Our 4th day of the Inca Jungle tour was to wake up at 4am to climb up the Machuìcchu mountain. This was not to happen though. We woke up at 4am to pouring heavy rain so our guide suggested that we take the bus up to the entrance. This costs 18SOL a person. The first bus leaves at 5.30am
We wanted to see the sunrise but since it was raining we knew that this would not really be an option. We arrived at 6.30am anyway - no sunrise but the rain had stopped.
Meeting our new guide Richardo, we walked up to the top of Machupicchu. The misty sat heavily around the mountain tops while a fwe sun rays shone throw the cloudy sky. This added to the mistique of the city as we learned of the history of the Incas. How the lived, built, travelled, grew to a nation and finally fell to the Spanish domination.
It is legend that the Incas left Machupicchu for the Amazon jungles before the Spanish arrived to conquer this city. They were prewarned in a Shaman fortune telling that should they fight the Spanish they would fall permanently. So to save the culture and what was left of the Inca empire, they hid. Now awaiting their return to claim back their land and rights.
Briel and I sat watching the view while the story filtered in our ears. Igniting our imagination and falling in love with the INCA story. As the legend finished the sky cleared to a bright and sunny day.
Machupicchu means BIG mountain. Indeed it is. The city is surrounded by other mountains - 1 being Waynupicchu meaning Junk mountain. This is the tallest mountain nearby, which we climbed to the top to get a spectacular view of the city and the surroundings. The climb should take 1 hour, it took us 36min at an easy pace. On this mountain you can also see Luna Del Mar temple on the other side of the mountain which adds another 2 hour trek. This trek had us out of breath and tired from the humidity and heat. We admire the INCA even more knowing that they easily climb and travel these trails.
The city was fantastic showing all the wonders of the Incas. The Inca bridge was cute and perfect and still in tact. The whole Inca buildings are Earth Quake proof. Can you beleive? WOW. In the last quake the Spainish buildings all fell what the Inca remains held without fail.
I want the Incas to reclaim their city, the fantastic noble city which they used as a holiday resort. And it certainly looked like that with the glorious grass terraces, homes, baths and temples.
It was only recently after 1998 that the sites where held as treasures of the world. The should be, before this they allowed horrible acts which ruined the city further. For example the Prince and Princess of Spain came to visit. They didn't want to come via the normal trek, they came by helicopter to the ruins. They landed the helicopter in the centre of the city, destroying a building in the centre feild. All because they considered themselves too good to walk. Disgusting. The former Peru-Japanese president tried to cell the city to another country and to destroy some of the mountains to build a cable car - lucky the people protested sent the president to jail for all the injustice he added to the country.
The city is a gem worth seeing. It was perfect. A wonder to behold and touch.
Ciao for now.
