Finally...Machu Picchu - Day Two

Wow, our wake up call at 2:15 a.m. came WAY too fast! Bleary eyed, Rick and I got up and showered, dressed, slung on our backpacks then put our luggage outside our room door.
The tour guides arranged for our luggage to meet us at the Cusco airport later that day. Rick and I left our room and sleep walked to the hotel restaurant where we met the tour guides and fellow travelers for a very quick cup of coffee and coca tea. The Aranwa staff had packed breakfast "to go" for us in cute, cloth travel sacs that included sandwiches that were carefully trimmed without crusts, fresh juice and fruit and some Coca and lemon candies. Very nice.

  

Primed with caffeine of different sorts, we made our way to our waiting vans and said goodbye to the cheerful Aranwa staff. As we drove to the large gated entrance, which we had only entered about seven hours earlier, we saw the entire management staff. They were immaculately dressed in suit and ties and lined up at the gate waving farewell to us and inviting us to come again. That was a very impressive customer service approach, especially at 3 o'clock in the morning!

We took the dirt road through the dark corn field and made our way back to the main road. In the early morning pitch black, our competent driver headed towards the train station located in the Sacred Valley of Peru, about an hour ride. We had nothing to see or take pictures of in the night along the way. Once we arrived at the Ollantaytambo train station, Rick snapped some shots before we boarded our Expedition PeruRail train at 4:30 a.m. and departed at 5:07 a.m. Our destination was Aguas Calientes ("Hot Water") in the valley below Machu Picchu, Peru. 

  

  

Here is a map of the journey we embarked on by rail (compliments of the internet). 

The train car was clean and comfortable. Since this portion of our journey was spent traveling in the dark and most, if not all, passengers were on the same tour and already sleep deprived, many spent it napping along the way. No matter how tired I was, I was too excited to sleep. As we neared Aguas Calientes about one and a half hours later, the train slowed to enter the tiny town. Daylight was slowly rising into the sky and with it came wet, misty and cold weather. Rick and I donned our rain slickers and waited to disembark. 

Stepping onto the train platform in Aguas Calientes, our tour guide was waiting to collect us wearing her green baseball cap and matching green jacket. We would be following these two items around all day and into the night so we learned quickly how to spot them. By the way, I must say now at this opportune time that this tour service was exceptional - well organized, flexible, very knowledgeable, attentive and kept us feeling safe and informed constantly. The company name of Abercrombie and Kent met our high expectations, and then some. 

  

High above us in the Andes mountain was Machu Picchu and to get there, we were going to take a shuttle bus. In all, our adventure by train and shuttle bus was going to be the least rigorous option. There are three intersecting trails known collectively as the "Incan Trail", which the more adventurous can climb to reach Machu Picchu. The trails range from a one to four day hike and require altitude adjustments. For those who read my "A Step Back In Time - Day One" post, you will remember my mentioning (quite hypocritically) tourism being a detriment to Machu Picchu. But, it is not only Machu Picchu. The good news is that the  "Incan Trail" is an example of the Peruvian government recognizing and taking control of the traffic and overuse of the popular, world-renowned destinations of their country. So, the government put a limit per season on the number of hikers, guides and porters who tackle these trails. But...back to the rain.

Did I tell you it was raining? Well, I say it again...it rained, and it rained and then it rained some more. It fell on and off all day. Regardless of the abundance of water all around me, my eyes still had a feast and I could not stop taking photos. I felt like I had been dropped off in a colorful bazaar where time stood still yet the old still embraced the new. It was SO unusual both in vibe and texture. I was soaked but I didn't care - I was busy being absorbed by it all.

Aguas Calientes is bisected by the train tracks which run right through the center of town. So we followed the tracks (and our guide) to the shuttle bus while walking past various shops and homes, new stacked on top of old and built side by side.  

The walkway we were on went from neatly paved bricks to wood planks then a steel beam bridge crossing over a rushing, foaming chocolate milk colored Rio Vicanota. 

  

  

Several symbols of the Incan empire were located around town, some molded into the concrete and others made into statues. The Incans believed that Cusco was the center of world and from that radiated four philosophies and several layers of earth. The snake represented the beginning of new life, because the snake always comes from under the ground. The Incan tradition dictates that life begins underground.

Once at the shuttle bus, we began to ride up the mountain side, winding around and around and climbing higher and higher. The drivers were all to familiar with the road the way they sped around corners with the back wheels sliding to the side. Rick and I sat in the rear of the bus so we got the extra advantage of having our hearts jumping into our throats on most of the trip. Most of the road was without guardrails and barely wide enough to allow two busses to pass so our driver hugged the edge of the road dangerously close to the chasm that grew below us. I closed my eyes too many times and just couldn't look. Aguas Calientes got smaller as the river that snaked around it frothed and surged even more as the rainwater poured from the mountain tops. Two months prior, an avalanche caused closure on a portion of the road, which had since been cleared and reopened. Passengers were forced to get out of their shuttle bus, climb down a portion of the Incan Trail then board another shuttle bus waiting for them on the road further below.

  

FINALLY, we made it...Machu Picchu. We had arrived at the city of Incan genius.

In December, 1983, UNESCO declared Machu Picchu a "Cultural and Natural Patrimony of Humankind" and was Peru's first archaeological monument. Before I post pictures, let me fill you in on some facts related to this amazing place. The rock and ground that Machu Picchu sits on is a formation, or mass, that is 250 million years old. The ground itself holds a common stone found in the region and is a grayish-white granite with high quantities of quartz, mica and feldspar. This made it relatively easy to shape. Therefore, the rock made a magnificent building material for the Andean/Incan masons. This city of Machu Picchu sits 8,047 feet above sea level, at it's highest point. On July 24, 1911, this lost city was discovered by professor Hiram Bingham and at the time, two families were still living and farming at Machu Picchu. The name Machu Picchu means "Old Mountain" but Bingham referred to it as "The Lost City of the Incas". 

There is a lodge located right at the entrance to Machu Picchu. This modern hotel was built in the 1970's for visiting VIPs only and as the ruins became a popular tourist site, it became a permanent structure first owned by the Peruvian government then bought by the Orient Express Company in 1999. The lodge was beautiful and we actually had lunch at the lodge restaurant after our tour of Machu Picchu. 

  

As we approached the entrance to Machu Picchu, there was a snack bar located to the right with picnic tables and umbrellas, offering hot and cold drinks, and food. Then came the turnstile booths (there were about 4-5 of them), which reminded me of a theme park. Hmmm, I really didn't see that one coming. I expected something more subtle as we entered a place with such reverence. Some of my rules in traveling are to journey with no expectations and to broaden my boundaries of thinking, so I accepted this modern touch and moved on, but that didn't mean it impressed me. 

Once past the turnstiles, there was a walkway with a stone wall that you follow that leads to the vast, open area of the city. At first, the cloud cover and mist was so thick that we could not see far ahead of us.

Then, Machu Picchu opened up before us in the thick, damp fog. I forgot the turnstiles and just soaked in the view. It helps to know that this was a city complete with storage areas and living quarters, plus lots of stairs and mazes of doorways and walls. There were separate sections for temples, religious ceremonies and astronomical observation. The Incas were a people ahead of their time in their knowledge of many things and this city appeared to have been very organized and efficient. Brilliant.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Some entries were very narrow.

  

We climbed many stairs - up and down.

The side of the mountain dropped into the misty clouds.

  

The city also had an agricultural area where hillside step farming took place and food was grown for the people.

    

I believe it was here that I finally realized that the deep spiritual moment of peace and awakening, so often quoted by many of those who traveled to Machu Picchu as happening, wasn't occurring for me. Maybe it was the weather, although I felt happy, yet tired, all day and I am never one to shy away from splashing in puddles. Maybe it was the altitude, although aside from some lightheadedness on and off, I conquered that pretty well. Or maybe it was the constant distraction of tourists in multi colored rain ponchos bobbing about in herds up and down and all over the hillside that did it. Our tour guide did tell us that the Peruvian government was discussing plans to control the amount of people visiting Machu Picchu during a season, which was similar to the action taken to preserve the Incan Trail. At the time of this writing, 2,500 people are allowed entrance to the Machu Picchu complex each day. But, back to the tour.

We saw llamas openly grazing in the grassy area.

I saw what a Coca plant looks like growing from the ground. Up to this point, I had only seen its leaves steeping in hot water.

After several hours, we were soaked and exhausted from climbing. Two folks from our tour group couldn't handle the climbing and the steep, slippery stone steps and had to meet us back at the turnstiles. I am so glad I had two walking sticks with me - they helped tremendously on the stairs. In all, and aside from the few things that I mentioned earlier that struck the wrong chords with me, I will remember this visit for the rest of my life. I was so happy I made that whirlwind trek from Pisco to Machu Picchu and I would do it again if I had the opportunity. It could easily have filled a good day or two of full exploring. As for a recommendation as a "Bubble List" item (my version of a "Bucket List"), an absolute "yes" for the sheer experience of seeing this marvelous city and be amazed by its engineering, knowing it sits so high up.  

Before we exited the complex, Rick and I stopped by the information window near the turnstiles and got our passports stamped - we had officially been to Machu Picchu.

Once we had had eaten at the lodge, Rick and I boarded our shuttle bus back down the mountainside for our return to Aguas Calientes. There we had some free time to roam and explore on our own before having to board the train. We were joined by one of the Shore Excursion Staff from the ship named Ana. She was like a little kid in a candy store when we found this "tin city" type dwelling near the train station. Under it's roof was a market of color and all types of imaginable souvenirs, leather bags, blankets, wall coverings and such that you could imagine. Ana needed to do some speed shopping and had a sizable list of items she needed for fellow crew members, friends and family. This market was a maze of aisles loaded on both sides with goods. Ana wondered off several times and we had to find her. Overall, it was a successful shopping excursion. However, time was crucial and we had to meet our tour group. So we found the station and eventually boarded our train back to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley.

  

  

This time we had seats in the lovely Vistadome car that had windows everywhere, even in the ceiling. The trip this time was during daylight so we could see the countryside we missed on our trip earlier that morning. 

  

Along our train ride, the staff put on a fashion show selling Alpaca fiber clothing. This lovely employee was modeling a coat made from the expensive, quality hair of Alpaca, an animal that grazes high in the Peruvian Andes and which resembles a small llama. 

Beautiful scenery. The train gently glided across the winding tracks through mountains and hillsides all along the brown, muddy churning Urubamba River.

  

 

  

  

  

  

Our train pulled into the station at Ollantaytambo and we disembarked. About 1/4 mile walk through Ollantaytambo brought us back to our tour bus and we began our drive back to Cusco Airport, where we would fly to Lima then meet our cruise ship at the port in Lima. It was a very long day packed full of travel and sights.

  

  

Along the way back to Cusco, I saw more of those charming auto rickshaws. 

  

  

  

  

Around 10:00 pm, our tour bus pulled into the Port in Callao (Lima), Peru and we saw the wonderful Crown Princess all aglow and waiting for our arrival. We were exhausted, ragged and wet but we had seen and done so much.

Celso, one of the crew from the ship, was standing at the gangway waiting for us as we walked onto the ship. He took us totally by surprise and told us he had been watching for us all evening. Our tour had been delayed coming back from Cusco so we arrived back to our ship later than expected. But, Celso continued to keep vigilance. As soon as we cleared security at the top of the gangway, Celso took our baggage, welcomed us "home" and actually walked us to our cabin. What amazing service and kindness he showed us and we were so happy to see him! Thanks, again Celso. 

As we walked into our room, we were unprepared to be shocked again. Sitting on our table were gorgeous flowers, champagne on ice with two flutes and a note from the Captain congratulating us on our 50th cruise with Princess Cruises. WOW! We hadn't expected that. What a tour, what a crew and what a ship we were blessed to sail with.  

  

Cheers to a very memorable, outstanding two days! Our next stop - Puntarenas, Costa Rica: South American Cruise 2014