Ruins are good, for a little bit, but after a while, they´re not so good. They all start to look a like. Rightly so because all the ruins I´ve seen were built by the Inca. As magnificent as they are, they´re pretty similar to each other, and when compared to Machu Picchu, of course all the other ruins are like piles of kindergarten building blocks.
Machu Picchu was awesome of course. I just dedicated 3 days of my life to appreciating ruins, and have come away somewhat awed, but not very changed. Still don`t really appreciate history and stuff like that. First day I went to Pisac where I had my silly mishap (see previous story). Then went to Urubamba to check out this ceremic studio but unfortunately all the workers had Saturday afternoon off. How dare they. Instead they showed me a video, and later, out of sorry for taking up their time, I bought a little notebook. On the way back to the bus station though I met the man of the story. Pablo, a french-speaking ex-pat runs the studio. I knew he is french because his 2 german shepherds escaped the house through the back gate just as I was walking past, and he swore at them in French. Very much like the Swiss family on the horse farm, they had 2 german shepherds too. Come to think of it I haven`t seen any other german shepherds except at these 2 places. Hmmmm.
Just before leaving Urubamba, I met these 2 Chinese lady. Of all places in South America, we had to be at the same backwash town at the same time. They were trying to get on my kombi to Ollaytantambu, but it was full. I told them (in Mandarin!) there was another one going soon, and they were very appreciative.
Ollaytantambu was a cute little town, nice for a lunch stop-over, probably nice to stay a while too. The train journey to Agua Calientes was uneventful, I listened to my iPod. At Agua Calientes, I let these touts convince me to check out their hotel, and managed to bargain them down from 40 soles to 20 soles (about AU$7) for a double room with bathroom. It was the nicest place I´ve stayed in the whole trip. Next night they promised me a single room without bathroom for 15 soles.
5am I was up, 5:30 on the bus, 6am arrive the gates of Machu Picchu. It was sprinkling and everything was covered in cloud-fog. I scaled the highest part of the ruins, stayed a whiles to eavesdrop on other group`s guides explanations. Then went to Waynapicchu and scaled that. It was a long walk down to the Grand Caverns, and a huuuuuuge walk uphill back. The Grand Caverns I really liked. Not many people went there, and it was quite neglected looking. The Incas had built structures into the caves themselves, and it was fun imagining what people back in the 1400s did in their free time. There were parts of the ruins that was very over-grown, and walking through it all alone, it felt like I was discovering it for the first time.
I originally wanted to go to the hot sprints after Machu Picchu, but 8 hours of solid walking had worn me down (I did the stubborn thing of walking back to town instead of taking the $6 bus ride, nobody else did it except for a couple of locals). I decided my clothes was too disgusting to wear again so bought some local ware. Bargained well. Very proud of myself.
At night, I lie in my room, watch movies on my iPod and drink beer. Going out in tourist towns is way too dear for my budget. The local beer here Cusqueña is very very good.
This mroning, woke late, used the toilet in the room across the hallway (my room from the previous night), and trained it to Ollaytantambu. My body ached so much I wasn´t going to see the ruins there, but was glad I did. It made me realise how NOT interested I am in ruins anymore. I overheard some guides tell their naive listeners how the Incas had a lot of gold and that most of it hasn´t been discovered it, ¨Cities of gold!¨ he said.
Tonight, I´m going to take it easy, drink Cusqueña and watch TV.
