My Machu Picchu Adventure

Edgar ready for his first flight

I apologize to my faithful readers that I have been taking so much time in between blogs!  I will make this one a long one to make up for lost time. I have a lot to talk about because I just got back from a very exciting vacation.  My vacation to Machu Picchu! 

Many many months ago when I was planning my “big vacation”, I had asked Edgar if he could go anywhere in Peru where it would be, he said “Machu Picchu”.  I was never opposed to visiting Machu Picchu but I never really wanted to.  I guess I was never really into much history and the idea of visiting ruins just didn’t seem that exciting to me.  And I figured it would be so touristy.  But at the same time, I knew Machu Picchu is the #1 reason people from all over the world visit Peru, and most of the time when you say Peru, people say Machu Picchu.  And now it has been named one of the New Marvels of the World.  So part of me felt obligated to spare myself a lifetime of “what you lived in Peru and never went to Machu Picchu” statements and plan a trip to Machu Picchu with Edgar. 

Every time I meet someone new in this country one of the first questions is “Have you been to Machu Picchu?” this was always to ironic to me because not a single Peruvian I have ever met have been there.  It’s interesting how everyone is so proud of these ruins, but no one actually has been there.  As I started planning our trip I began to realize why. For me, Piura is a long way from Cusco, where Machu Picchu is located, and that alone can be a very expensive trip.  However, the more frustrating part came when I started buying entrance tickets and train tickets to get there and seeing how incredibly expensive it all is.  It’s unreal, and sure at times I had to pay the price of a tourist, but Edgar didn’t and it was still ridiculous.  So it made me kind of sad for so many people, here it is Peru and most Peruvians can’t even see it! 

So I planned out this awesome trip for Edgar and I, we would head to Cusco, we would even do part of the trip in plane since he had never been in one before!  We would spend a few days in Cusco seeing what that was all about, then take the train (only form of transportation) to Machu Picchu, spend a few days there and then come back.  However, in the last minute and due to Edgar’s vacation time we decided to throw another week of vacation after that and go and visit the jungle!  So I planned it all out, and then we waited a few months and in April it was finally time to go.  I can’t tell you how much I needed this trip after all the grant writing, and waiting, and writing, and waiting, dealing with the mom’s and working on the trainings, for my project.

So the day came and we finally headed to Cusco.  Edgar really seemed excited about his first time in a plane; however, it forgot that it doesn’t come without some nerves.  Fortunately it was a very short and smooth flight.  It was so cool how one second we were over Lima, then we headed into the clouds and the next time we saw land it was beautiful rolling green mountains.  We had been taking altitude medicine because Cusco is over 10,000 feet and neither of us are particularly used to that.  And we instantly noticed trying to get around Cusco on its slight inclines at times how easy it is to get completely out of breath.  Cusco was absolutely beautiful.  I don’t think I was in the least bit prepared for that.  I did not feel like I was in Peru.  I guess if people from all over the world visit there, then it has to be pretty nice!  There were many gorgeous churches and temples, where parts of them were constructed back in the time of the Incas, and later finished by the Spanish.  The restaurants and stores were just so nice and trendy.  And the streets were clean and pretty.  The one thing Edgar and I noticed was that taxi drivers would actually stop and wave you across the road, where as in Piura if you try and cross someone would rather run you ever then give you a second to get to the other side.  It also felt incredible safe!  I am used to constantly being on guard and worried someone is going to rob me, but Cusco just didn’t feel that way and it was so nice!  Also, coming from the absolute Piura heat, it was so nice to be able to wear jeans and a jacket, and at night we slept with down comforters and were ice cold when we would have to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night!

Cusco seems to have an everlasting list of tourist attractions.  We spent our first day roaming the city to see what it had to offer. We even took a trolley ride to check out some of the sites.  It started sleeting along the ride.  Another first for Edgar!  Then the following day we bought a pass to see some of the other ruin sites around Cusco and into what is called the Sacred Valley.  We spent the day exploring these, and with each one the setting was more and more beautiful!  We took a million pictures. 

Then we woke up early one morning to catch our train to Machu Picchu.  The way that trip worked was we had to first take a 2 hour bus ride that the train company sets up to another town called Ollanytambo.  This was so beautiful early in the morning; once we got out of the city it was just beautiful rolling hills with sites of the white capped Andes in the background.  Every now and then we would go through the small local towns where the women were dressed in their very colorful skirts, typical clothes of the people who live in the mountains.  During the trip a clipboard was passed around and we had to write our names and Id numbers and the country we were from.  Of about 40-50 to people on the bus I was the only American and Edgar the only Peruvian, people were from all over the world!

  As we were winding down a steep side of the mountain we reached a part where people were instructing the bus driver to take an alternate route because there had been land slide ahead and the road was impassible.  I remember having seen a bus go off the side of the road and thinking “that doesn’t look safe”, only to find out that we were about to do the same thing.  I have had many experiences in this country in buses on very treacherous and scary roads.  It’s never pleasant!  However, I always keep in the back of my head that those roads are used all the time and the drivers make those trips every day.  But in this case, the road isn’t normally used, nor was the driver accustomed to making that trip.  The road was very treacherous and steep and barely wide enough for the bus, as we went down I was clinging to Edgar not wanting to look out the window.  Then we got to a standstill.  Apparently there were buses and cars who were trying to come up the road as we went down!  However, the road was impassable!  We got to a complete stand still because on either end it wasn’t feasible or safe for the buses or cars to back up.  Everyone got off the buses and people living in the homes in that area all came to discuss what we were going to do.  We waited about 30 minutes until a move was made.  With the help of the locals, rocks and things were moved to help 2 buses move temporarily in order to get the buses trying to come up through.  However, my bus was at the end of the line, and it meant we were going to have to back up some.  So we started backing up, it was scary!  We started getting closer and closer to the edge.  People started screaming because it seemed like rocks were crunching and sliding underneath of us.  I started pushing Edgar out of his seat and screaming I wanted off as other people in front of me were in the aisle screaming and pushing to do the same thing. Finally we stopped, the cars got through and the bus driver straightened out to get back the road.  And all was well again.  However, we had to stop a few times, because buses ahead of us who were also with the same train agency were stopped convincing crying, shaken tourists to get back on the bus.

Finally we made it to the train station.  It was in such a beautiful setting and you really get excited for the ride.  The train had windows in the roof because at this point we are at the base of the mountains traveling alongside of a river, and at times there are ruins in the sides of the mountains and it’s just really cool to look up and see everything. 

The train ride was 2 hours, along the way we see people who are hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.  I had such a problem with this because there would be groups of tourists dressed head to toe in their finest hiking gear and fancy hiking sticks and all this stuff, but they paid local Peruvians to carry their things.  It just bothered me.  All I kept thinking of was my host Dad carrying a bunch of tourist’s belongings in his little Peruvian flip flops.  I know it’s a business and they make money for their families.  I guess I just think if you are going to be brave and athletic and hike the Inca trail then prepare to carry your own things, isn’t that part of the whole adventure as well?

When we got to Machu Picchu pueblo I was really surprised.  It was a tiny little town tucked in the spot where the river cut between the mountains.  It was really cute.  We checked into our hotel and went exploring.  It took us all of 20 minutes to see everything.  We were extremely discouraged to find that Machu Picchu pueblo is a little bit of a trap.  Since you have no other options of other towns or food everything is unrealistically expensive.  And since Edgar and I are not high rollers it was a stretch for us.  So we looked for as many ways to save as we could.  We knew the next day we would be heading up to the ruins and could only imagine that is would probably be ever worse, so we arranged to take a bag lunch at a more reasonable price.

The next morning we woke up early to see Machu Picchu.   There is a bus station that takes you up, it is a neat ride heading up the mountain and seeing the very jungle like plants and terrain.  But the coolest part is you start to see Machu Picchu peak over the side of the mountain and other smaller ruins scattered around as well.   The anticipation is really exciting.  Especially since we felt like we had some so far to see this!

Once we arrived at Machu Picchu, you pretty much take a trail that leads you into the center.  So there are parts of the ruins above you and below.  It’s so overwhelming and exciting.  We decided to start with the lower parts and work our way up.  We wanted to make sure we made it to the top to get that signature photo that overlooks the rest of the ruins.  Outside the gate entering Machu Picchu there were tons of guides trying to sell their tours for the day.  I was so glad we didn’t give into that because almost every turn you make you run into a guide and you can overhear whatever they are explaining anyway.  Plus, it’s sort of easy to get a general idea of what you are looking at.  On the lower part we weaved in and out of what used to be houses.  It’s so neat because it like a maze and sometimes you come to a window or door that literally drops off into the cliff below.  Very scary!  Machu Picchu is so incredibly because it is literally built on the top of a very steep mountain, there really isn’t much a gradual decent, it is straight down.  However, the views are incredible!

Little by little we made our way around Machu Picchu, we took our time because our plan was to spend the whole day, and we had come so far we were determined to see the whole thing.  One thing I didn’t know about Machu Picchu is that the mountain behind it, also known as Huayno Picchu has ruins on top.  You can by an additional ticket to climb it; however it only allows so many people each day within a certain time period because it is dangerous. 

We explored all of Machu Picchu, a little difficult at times because although the altitude is less then Cusco and can still be difficult climbing at times.  Another interesting part of it is that so much is left exactly as is, and at some points I thought a little dangerous, you could easily walk off parts and get hurt.  There are sort of security guards always watching.  And of course there were people from all over the world, we would stop at times and try and listen in on a guide and then discover they weren’t speaking English or Spanish.  There were also weirdoes.  For example we were at this sort of giant sundial and there was a group of people all dressed in white with weird hats and no shoes and they were doing strange rituals.  Not really sure any of it was related to the history of the site we were looking at.  But   one thing is true; there are weirdoes all over the world.

When we finally made it to the top we took a million pictures with the ruins behind us.  Machu Picchu is so incredible that literally when you turn away for a second you look back and want more pictures just like it was the first time you have ever seen it.  It is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life.  It was so intricately built in such an amazing location it can’t help up take your breath away.  Edgar and I sat and ate our lunch overlooking it all. 

Later, we decided to visit the Inca Bridge, there is a small trail that leads away from Machu Picchu so we went to check it out.  This small trail borders the side of the very very steep mountain, and then you reach a part where you can see a bridge that was built into the rock and literally it is insanely scary because it is probably on a foot or so wide built into the rock and if you fell you would certainly die, there is nothing below for such a distance.  Fortunately, tourists cannot go any further, but you can see where the bridge us.  And anyone who would want to go any further is an idiot!

Later we came back to our spot took a million more pictures and started to sadly head down.  We could see the clouds come rolling in over the mountains and you could no longer see their peaks, plus it was getting to be late and Machu Picchu is only open until 5.  So we said our goodbyes.  And we headed down.  I think Edgar and I both walked away feeling so accomplished for having been a part of something so special that day.  And honestly I can only imagine how Edgar really felt having been in this famous part of this country that he has only heard about and learned about his entire life and finally had the opportunity to see in in person must have been surreal.

After another night in Machu Picchu pueblo we headed back to Cusco on the train.  At times during the trip the train would have to stop at locations to be able to make room for an incoming train.  At one of the stops were two women obviously from that area waiting maybe for their train to come through.  They were dressed in the traditional clothes of women from the sierra.  One of them was a much older lade, and the other was a young girl probably about 15 or 16 with her 2 year old daughter swaddled on her back.  They were carrying flowers and just waiting.  The littler girls faced was stained almost like it was dirty, but Edgar explained they are marks from the sun and then from being in the cold.  Most of the poor children we saw all had the same markings.  It made me so sad watching them.  Here we had been listening to some of the ridiculous conversations of all these rich people riding on this train with us bragging about everywhere they had been and we pull up to this train station and see the people who are REALLY living there, and the reality is that Machu Picchu is beautiful and brings in a lot of money but there are still people living amongst all the grandeur very poor.  And a poor that even in the community I live in Peru have no idea of, it’s extreme poverty in extreme conditions.  Some people opened their window to give money, and as we drove away the little girl on her mother’s back waved and the older women raised her hands in gratitude for the passengers who had helped make their day a little easier.