakening from deep prayer. In 1976, the first peace poles appeared in Japan, and made their first international debut in Los Angeles in 1983.  And in 1986, the Peace Pole Project was born in the US. No one knows for sure, but it is estimated that the world is planted with over 200,000 poles. The 4-sided poles bear the message, "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in many languages. When you travel to Machu Picchu we hope you find the pole. And perhaps more importantly, we hope you enjoy the freedom you have to explore the planet. Peacefully.