Peru Day 9: Machu Picchu!

It promised to be a long day, but honestly, much of it was riding around - not using any of my own brain space.

By 6 am, I was really awake. Excited to be headed to Machu Picchu today and to be ticking off a "bucket list" item of almost 10 years.

Machu Picchu: I never took for granted I would actually get here, given my challenges with altitude sickness. I was wrong (as is often the case) mainly because I was ignorant. Even without the drugs for AMS, it's possible to fly to Cusco and make tracks for the Sacred Valley pretty quickly, thereby avoiding even 11,000 foot elevation. From Ollantaytamba you can take a train to Aguas Caliente and then a shuttle bus to Machu Picchu at less than 9,000'.

Of course, the route we took was the greatest adventure, the slowest route, the highest altitude and in my humble opinion, the most rewarding. MY journey is the best simply because it's my journey!

As we walked through the entrance before 8 am, I felt psyched and so fortunate and happy beyond words. The sun was shining, Like, really shining! Barely a cloud in the sky, warm with a wee breeze.  Quite the opposite of camping life on the Salkantay Trail a few days earlier, when dampness, mud and cold were ever present.

Machu Picchu was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham, a 34 year old American, in 1911 after hundreds of years of abandonment and overgrowth. Like many such discoveries, he thought he had found something else... another ruins that had evaded explorers for years. Even the Spanish had not found Machu Picchu when they were on their conquering spree. That made it all the more special, as the pagan temples and artifacts were un-pilaged or destroyed.

Next terrace down; tourist with a picnic! This llama was making plans... 

It's breathtaking. But I had heard it would be. The trouble with descriptions is they don't prepare you for what you feel, only what you see. Machu Picchu is perched upon a steep mountain. Terraces and architecture/engineering that defies explanation (unless you subscribe to the alien theory) have helped preserve it from earthquake, landslide and erosion damage. It has an energy to it that is hard to describe. Peaceful... strong and confident, organized and artistic, majestic... exclusive... timeless.

This site was most likely a summer residence for the Royals/ruling family and they probably only spent weeks or a few months a year, here. But without written language and a recorded history, we just don't know much for sure.

The complex is divided into sectors - temple, royal living, commoner or worker living area, industrial, educational, agricultural and a type of "main square" or plaza for viewing parades and ceremonies etc.

<200 skeletons were found here, but it had to have taken 50,000-60,000 workers about 100 years o construct this place by quarrying, chiseling, moving giant stones into place. They literally went home to their villages, to die.



Alex lead us on a tour of Machu Picchu and the Inca Bridge. He is an encyclopedia. His 20+ years of experience and learning about this stuff is immense and what he "downloads" to us, includes what is known and what is currently speculated to be true. There was purpose and planning to his tour. We often had quieter spots and took advantage of them for stories, jokes and photos. Llamas and chinchilas popped up with perfect timing too!

The Inca Bridge. How Machu Picchu could have been infiltrated, if removing the wooden bridge planks was not possible.

I couldn't have been happier with my time at Machu Picchu! The day was only made more complete by a spicy trout ceviche lunch overlooking the river and a train ride - which is one of my favorite things.

Peru Rail to Ollantaytamba was a chance to put our feet up and enjoy on-board coffee and snacks. The bonus was a fashion show by the crew and some crazy costume and dancing that only a video does justice to.

90 minutes later we disembarked  and our driver, Carlos, was waiting to whisk us back to Cusco. Normally I'd be feeling like I want a shorter car ride, but that would signify the end of my blissful day and the departure of Kelli.

"That's what friends are for" song is playing on the radio as we arrive back into Cusco city.

"...Keep smiling. Keep shining. Knowing you can always count on me, for sure. That's what friends are for... "

Safe travels, my friend. See you back in Boulder next week.  :-(
We'll eat the Rainbow Cake and think of you!

Peru Day 8: Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes

Holy crap! This might be a day that I relive forever, or live to regret!

In unison, these sound like singing bowls!

The Inca Cross

Saying goodbye to the chefs, Roger and Mario

We started out later from our bustling campsite, having been picked up by Vertikal Zipline and promised quite the adventure.

With gear fitting and our first safety briefing out of the way, we waddled our harnessed butts to the first of SIX ziplines. I should have known that hard hats and leather gloves hinted to what we'd really signed up for.

No kidding I was nervous. Heights are not my thing. But the first and second ziplines were pretty fine. Even the third was eh... not too bad.


But between the forth and fifth zipline stations, there was this suspension bridge, spanning a ravine. For whatever reason, I lost control of my common sense and decided that I'd conquer this fear today. I followed Kelli out onto the bridge!

Frightening? Oh hell yes! The wooden rungs, barely attached to 2 of the 3 wire cables beneath, were irregularly spaced. By that I mean, some were sooo far apart from each other that you had to actually step on the wire suspension cables to traverse the gaps!  WTF!? I was FREAKING OUT on a full nervous system level and weakly called out to Kelli with my dry mouth. Paralyzed by fear and hyperventilating... and only a third of the way across.

Kelli - ever the confident climber and competent nurse practitioner, turned to face me. She had me make eye contact and talked me through slowing my breathing.  I continued on and several more people from another group started out on the bridge behind me. About 15 yards from the end, those guys behind me decided that rocking the bridge would be super neat.  There may have been a point where I yelled "WTF, that is NOT ok!"

So yeah. I have ticked suspension bridge off my bucket list and can die before needing to do another. Like, ever!

Post ziplining, we were transported to the hydroelectric power station nearest Machu Picchu. From there we began a 12km hike along the railway tracks to Aguas Calientes.

Through banana plantations, engulfed by jungle, following a roaring river, beneath colorful cliffs and under a bright blue sky with warm sunshine, we hiked. Team Alex!

"Our dog" He followed us for 8km, then like a ghost, was gone again.

Despite the insect repellent that had been rubbed into most of my body (even under my clothes) I found myself the main course for half the tiny sand-flies in Peru. They were relentless and I had no idea how many bites I had until later that night!

It had been another perfect afternoon, enjoying the smell of the cloud forest and learning from Alex.  Blissing out in Peru. Arriving at 5pm-ish, we beat the train that had stopped to pick up our duffel bags at the hydroelectric station. Technical issues??

Alex, Kelli, Teresa and I used our "spare time" to suck down a couple of Pisco Sours and give Roger (our chef) a little send-off, before using hotel room showers (NICE!!) and regrouping after dinner for one more drink.

After that, the night is a bit of a blur. I believe we acquired dessert from street vendors before we lost all sense of decorum and the eyebrow event occurred...