Machu Picchu

After finishing up my month in the Amazon there was still one big must-do remaining in Peru: Machu Picchu. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Clearly seeing the iconic ruins had to happen. And it did. But first I rested up for a short while in Cusco to watch the World Cup! Then, off I went.

There are a few ways to get to Machu Picchu: 1) Do the Inca Trail, which requires a reservation months in advance; 2) Take an adventurous tour with a guide on a "Jungle Trek" or something similar; 3) Hop on the expensive train from Cusco to Aguascalientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu; or 4) Take an extremely convoluted route via bus, car, and your feet. The latter is the most economical, and thus my choice.

Basically, I took a morning van from Cusco to the touristy town of Pisac, which lies in the Sacred Valley. I bought a "huaraca" in town to provide myself entertainment on my hike - they are awesome for slinging rocks around! From Pisac I took a short bus ride, and then a 6-hour car ride to little Santa Maria. Next I found a taxi to transport me to Santa Teresa, where I would stay the night in a crummy little hotel.

All of that traveling was exhausting. Still, I stuck to the plan and got up early the following morning to continue the trip to Machu Picchu. I got lucky and flagged down a van overloaded with Peruvians, all heading to the "hidro," which is a hydroelectric power plant, and my planned place to start the trek. From the hidro I hiked on a clearly marked path, mostly along railroad tracks. I walked through borderline jungle for a few hours to get to my destination. On the way there was a flock of green parrots and a little toucanet (small toucan) in a tree. The powerful (get it?) Urubamba River rushed by, and all around me was immense greenery and tall mountains, reminiscent of the rounded limestone peaks of China. At one point on the hike I glanced up to my right and saw what looked like stone walls, WAY above me. I noticed moving forms, which turned out to be people. It was Machu Picchu! And despite my early start I was not among the first to arrive that day! I threw some rocks with my huaraca, and by mid-morning I was in Aguascalientes to buy my entry ticket.

Being cheap and stubborn, I opted to hike the steep hill from town to the ruins, rather than taking a $10 bus ride to the gate. That hike was difficult. I felt a strong sense of pride for not taking the easy route up, because I am weird like that. The bus would have been nice.

Inside the gates of Machu Picchu you quickly realize it is much larger than it looks in the pictures. The site map they give you is pretty overwhelming. One can spend an entire day hiking around and not see it all. I did my best. I first walked out to the distant Sun Gate to get a better view of my surroundings. It felt like a bad choice after such a long day of hiking already. It ended up being the right decision! I ran into my buddy Gavin (from the Andean frog trip), his girlfriend, and two sisters, right there at the Sun Gate. We hung out for a while and got our pictures together at the main photo rock in the central ruins. You have definitely seen pictures from that exact spot. It makes for a great shot of the main complex. There is a lot behind as well, but it is harder to capture it all in a single photo.

Anyway, Gavin and the gang were going to take it a bit slower than I. They were coming back the next day, and I was not. We parted ways for the afternoon, and I explored the ruins by myself. It was unreal to finally be inside Machu Picchu! Much of the complex is composed of a series of sturdy stone walls, with the aforementioned green mountains in the background. Way below there is the Urubamba River, winding around the base of the peaks. Up at the top, in the center of the ruins is a big patch of grass. It is bright green, and a few llamas mill around, begging to be photographed. There are a couple trees that I liked a lot. I also found a sneaky vizcacha lurking in the shadows. Nice to see a "rock monkey" again.

I hiked around Machu Picchu for what felt like a long time. As I went I was careful not to miss any secret passageways that could free me from the ever-increasing number of tour groups! I admired the finely crafted walls, sheer cliff-edge terraces, and a pleasant waterway in a rare piece of shade. Machu Picchu is full of old housing structures, and a few open ceremonial areas as well. I made sure to inspect them all. The perfection with which most of the stones were cut and pieced together was impressive. It is difficult to imagine how the Inca people built it all, and with such large stones! Additionally, Machu Picchu sits almost unreasonably high above the river, and is often shrouded in clouds. Its unique location saved Machu Picchu from the Spanish conquistadors, so maybe the Incas were on to something. I wish I had read up more on the history of the site beforehand. I still think I got a lot out of my time at Machu Picchu. There was a lot to appreciate about my surroundings. Just the visuals made it worthwhile! Of course my camera died halfway along... Yet I believe the removal of picture-taking pressure helped me relax and feel a more genuine connection to my surroundings, which I know sounds really corny. I believe putting the camera down can change your approach to any place you visit.

Now, back to the point. Machu Picchu lives up to its lofty reputation as a top destination for all tourists in Peru. The natural beauty of the area is breathtaking, and the ruins are a testament to the sophistication of the Inca Empire. I am glad I did not put off this trip for any longer.

On a side note, I highly recommend my method of travel to and from Machu Picchu. There are world-class hot springs near Santa Teresa, which make one feel pretty damn good after hiking around all day. I know this from experience. In addition, you get to see a lot of the natural environment leading up to the main attraction - always a plus for me. And finally, it is an ideal route for cheapskates that like practicing their Spanish, like myself. Give it a go!