MACHU PICCHU, AGUAS CALIENTES, Peru - 10th & 11th September
10th September, Sunday - The days (Sunday ??) of the week have no meaning really when on such a long holiday. Waking up early (4:30am) in the cold was difficult but we had no choice. Letay was beginning to get hooked on to listening to the iPod and this was one good way of waking her up. 
Rushed out after a cup of tea to the train station; a very cold morning again. The train station and the train were all very well organised ; carriages numbered with attendants outside each carriage, seat numbers and easy access to the carriages. We were in our seats well in time. Peru, and Cusco in particular, obviously has had a long history with the tourist industry.
The train left right on time, and climbed out of the lower levels of the bowl shaped Cusco city by switching back and forth onto different lines, moving to a line going higher with each switch-over. It took around 5-6 to and fro's to get out of Cusco. The scenery was very pleasant all along the way, passing small villages, occasional Inca Ruins, numerous terraces, and parts of Inca roads. 
Soon after leaving Cusco, the mountains turned greener, and we always had a fast flowing, energetic, cool mountain river, the Rio Urubamba, flowing along the railway line. Occassionally we caught a glimpse of high glacier topped peaks. The Rio Urubamba, on its way down to the jungle to merge with the headwaters of the Amazon, starts in the Andes higher up south of Cusco where it is called the the Vilcanota. Cusco at 3400metres, is actually 1000 metres higher than the seemingly up-in-the-clouds Machu Picchu.
We would be going as far as the small town of Aguas Calientes, earlier known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, the base town for Machu Picchu. Nearing this town you can see why the Inca's picked the area for the city of Machu Picchu - the landscape changed completely from the rolling hills and rocky bare mountains of the Andes to vertically rising high Granite plugs (Batholiths), rising high above the river channels. 
With the mist around and the weather, the plants too changed from the dry shrub of the Andes to semi-tropical dense greenery, including plants & flowers we were familiar with in Nigeria. These steeply rising mountains rising from the river valleys have several micro-climates, that the Inca's made use of to grow a specialised variety of crops & fruits.
Seated next to us was Dawn, from from San Francisco who was a student at Stanford University. She is currently working on her Master's thesis in Lima and had spent a few months there already. She was taking a few days off and visiting Machu Picchu with a Peruvian girl friend who was travelling by another cheaper (but less comfortable) train for Peruvians only. It was extremely nice talking to Dawn - she had a very open, intelligent and refreshing attitude to South America, the people, culture and food. This was so reassuring to see in such a young person (especially someone from the USA).
Occassionally we saw some braver tourists, walking a 3 to 5 day Inca trail to Machu Picchu. There is no "one" Inca Trail - this 3 -5 trail is more famous because it culminates in Machu Picchu. The Inca's actually built trails (roads) all over their Empire from Colombia down toward Northern Chile. Their empire was, at the time, the largest empire in the world. It is certainly an amazing feat to have spread so far, so fast, with such a good network of trails, over some of the most rugged and highest terrain in the world - entirely without the wheel or horse, and entirely on foot (except for the Inca royalty who were probably carried).
We reached Aguas Calientes before 11 O'clock. Walked across the market and over the bridge to the town. After checking out a couple of hotels we found one close to the main square. There were small hotels everywhere. The general view from our room was the construction of the building next door, but if you looked the other way the steep mountians rose just outside the window. The whole town was like this - a beautiful cosy feeling of being a one street town of restaurants & hotels, between these steep high mountains.
It existed for nothing else but the tourists who came to see Machu Picchu.....although it did have hot springs therefore the name (agua calientes). Like every place in South America, the dogs here too were so full of character, so cool, looked after, everywhere. Most ever ready for a pat and a chat.
Rossini wanted to rush up to Macchu Picchu right away but Letay and Deepa wanted to eat something before we went, as we would have a lot of climbing and walking to do once there. So guess what..... we ate first !!!.........and then took the bus up.
They have a fleet of similar looking gold mini buses leaving ever so often. The ride up was 20 minutes, up the steep curving roads, to the base of Machhu Picchu. From here we had to walk up the site to the Inca Gaurdhouse to get the typical full view of Machu Picchu. 
Letay was in one of her really complaining moods and the steep climb made matters worse. We wanted to approach the place from the top via the main gate and the walk up there was more difficult. She had heard all the amazing stories about the Incas and how great and brave they were. However at the time of the walk she hated them - her classic comment at one stage when she was really exhausted was - "I HATE the Inca's .....I'm so glad that the they are all dead" said with a lot of passion (and venom). With more patience with and coaxing, we finally reached the top....and Letay was calm again, and excited with what she saw !!
The sight just has to be indescribable !! It's like all those amazing cities or landmarks you have seen so often in pictures, all your life, that when you do see it, the reality seems like a dream or a emotion rather than a tangible place. We have decided not to write much about the place but to rather let the pictures tell all.
The feeling was tremendous, unbelieveable and we were totally impresssed and in utter awe of how such a tremendous city was built, in such a difficult but beautiful location.
Machu Picchu, rediscovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingam in 1911, was not some great Inca capital city but thought to be a very important religious and agricultural site serving Cusco. With all the elements (crop fertility, mountains, nature) that the Inca's held sacred it was easy for such an important agricultural site to merit such fine stonework and temples.
We just walked and explored the city all afternoon from 1pm to around 6pm - walking, and resting as we would whilst going through any other city......and like all cities, the crowds of people too were part of the charm. It was certainly well preserved. 
Letay especially loved the baths and the Inca system of channeling water.
One of the memories that will always remain with us will be sunset at Machu Picchu, whilst one of the local lads played "El Condor Pasa" on the pan-flute. Whilst his performance may have been a bit staged, the entire ambience was so well balanced and magical.
On the way down by bus, we had a young Peruvian boy of around 12 -14 years, run ahead of the bus, along the walking path, all the way down hill. He came into the bus when we got back into Agua Calientes to get a tip from the passengers and he certainly did not seem out of breath. He got a round of applause from all on the bus. There were apparently around 20 boys who each did this 4-6 times a day.....on non-school days only. On the way down Rossini sat next to a Norwegian lady who was from near Oslo and belonged to a Peruvian Awareness Society back in Norway. She and her group were down on an educational tour.
Back in town, we rushed to the end of town to the hot baths. Rossini & Letay went in for a dip but it certainly was not as nice as the baths in the Colca Canyon. Had a relaxed dinner in one of the many street side restaurants, with very welcome warm Quinua (Inca cereal) soup, and Trout (the fresh trout in this region is brilliant)....and Pisco Sours......after a long day, Letay fell asleep even before we were finished with dinner.
11th September, Monday -
The next morning, Rossini woke up wishing he had climbed the mountain Wayna-Picchu, that rises high up in the background to Machu Picchu. Rather than have regrets later, he rushed up on the 9am bus up and did make the additional 1 - 2 hour climb.
It was certainly not an easy walk up, especially with the altitude and steep climb. Looking at the mountain even from a short distance away, it's hard to imagine or see the path built up to the very top.
The view from the top was spectacular and even more exhilarating after having climbed all the way. One has to admire the Inca's for their ability to creat these paths in the most difficult of places.
The final part of the path takes you crawling on your knees through a tunnel, to emerge at the top of the mountain. The climb is very well controlled, having to sign in and out (when you return), with a gaurd at the peak, very politely ushering people, who had stayed too long at the top, onward. Only a maximum of 500 were allowed to make the climb in a day and only between 7am to 1pm. Rossini met Marcel and Sayaka (from Switzerland, whom we also met in Pisco, Colca & Cusco) at the top. He also met Sophie from Vienna, who lived a year in East Fremantle, ten years ago, a few streets away from our home there.
While Rossini was gone Letay and Deepa had a time to relax, have a leisurely breakfast in the quaint restaurants, overlooking the square, walk by the river and later sit at the terrace of teh hotel in the middleof teh high mountains. Three hours after rushing off, Rossini was back. 
We all had a pizza lunch, and then just hung around the town waiting for our train to Cusco at 3.00pm. After just a day in this small town, people were already familiar, even recognising a young toddler playing on the railway lines. Deepa found his desperate mother and let her know, whilst Rossini distracted the boy off the rails.
On the way back, Rossini got Letay to listen to other (than the the two songs she liked) music on the iPod. He introduced her to the Beatles' Sgt.Pepper's and the "Number 1" album. Letay was from this point onward hooked onto the Beatles. It's quite amusing to see her singing "Lucy in the Sky....", "Hard Days Night" or "Ticket to Ride" to herself. This kept her busy all the 4hours back to Cusco, and has become her standard distraction now on most long bus rides.
Met Dawn on the train back too. Got back tired into Cusco around 8pm......and Rossini still wanted to walk back to the Hotel. With the majority rule, we took a taxi back. It was very comforting to get back to the Amaru Hotel, with the familiar and friendly staff. They had moved our bags back to the first hotel to the room we liked, and even moved Letay's birthday ballons (again !!). Excellent staff and service.
We were not keen on dinner, so shared a leftover pizza slice (from lunch). All slept well - Cusco certainly was colder.
Rushed out after a cup of tea to the train station; a very cold morning again. The train station and the train were all very well organised ; carriages numbered with attendants outside each carriage, seat numbers and easy access to the carriages. We were in our seats well in time. Peru, and Cusco in particular, obviously has had a long history with the tourist industry.
The train left right on time, and climbed out of the lower levels of the bowl shaped Cusco city by switching back and forth onto different lines, moving to a line going higher with each switch-over. It took around 5-6 to and fro's to get out of Cusco. The scenery was very pleasant all along the way, passing small villages, occasional Inca Ruins, numerous terraces, and parts of Inca roads. 
Soon after leaving Cusco, the mountains turned greener, and we always had a fast flowing, energetic, cool mountain river, the Rio Urubamba, flowing along the railway line. Occassionally we caught a glimpse of high glacier topped peaks. The Rio Urubamba, on its way down to the jungle to merge with the headwaters of the Amazon, starts in the Andes higher up south of Cusco where it is called the the Vilcanota. Cusco at 3400metres, is actually 1000 metres higher than the seemingly up-in-the-clouds Machu Picchu.
We would be going as far as the small town of Aguas Calientes, earlier known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, the base town for Machu Picchu. Nearing this town you can see why the Inca's picked the area for the city of Machu Picchu - the landscape changed completely from the rolling hills and rocky bare mountains of the Andes to vertically rising high Granite plugs (Batholiths), rising high above the river channels. 
With the mist around and the weather, the plants too changed from the dry shrub of the Andes to semi-tropical dense greenery, including plants & flowers we were familiar with in Nigeria. These steeply rising mountains rising from the river valleys have several micro-climates, that the Inca's made use of to grow a specialised variety of crops & fruits.
Seated next to us was Dawn, from from San Francisco who was a student at Stanford University. She is currently working on her Master's thesis in Lima and had spent a few months there already. She was taking a few days off and visiting Machu Picchu with a Peruvian girl friend who was travelling by another cheaper (but less comfortable) train for Peruvians only. It was extremely nice talking to Dawn - she had a very open, intelligent and refreshing attitude to South America, the people, culture and food. This was so reassuring to see in such a young person (especially someone from the USA). Occassionally we saw some braver tourists, walking a 3 to 5 day Inca trail to Machu Picchu. There is no "one" Inca Trail - this 3 -5 trail is more famous because it culminates in Machu Picchu. The Inca's actually built trails (roads) all over their Empire from Colombia down toward Northern Chile. Their empire was, at the time, the largest empire in the world. It is certainly an amazing feat to have spread so far, so fast, with such a good network of trails, over some of the most rugged and highest terrain in the world - entirely without the wheel or horse, and entirely on foot (except for the Inca royalty who were probably carried).
We reached Aguas Calientes before 11 O'clock. Walked across the market and over the bridge to the town. After checking out a couple of hotels we found one close to the main square. There were small hotels everywhere. The general view from our room was the construction of the building next door, but if you looked the other way the steep mountians rose just outside the window. The whole town was like this - a beautiful cosy feeling of being a one street town of restaurants & hotels, between these steep high mountains.
It existed for nothing else but the tourists who came to see Machu Picchu.....although it did have hot springs therefore the name (agua calientes). Like every place in South America, the dogs here too were so full of character, so cool, looked after, everywhere. Most ever ready for a pat and a chat.
Rossini wanted to rush up to Macchu Picchu right away but Letay and Deepa wanted to eat something before we went, as we would have a lot of climbing and walking to do once there. So guess what..... we ate first !!!.........and then took the bus up. 
They have a fleet of similar looking gold mini buses leaving ever so often. The ride up was 20 minutes, up the steep curving roads, to the base of Machhu Picchu. From here we had to walk up the site to the Inca Gaurdhouse to get the typical full view of Machu Picchu. 
Letay was in one of her really complaining moods and the steep climb made matters worse. We wanted to approach the place from the top via the main gate and the walk up there was more difficult. She had heard all the amazing stories about the Incas and how great and brave they were. However at the time of the walk she hated them - her classic comment at one stage when she was really exhausted was - "I HATE the Inca's .....I'm so glad that the they are all dead" said with a lot of passion (and venom). With more patience with and coaxing, we finally reached the top....and Letay was calm again, and excited with what she saw !! 
The sight just has to be indescribable !! It's like all those amazing cities or landmarks you have seen so often in pictures, all your life, that when you do see it, the reality seems like a dream or a emotion rather than a tangible place. We have decided not to write much about the place but to rather let the pictures tell all.
The feeling was tremendous, unbelieveable and we were totally impresssed and in utter awe of how such a tremendous city was built, in such a difficult but beautiful location. 
Machu Picchu, rediscovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingam in 1911, was not some great Inca capital city but thought to be a very important religious and agricultural site serving Cusco. With all the elements (crop fertility, mountains, nature) that the Inca's held sacred it was easy for such an important agricultural site to merit such fine stonework and temples.
We just walked and explored the city all afternoon from 1pm to around 6pm - walking, and resting as we would whilst going through any other city......and like all cities, the crowds of people too were part of the charm. It was certainly well preserved. 
Letay especially loved the baths and the Inca system of channeling water. 
One of the memories that will always remain with us will be sunset at Machu Picchu, whilst one of the local lads played "El Condor Pasa" on the pan-flute. Whilst his performance may have been a bit staged, the entire ambience was so well balanced and magical.On the way down by bus, we had a young Peruvian boy of around 12 -14 years, run ahead of the bus, along the walking path, all the way down hill. He came into the bus when we got back into Agua Calientes to get a tip from the passengers and he certainly did not seem out of breath. He got a round of applause from all on the bus. There were apparently around 20 boys who each did this 4-6 times a day.....on non-school days only. On the way down Rossini sat next to a Norwegian lady who was from near Oslo and belonged to a Peruvian Awareness Society back in Norway. She and her group were down on an educational tour.
Back in town, we rushed to the end of town to the hot baths. Rossini & Letay went in for a dip but it certainly was not as nice as the baths in the Colca Canyon. Had a relaxed dinner in one of the many street side restaurants, with very welcome warm Quinua (Inca cereal) soup, and Trout (the fresh trout in this region is brilliant)....and Pisco Sours......after a long day, Letay fell asleep even before we were finished with dinner.
11th September, Monday -
The next morning, Rossini woke up wishing he had climbed the mountain Wayna-Picchu, that rises high up in the background to Machu Picchu. Rather than have regrets later, he rushed up on the 9am bus up and did make the additional 1 - 2 hour climb. 
It was certainly not an easy walk up, especially with the altitude and steep climb. Looking at the mountain even from a short distance away, it's hard to imagine or see the path built up to the very top. 
The view from the top was spectacular and even more exhilarating after having climbed all the way. One has to admire the Inca's for their ability to creat these paths in the most difficult of places. 
The final part of the path takes you crawling on your knees through a tunnel, to emerge at the top of the mountain. The climb is very well controlled, having to sign in and out (when you return), with a gaurd at the peak, very politely ushering people, who had stayed too long at the top, onward. Only a maximum of 500 were allowed to make the climb in a day and only between 7am to 1pm. Rossini met Marcel and Sayaka (from Switzerland, whom we also met in Pisco, Colca & Cusco) at the top. He also met Sophie from Vienna, who lived a year in East Fremantle, ten years ago, a few streets away from our home there.
While Rossini was gone Letay and Deepa had a time to relax, have a leisurely breakfast in the quaint restaurants, overlooking the square, walk by the river and later sit at the terrace of teh hotel in the middleof teh high mountains. Three hours after rushing off, Rossini was back. 
We all had a pizza lunch, and then just hung around the town waiting for our train to Cusco at 3.00pm. After just a day in this small town, people were already familiar, even recognising a young toddler playing on the railway lines. Deepa found his desperate mother and let her know, whilst Rossini distracted the boy off the rails. On the way back, Rossini got Letay to listen to other (than the the two songs she liked) music on the iPod. He introduced her to the Beatles' Sgt.Pepper's and the "Number 1" album. Letay was from this point onward hooked onto the Beatles. It's quite amusing to see her singing "Lucy in the Sky....", "Hard Days Night" or "Ticket to Ride" to herself. This kept her busy all the 4hours back to Cusco, and has become her standard distraction now on most long bus rides.
Met Dawn on the train back too. Got back tired into Cusco around 8pm......and Rossini still wanted to walk back to the Hotel. With the majority rule, we took a taxi back. It was very comforting to get back to the Amaru Hotel, with the familiar and friendly staff. They had moved our bags back to the first hotel to the room we liked, and even moved Letay's birthday ballons (again !!). Excellent staff and service.
We were not keen on dinner, so shared a leftover pizza slice (from lunch). All slept well - Cusco certainly was colder.
posted by Silveira Family of Three (+1) at 10:36 pm
1 Comments:
hi guys,
Machu pichu, can't wait to se the pictures. now that you have seen it , you can come home!
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