H9,10/7/2013
Cuzco to Machu PicchuHaving booked the train in Cuzco, at Peru Rail for the trip to Aguas Calientes. The 0900 mini bus was caught to Ollantatambo which took a couple of hours, with time to spare, the 1258 train was caught.
This took a couple of hours to get to Aquas Calientes. This town is cradled in an incredibly deep valley, one has to tilt the neck sharply to view the tops around the town.
It was an enjoyable trip, talking the whole way with a Chilean girl and her Spanish boyfriend and a Peruana girl. They helped me with my Spanish and I with their English. They were very fluent having spent 6 months in Christchurch NZ learning English.
We were discussing the sad plight of the 20-30 year old people in Spain without work.
Many are coming to Chile to find work, as it is one of the most capitalist societies here in SA.
The young Chilean girl was disheartened at the widening gap between the very rich and poor in her country. Unlike Peru, where though there are rich people, they still have a strong culture.
Needless to say not much scenery was absorbed.
On arrival in AC my first task was to find the cheapesrt accommodation possible. This was tourist central.
Anyway talking to people away from the downtown . A guy took me to the Antark hostal. At 20 soles a night, it kept this journey in the realms of sustainability.
It was comfortable and quiet.
Today, arising a 0500 the plan was to walk to MP from AC, about 2 hours.
Leaving before daylight. I met a young French couple, everyone is young these days!! We walked to the top chatting all the way. This made the walk easy.
In town there were hundreds of people in the pre-dawn, in a long line waiting to catch buses up.
Surprisingly few were walking.
Since commencing this section of the ride in late January, I have developed a condition in my right foot known as foot drop. Where I can’t lift the front of my foot properly and consequently it slaps on the ground.
It is caused from damaged to a nerve that runs from the lower back down to the foot. Knee injuries can also cause it. I put it down to all the rough gravel roads encountered here in Peru.
It is not hurting me but, it is quite amusing walking along, I have no control over it.
So, I pretty much slapped my way to the top of the hill!!
Once up there, breakfast was had, bread etc.
My anticipation of the first glimpse of this new wonder of the world was building.
Once through the gates, a hundred metres or so revealed this fairytale like site. The day was crystal clear and that, just before the sun bathed the site.
It was all it was cracked up to be. Not overwhelming but just such a special, special site in amongst the most beautifully steep terrain.
Firstly I walked for half an hour to the Sun gate, Intipunku. This is to the east of the site on the same range.
Here one could see a likeness of the location of Machu Picchu with that of an old plastic handheld lemon juice squeezer.
The community is surrounded by deep valleys carrying rivers, on all sides, beyond these are much higher lushly vegetated ranges. To the east of the ruins are terraces below.
This half hour walk to a higher point on the middle of the squeeze, the distant site appeared really quite small. Over hearing a guide, he said only 500- 700 people lived here, many were noble woman.
It is not hard to see why the site went undiscovered for so long.
Coming down from here, in the now, hot day. On reaching the main lawn area, I fell asleep here for an hour, it was bloody great.
A surprising number of people were walking about the site with hi tech walking sticks, many were very young. It was like they were practicing how to be old. Talk about selling ice to Eskimos!!
From here the rest of the site was visited.
I was back in AC by about 1500, having again walked back. A foot bath in the river at the bottom of the track was everso enjoyed.
A visit to the museum tied everything I had seen together. The ticket here was 22S, this also gave me a pass to the small botanical gardens. This vegetation here is full of orchids and bromeliads. Avocado trees are endemic here as well.
Once again I feel asleep, this time, infont of a movie in the museum.
Waking up, it took me some time to work out where I was.
Back in AC the best Chicharrone cerdo was had in the markets whilst listening to a traditional band play outside.
Here is a costing of visiting MP on the cheap, though you can walk a lot further and save the train price. I figure I am doing enough exercise to not take this option. Train travel is always something special for me anyway.
Costing
MP entrance $51
Train return 96
Bus return 8
Motel 2 nights 16
Museum 9 = $196
It was indeed a special day, the location of Machu Picchu was the most striking thing about the experience.az clic aquí para modificar.
This took a couple of hours to get to Aquas Calientes. This town is cradled in an incredibly deep valley, one has to tilt the neck sharply to view the tops around the town.
It was an enjoyable trip, talking the whole way with a Chilean girl and her Spanish boyfriend and a Peruana girl. They helped me with my Spanish and I with their English. They were very fluent having spent 6 months in Christchurch NZ learning English.
We were discussing the sad plight of the 20-30 year old people in Spain without work.
Many are coming to Chile to find work, as it is one of the most capitalist societies here in SA.
The young Chilean girl was disheartened at the widening gap between the very rich and poor in her country. Unlike Peru, where though there are rich people, they still have a strong culture.
Needless to say not much scenery was absorbed.
On arrival in AC my first task was to find the cheapesrt accommodation possible. This was tourist central.
Anyway talking to people away from the downtown . A guy took me to the Antark hostal. At 20 soles a night, it kept this journey in the realms of sustainability.
It was comfortable and quiet.
Today, arising a 0500 the plan was to walk to MP from AC, about 2 hours.
Leaving before daylight. I met a young French couple, everyone is young these days!! We walked to the top chatting all the way. This made the walk easy.
In town there were hundreds of people in the pre-dawn, in a long line waiting to catch buses up.
Surprisingly few were walking.
Since commencing this section of the ride in late January, I have developed a condition in my right foot known as foot drop. Where I can’t lift the front of my foot properly and consequently it slaps on the ground.
It is caused from damaged to a nerve that runs from the lower back down to the foot. Knee injuries can also cause it. I put it down to all the rough gravel roads encountered here in Peru.
It is not hurting me but, it is quite amusing walking along, I have no control over it.
So, I pretty much slapped my way to the top of the hill!!
Once up there, breakfast was had, bread etc.
My anticipation of the first glimpse of this new wonder of the world was building.
Once through the gates, a hundred metres or so revealed this fairytale like site. The day was crystal clear and that, just before the sun bathed the site.
It was all it was cracked up to be. Not overwhelming but just such a special, special site in amongst the most beautifully steep terrain.
Firstly I walked for half an hour to the Sun gate, Intipunku. This is to the east of the site on the same range.
Here one could see a likeness of the location of Machu Picchu with that of an old plastic handheld lemon juice squeezer.
The community is surrounded by deep valleys carrying rivers, on all sides, beyond these are much higher lushly vegetated ranges. To the east of the ruins are terraces below.
This half hour walk to a higher point on the middle of the squeeze, the distant site appeared really quite small. Over hearing a guide, he said only 500- 700 people lived here, many were noble woman.
It is not hard to see why the site went undiscovered for so long.
Coming down from here, in the now, hot day. On reaching the main lawn area, I fell asleep here for an hour, it was bloody great.
A surprising number of people were walking about the site with hi tech walking sticks, many were very young. It was like they were practicing how to be old. Talk about selling ice to Eskimos!!
From here the rest of the site was visited.
I was back in AC by about 1500, having again walked back. A foot bath in the river at the bottom of the track was everso enjoyed.
A visit to the museum tied everything I had seen together. The ticket here was 22S, this also gave me a pass to the small botanical gardens. This vegetation here is full of orchids and bromeliads. Avocado trees are endemic here as well.
Once again I feel asleep, this time, infont of a movie in the museum.
Waking up, it took me some time to work out where I was.
Back in AC the best Chicharrone cerdo was had in the markets whilst listening to a traditional band play outside.
Here is a costing of visiting MP on the cheap, though you can walk a lot further and save the train price. I figure I am doing enough exercise to not take this option. Train travel is always something special for me anyway.
Costing
MP entrance $51
Train return 96
Bus return 8
Motel 2 nights 16
Museum 9 = $196
It was indeed a special day, the location of Machu Picchu was the most striking thing about the experience.az clic aquí para modificar.
An early morning start, Avocados in bread with lemon and Tobasco were enjoyed at the site enterance, an hour and some walking up through the bush from here. You are not allowed to eat inside the ruins
Some restoration gives an idea of the roofing used, all the terraces were used for cropping
Looking east from at the sun gate, a half hour walk east from the main site. The Inca trail gives its walkers the first view of MP from here, I think.
Bathing the plates of meat in the Urubamba on the way back to Aquas Calientes
Wayna Picchu, such a landmark at MP,
400 people a day could climb it in two sessions. This climb is booked out at least a month in advance
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Aquas Calientes, as seen walking back from MP
The site is home to lots of these little fellows, there were also some token llama grazing on the western side of the site.
Bromeliads were everywhere, in the trees and on cliff faces, here in a small garden on the way back form MP
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