Our alarm starting beeping at 5:30 just as the first rays of dim morning light were starting to filter into our room at the Inti Inn. I had had a restless night, as the neighbouring streets had been noisy till the wee hours. But we were anxious to get up on our way as we had been anticipating this day ever since we began planning our travels months ago. We wanted to get an early start to beat the crowds arriving by train from Cusco in mid morning.
My stomach was acting up again and my altitude-induced headache continued unabated, so the excitement of the day was certainly tempered for me, and by association, for Sue too. However, we were determined to make the best of the situation, so after a light breakfast at the hotel, we checked out, left a pack with our spare belongings at reception, and headed down to the central part of town.
We had purchased our bus and entrance tickets the afternoon before, so were able to jump right on the bus waiting at the station. The first buses departed at 5:30 a.m. to service the very early risers and those fanatical about seeing the sunrise at Macchu Pichu. However, after the first wave of buses, there was a hiatus till 7:30. We were able to jump right on board one of the brand new Mercedes touring buses which pulled out a few minutes before the 7:30 scheduled departure. Within a few minutes we began the steep ascent along the narrow road leading out of Aguas Calientes, snaking up the side of the mountain along a series of switchbacks cut into the jungle-covered slope. After about 20 minutes, we came to an abrupt stop at the end of the road and the entrance to Macchu Picchu.
Macchu Picchu is the most important archeological site in the Americas and one of the world’s foremost travel destinations, with 2000-3000 people visiting everyday. The city was probably constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries and was abandoned before the arrival of the Spanish for some unknown reason. Little is known about why the Incas abandoned this marvelous place or what became of its 1000 or so residents, but because it was unknown to the Spanish conquerors, it escaped the ravages of the conquistadores who decimated so many other native sites throughout Latin America. Some archeologists speculate that a lack of water may have resulted in the resident Incas being unable to grow sufficient food on the terraced slopes to sustain the population, but whatever the cause, the city was left in tact and was to be forgotten by the outside world for hundreds of years. There is reference to Macchu Picchu in some early Spanish chronicles, but it lay lost in the Andean mists until a Yale University historian, Hiram Bingham, “re-discovered” Macchu Picchu with the help of a local guide in 1911.
As we passed through the entry gates and climbed a small stone staircase we were suddenly looking at one of the most magnificent sites we’ve ever seen. The morning mist had not yet lifted and wisps of fog and white fluffy clouds dotted the nearby towering mountains rising vertically from the valley far below. And spread before us was a scene of such spectacular beauty as to defy description. The city of Macchu Picchu is built on ridge at the top of a steep mountain, a series of man-made terraces stepping down each side from the small plateau. The buildings, pathways and walls were all constructed with the spectacular architecture and amazing precision of the Inca builders. Massive stones were chiseled to fit perfectly together and placed in perfect alignment without any mortar, to produce straight, curved and trapezoidal shapes, forming homes, temples, doorways, walls and the support structures for the garden terraces. A complex system of small aqueducts ran throughout the city, another testament to the design and engineering capabilities of this lost civilization. And even some of the natural stone outcroppings had been carved in such a way as to parallel the contours of the surrounding mountains, probably as a tribute to the mountain gods so revered by the Inca. And at times on our tour, we would stand just staring over the orderly structures, trying to fix the scenes indelibly in our minds, hoping that these images would remain vivid in our memories for years to come. The city would be impressive had it been built on a plain somewhere, but its location in the high mountains surrounded by scenery of spectacular splendor, gives Macchu Picchu a mystical and awe-inspiring quality that I’m sure is rarely duplicated on this planet.
We had decided to hire a guide to get the most out of our tour, so we spent about 3 hours walking around with her learning about the history of the city and significance of many of the structures. And then in the afternoon after the clouds had receded, we walked around the city a second time, marveling again at its form and structure and drinking in the spectacular vistas in all directions. By the end of our visit, Sue was starting to fall prey to vertigo and could not bring herself to get near the edges of terraces or some of the walkways bordering the precipitous descents to the valley floor nearly 2000 ft below. Much to my amusement, she would approach a set of steep stairs and back off two or three times. She told her self it was all in her head and eventually managed to overcome her inertia by carefully taking a step at a time, holding on to whatever she could while keeping her eyes firmly focused “inwards” toward the city. She even felt this vertigo when I got near an edge. But in the end, we made it safely around the city and by 2:30 started thinking about making our way back to the buses for our return to Aguas Calientes and our train back to Ollanta.
We were pretty tired by this time and had a sit down and a final reflection about this wonderful place before heading down. We knew that it would be impossible (for us at least) to adequately describe Macchu Picchu in words, and in retrospect, even our photos don’t really do it justice. It had certainly lived up to its billing as having an almost spiritual quality. We had been lucky with the weather as we had the best of both the early morning mists and the afternoon sun. And as we left the grounds to climb aboard our bus, we felt a sense of wonder and of peace at what we had experienced, knowing, however, that we could not truly convey these feelings to others. Quite simply Maccu Picchu is a place that must be seen and experienced in person to be truly appreciated.
Our train ride back to Ollantaytambo was uneventful and we arrived back at the hotel just as darkness fell. We decided not to eat at the rather expensive (by Peru standards) hotel restaurant, but walked down the road a few metres to a hostel which also had a small restaurant. We entered the dimly lit premises to find we were the only customers, thought the young fellow minding the shop was happy for us to sit down and peruse the menu. This meal was to be one of those neat eating experiences we had now and again on this trip.
The set “Menu Turistico” promised a starter, soup and main course of chicken, beef or fish for 10 Soles or about $3. So somewhat skeptically, Sue ordered garlic bread to start, the cream of asparagus soup and “pollo pobre” (poor man’s chicken) which was done in a tomato sauce. I opted for the guacamole, cream of tomato soup and grilled chicken. As we sat there waiting, a young girl and later our young host, made short trips out of the restaurant, as we surmised, to buy needed ingredients at shops nearby. After quite some wait, our soup course arrived with apologies that the starters would be here soon. The soups were tasty and more important, steaming hot…very welcome on this cold night. After another wait, our starters arrived. Sue’s garlic bread was actually very good and my guacamole was outstanding and more than enough for both of us. By the time the time the main course arrived we were feeling pretty full so were somewhat dismayed to see our huge plates consisting of several pieces of chicken breast and thighs, a mound of French fries, a large pilaf of rice, and several different kinds of vegetables. It was all very good, but impossible to get through. We did our best but we had to leave at least half of the main course untouched. As we handed over our $6, we tried to convey how much we had enjoyed the meal but that there was just too much of it. Our young host seemed happy that we had enjoyed our food and thanked me profusely for the $1 tip I’d left, tips being something of a rarity at these local eateries.
We headed back to the Pakaritampu and had a cup of cocoa tea in reception, before heading to our room and flopping exhausted into our king size bed. We had had an amazing and memorable day which ranks among the great days of our lives. It seems I keep saying that about this trip, but we just continue to experience many extraordinary things. This trip has certainly been worth the price of admission!! And we weren’t finished yet!!
One thing we were almost surprised at on this trip is how well everything came together. We hardly had any hitches at all (if you don’t include my health problems!) and the next morning we were to have another serendipitous experience that led to more great adventures. And that will kick off the next entry!
My stomach was acting up again and my altitude-induced headache continued unabated, so the excitement of the day was certainly tempered for me, and by association, for Sue too. However, we were determined to make the best of the situation, so after a light breakfast at the hotel, we checked out, left a pack with our spare belongings at reception, and headed down to the central part of town.
We had purchased our bus and entrance tickets the afternoon before, so were able to jump right on the bus waiting at the station. The first buses departed at 5:30 a.m. to service the very early risers and those fanatical about seeing the sunrise at Macchu Pichu. However, after the first wave of buses, there was a hiatus till 7:30. We were able to jump right on board one of the brand new Mercedes touring buses which pulled out a few minutes before the 7:30 scheduled departure. Within a few minutes we began the steep ascent along the narrow road leading out of Aguas Calientes, snaking up the side of the mountain along a series of switchbacks cut into the jungle-covered slope. After about 20 minutes, we came to an abrupt stop at the end of the road and the entrance to Macchu Picchu.
Macchu Picchu is the most important archeological site in the Americas and one of the world’s foremost travel destinations, with 2000-3000 people visiting everyday. The city was probably constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries and was abandoned before the arrival of the Spanish for some unknown reason. Little is known about why the Incas abandoned this marvelous place or what became of its 1000 or so residents, but because it was unknown to the Spanish conquerors, it escaped the ravages of the conquistadores who decimated so many other native sites throughout Latin America. Some archeologists speculate that a lack of water may have resulted in the resident Incas being unable to grow sufficient food on the terraced slopes to sustain the population, but whatever the cause, the city was left in tact and was to be forgotten by the outside world for hundreds of years. There is reference to Macchu Picchu in some early Spanish chronicles, but it lay lost in the Andean mists until a Yale University historian, Hiram Bingham, “re-discovered” Macchu Picchu with the help of a local guide in 1911.
As we passed through the entry gates and climbed a small stone staircase we were suddenly looking at one of the most magnificent sites we’ve ever seen. The morning mist had not yet lifted and wisps of fog and white fluffy clouds dotted the nearby towering mountains rising vertically from the valley far below. And spread before us was a scene of such spectacular beauty as to defy description. The city of Macchu Picchu is built on ridge at the top of a steep mountain, a series of man-made terraces stepping down each side from the small plateau. The buildings, pathways and walls were all constructed with the spectacular architecture and amazing precision of the Inca builders. Massive stones were chiseled to fit perfectly together and placed in perfect alignment without any mortar, to produce straight, curved and trapezoidal shapes, forming homes, temples, doorways, walls and the support structures for the garden terraces. A complex system of small aqueducts ran throughout the city, another testament to the design and engineering capabilities of this lost civilization. And even some of the natural stone outcroppings had been carved in such a way as to parallel the contours of the surrounding mountains, probably as a tribute to the mountain gods so revered by the Inca. And at times on our tour, we would stand just staring over the orderly structures, trying to fix the scenes indelibly in our minds, hoping that these images would remain vivid in our memories for years to come. The city would be impressive had it been built on a plain somewhere, but its location in the high mountains surrounded by scenery of spectacular splendor, gives Macchu Picchu a mystical and awe-inspiring quality that I’m sure is rarely duplicated on this planet.
We had decided to hire a guide to get the most out of our tour, so we spent about 3 hours walking around with her learning about the history of the city and significance of many of the structures. And then in the afternoon after the clouds had receded, we walked around the city a second time, marveling again at its form and structure and drinking in the spectacular vistas in all directions. By the end of our visit, Sue was starting to fall prey to vertigo and could not bring herself to get near the edges of terraces or some of the walkways bordering the precipitous descents to the valley floor nearly 2000 ft below. Much to my amusement, she would approach a set of steep stairs and back off two or three times. She told her self it was all in her head and eventually managed to overcome her inertia by carefully taking a step at a time, holding on to whatever she could while keeping her eyes firmly focused “inwards” toward the city. She even felt this vertigo when I got near an edge. But in the end, we made it safely around the city and by 2:30 started thinking about making our way back to the buses for our return to Aguas Calientes and our train back to Ollanta.
We were pretty tired by this time and had a sit down and a final reflection about this wonderful place before heading down. We knew that it would be impossible (for us at least) to adequately describe Macchu Picchu in words, and in retrospect, even our photos don’t really do it justice. It had certainly lived up to its billing as having an almost spiritual quality. We had been lucky with the weather as we had the best of both the early morning mists and the afternoon sun. And as we left the grounds to climb aboard our bus, we felt a sense of wonder and of peace at what we had experienced, knowing, however, that we could not truly convey these feelings to others. Quite simply Maccu Picchu is a place that must be seen and experienced in person to be truly appreciated.
Our train ride back to Ollantaytambo was uneventful and we arrived back at the hotel just as darkness fell. We decided not to eat at the rather expensive (by Peru standards) hotel restaurant, but walked down the road a few metres to a hostel which also had a small restaurant. We entered the dimly lit premises to find we were the only customers, thought the young fellow minding the shop was happy for us to sit down and peruse the menu. This meal was to be one of those neat eating experiences we had now and again on this trip.
The set “Menu Turistico” promised a starter, soup and main course of chicken, beef or fish for 10 Soles or about $3. So somewhat skeptically, Sue ordered garlic bread to start, the cream of asparagus soup and “pollo pobre” (poor man’s chicken) which was done in a tomato sauce. I opted for the guacamole, cream of tomato soup and grilled chicken. As we sat there waiting, a young girl and later our young host, made short trips out of the restaurant, as we surmised, to buy needed ingredients at shops nearby. After quite some wait, our soup course arrived with apologies that the starters would be here soon. The soups were tasty and more important, steaming hot…very welcome on this cold night. After another wait, our starters arrived. Sue’s garlic bread was actually very good and my guacamole was outstanding and more than enough for both of us. By the time the time the main course arrived we were feeling pretty full so were somewhat dismayed to see our huge plates consisting of several pieces of chicken breast and thighs, a mound of French fries, a large pilaf of rice, and several different kinds of vegetables. It was all very good, but impossible to get through. We did our best but we had to leave at least half of the main course untouched. As we handed over our $6, we tried to convey how much we had enjoyed the meal but that there was just too much of it. Our young host seemed happy that we had enjoyed our food and thanked me profusely for the $1 tip I’d left, tips being something of a rarity at these local eateries.
We headed back to the Pakaritampu and had a cup of cocoa tea in reception, before heading to our room and flopping exhausted into our king size bed. We had had an amazing and memorable day which ranks among the great days of our lives. It seems I keep saying that about this trip, but we just continue to experience many extraordinary things. This trip has certainly been worth the price of admission!! And we weren’t finished yet!!
One thing we were almost surprised at on this trip is how well everything came together. We hardly had any hitches at all (if you don’t include my health problems!) and the next morning we were to have another serendipitous experience that led to more great adventures. And that will kick off the next entry!
We overnighted in the small town ofAguas Calientes
Early morning mists
A Panoramic view of Macchu Picchu. There are more buildings perched on the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain at the rear of the picture and energetic, highly-conditioned visitors can acutally climb the almost vertical path leading to its summit for what is apparently an amazing view. (We didn't!). And what is more amazing is how the Incas actuallly were able to get the required building materials up this steep and treacherous path.
The amazing terraces were build an each side of the city down the steep slopes from the central ridge where most of the construction was. These were used to grow crops for the inhabitants and today serve as grazing ground for the few llamas wandering around the area.
Sue checking things out with our guide
A stone outcropping carved to follow the profile of the background mountain.
A stone outcropping carved to follow the profile of the background mountain.
Our Peru Rail train back to Ollantaytambo
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