Machu Picchu
PERU | Monday, 30 June 2008 | Views [59]
Machu Picchu is awesome. Truly awesome. Over 100 million people recently voted it as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, and when you finally see it, you understand why. It's a crazy place! It looks exactly like it does in all of the pictures and postcards, but there is definitely something else about the place that the pictures can't capture.
That being said, the base town of Aguas Calientes is not a magical place. It's filled with tourist traps and trinket shops and all of the buildings are thrown together in a ramshackle way. It was a good place to rest however and get our bearings after the Salkantay, and on our fourth day, it was also our trail head for the 1.5 hour trek up Putukusi Mountain.
We had expressed an interest in taking an afternoon trek to see Machu Picchu from afar, and Henry let us in on a great secret: Putukusi. From Putukusi, one can get a full panoramic view of MP from the east, and it's a place that not many trekkers either know of or attempt. Putukusi is approx. 1100 meters high from the base, so you might wonder how one can comfortably scale it in 1.5 hours or less. The answer, as we found out, would be nearly 400 meters of sheer vertical wooden ladders with little more than a rope to hold onto. The climb up was not for the faint of heart or anyone with the slightest tendency towards vertigo. I was a bit nervous and sweaty-palmed during the climb, but we all did great. After the ladders, a steep trail led us to the lookout, where we laid eyes on MP for the first time in the late afternoon sun. A very cool spot and worth the climb down on the those ladders (Ben and Henry, like manly men, went down the ladders face forward, which is far easier I might add (says Ben)).
We were up the next morning before the sun to catch the first buses up to MP; a definite must for any visitor. You beat the crowds coming off of the first trains, and you get to see the sunrise light up MP. As we made our way from the buses to the main viewing point of MP (where all of the well-known photos are taken), the clouds were rolling in and out, but like clockwork, as soon as the sun came up, the clouds disappeared and the scene was clear and spectacular.
We spent half the day touring the ruins and trekked 30 mins to the Sun Gates, which is where the traditional Inca Trail ends. There was another stunning view from the Gates as well. After our strenuous hiking up Putukusi, we decided to skip the lines and steep climb up Huayna Picchu(smaller mountain at the head of MP, the one in all the pics) and head back into Aguas Calientes for a long leisurely lunch before our train back to Cuzco. We dined at what has to be the best restaurant in AG, Indio Feliz. Described as Peruvian cuisine with French inspiration in American portions, we treated ourselves to homemade salads, soups and desserts and fresh squeezed juices. Then it was on to Backpacker's Train for the 4 hour ride back to Cuzco.
I should mention that it was here Henry, our sweet Salkantay guide, met us one last time (he had returned earlier in the day from MP). He was waiting with a special surprise from his mother, and when we retured back to our hostal, we opened the surprise to find a grilled, whole cuy, the Peruvian delicacy of guinea pig. Dr. C wrapped it right back up as Trish yelped, honestly none of us could stomach eating a whole guinea pig. It looked exactly like a dead skewered city rat, with all of the limbs and claws still attached! Ben ended up giving the grilled thing to the man at the reception desk. What a way to end our mystical MP experience.
In no way can I describe MP with any sort of justice, so I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Tags: sightseeing
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