MACHU PICCHU

Christmas Eve morning Ryon and I arrived at the train station bright and early. It was freezing out, so I was bundled up in my ridiculously mismatched garb...see below...

Apparently I have great luck with landslides, for one was covering the tracks between us and Aguas Calientes (the last town before Machu Picchu). There are no roads to this town – train or foot travel only. We were searching for alternate routes if the train didn’t resume functioning and couldn’t believe there was absolutely NO road! We thought it was a conspiracy so people would have to pay for the train, but when we got there and saw a train filled with supplies arrive, and then saw men using make-shift wheelbarrows haul it all off through the town, we realized this was no joke. Although a growing tourist town due to it being the entrance to Machu Picchu, it has maintained some elements of its ancient isolation (such as no cars or 'roads' in town, except for the buses carrying people to Machu Piccu, and the ONE road going up the hill). This picture is of town and the river that flows through it.

After researching options and listening to the very fitting song “Landslide” in honor of our situation, we were informed that the tracks would be cleared and we would make it after all…yeah! We had actually made plans, meaning we committed to travel dates with plane and train tickets and even a hotel reservation (which we only did because with the holidays everyone was traveling), and missing this train would put a HUGE damper on things so thank God it all worked out!

The ‘town’ itself was very appealing, built along the bottom of many mountains. We began with lunch at yet another pizza place (the pizza in Peru is NOT like in the states, so be slow to judge me :) and then I spent some time in a cafe writing. Walking back to the hostel to find Ryon, I passed a Catholic church and had to take a look inside. I was shocked at how modern it looked! Not at all what I'd expected!

Ryon and I then spent a few hours in the thermal baths there in town, although many of the pools could hardly be considered HOT, more of lukewarm...

Afterward we walked around looking for the best dinner options, since most of the town is restaurants and hostels it should be easy, right? It was hilarious how all the restaurants were competing for the best special in town - 2 for 1 drink specials! THREE for 1 over here! Oh yeah? Well FOUR drinks for the price of one! Better yet, 4 drinks FREE with dinner! One owner tried to convince us he had the best restaurant in town...we rounded the corner and there he was standing in a different doorway selling the same bit for that place! We tried to get a straight answer about which one was THE BEST, but getting nowhere we bargained for pisco sours with dinner (Ryon had never tried it and it's the Peruvian way so he had to have ONE!) and sat down for some Mexican food (NOTE: Mexican food served in Peru is NOT true Mexican food according to the standards of any West Coaster). We enjoyed the night, though, maybe a little too much, as proved by the following picture...

It had been raining almost non-stop since we got there, which sucked a lot of energy from us, as well as the knowledge that our Christmas morning would begin at 0430…yikes. Because of that fact, we called it an early night, which did us no good. In the US we go crazy with ridiculous annoying fireworks for the 4^th of July. In Peru, they do so for Christmas. Beginning on Christmas Eve…Wonderful. Sounds reminding me of controlled detonations from Iraq, and then closer, louder, gun fire sounds kept me up most the night until 1 or 2 am. A few more hours of sleep and the alarm sounds. Ugh. Merry Christmas.

Perhaps if I were six years old the hour would not have bothered me. Or maybe if hot cinnamon rolls and coffee awaited me by a warm fire I would have arisen with more enthusiasm. But on this Christmas morning I looked out the window to see pouring rain (NOTE: I was prepared with my AWESOME poncho!), the breakfast table held some bread and juice with instant coffee to infuriate the stomach if you’d like some, and beyond the front door, to where we were headed, was the most exercise I had experienced in months...maybe years?

The switch-backed bus ride up the giant hill was...pretty.
Entering the park and seeing the first few terraces and buildings was...pretty.

The stones turned into temples and houses and walls, built YEARS ago in front of me now were...pretty.

Then the fog cleared before me, and behold...Machu Picchu. I'll leave it at that and just say you should go if you ever can.

Can we say "postcard material?" BEAUTIFUL!

A certain number of people are allowed at two points throughout the day to hike Huana Picchu. It's a mountain 'behind' Machu Picchu which from the very top provides a magnificent view of Machu Picchu (when the fog clears). This was one reason for the early morning, to get to do this hike. Also, to beat the large crowds later and to see the sunrise from the mountain (Points 1 and 2: successful. Point 3 failed...have you ever watched a sunrise through dense fog?). We meandered through the first part of the ruins, attempting to follow a book we had with descriptions and information about different parts (better to just soak it up, I'm convinced!), and picking up Charlie V on our way (yet another dog that found it necessary to follow me around - love them!). Then we crossed the open field to the base of Huana Picchu...and the work began...

You know you want this poncho. It is all the rave at Machu Picchu and the green looks great on me :)

"HP Small" had a near little view and was a nice little warm up. "HP Big"...OH CRAP. The stairs felt like a ladder sometimes, the angle was so steep! It was exhausting and exhilarating! Up and up...through a tiny cave (I barely fit...how did Ryon!?)...up and up...the views! Switchbacks, terraces, over rocks, another little cave, ladder up, boulder jumping, and I was on top of the world. A sea of white surrounding me, I literally felt like I was on an island of 1 rock, foamy waters gliding by. These 'waters' of fog and mist did, indeed, glide by, opening to reveal the drop off near my feet, the incredible height we had mounted, and alas, Machu Picchu itself. The gap quickly closed again (probably due to Ryon's prayers as his fear of heights preferred the blind ignorance allowed by the fog). We had read that misty or clear skied, MP was breathtaking regardless and I believe this is true. The views were anticipated, short-lived and incredible, but I loved walking on the clouds just as much.
The small peak to the left is Small Huana Picchu, and the one in the center is Big Huana Picchu. Yikes.

This is at the very top of Big HP. I was on top of the world! And yes, I did the Titanic pose. Couldn't help it :)

This was one of the incredibly depressing views looking up :) But actually the steps shown here were fairly even and easy to climb by comparison to the rest of the mountain! Every step was worth it!!!

This is LARGE ended opening of the cave we crawled through. It was way smaller on the other side...crazy!

Halfway back down the trail a fork led another direction to the Temple of the Moon. I had heard it was a cave and didn't care how wet or cold or tired we were - I was going. Ryon agree to join, of course, and so we began. The trail confused me as steps turned to dirt trail. Up, down, flat, down, up...where are we going? Seeing no one out there, I actually wondered a couple times if this was really the trail. Eventually the path dumped downward, and down and down some more ("We have to go back UP!" I thought). Still raining, this felt like the jungle again, but colder. Trees spread into the trail which twisted and turned. We kept wondering how much further we had to go and we were dreading the hike out!

The path ended at an open terraced area. You could hardly see the stone walls in all the growth which held the secrets of so many years.

You can barely see the terraces under the shrubbery here

Around the corner was the 'temple.' Appropriately named not only due to its purpose, but it was somewhat shaped like a moon sliver. Finally sheltered from the rain we sat inside and I was free of that burdensome poncho for a bit - It was so stylish, though! It was hard to part with :) We rested in the safety of these ancient carvings and wondered at the motivation of these people to climb so high and create such difficult, beautiful work - and for what!? I like not knowing.

At this point, exploring through more of the main ruins, Ryon declared 'ENOUGH' and returned to the entrance for shelter and coffee. Sorry, buddy, but it's MP!!! I felt bad making him wait long by himself, being that he was drenched and miserable, so I ran.

At first I technically speed-walked through the homes and look-out posts, across terraces and in between clumps of people. I felt like I was "out-walking" the rain practically. I would be stunned by a view and freeze to soak it up (soaking up the raindrops as well) and then go again. Note one view here:
I had to see it all! I had heard of the Inca Bridge (Puente Inka) and headed that way. The few signs aren't incredibly helpful so I began conversations here and there, asking if anyone knew the way. No...No...No...never heard of it..."Good," I thought, "No one will be there." It was, indeed, a fairly empty path. I found the trailhead and ran like when I was 12, rushing through the woods with branches brushing my body as I leaped from rock to dirt to mud puddle to rock again. I had that same wild feeling, certain that every step would find solid ground and lead me somewhere fascinating. No hesitation, just anticipation and excitement for what lay ahead.

Then there was a "guard shack." Panting hard I signed the entrance book (Name; Citizenship; Time; etc... in case you don't come back) and then I casually walked around the corner. Out of sight again, my energy burst forth again. I was off! And then holy crap my trail had a wall on one side and a drop off on the other! I felt my mortality as I looked straight down and then lifted my gaze to the valley next to me, the river, the many massive mountains. I ran faster. I felt so alive - like I could flirt with that cliff edge all day, laughing at its nearness and testing its power. Once again I felt awe and wonder.

Upon reaching the bridge I was very disappointed - I couldn't cross it! I'm not even sure what the point of it is (the end of this once-used entrance? Reconstructed? For what?). But the bridge wasn't the point this time. It was about getting there, the views along the way, the freedom of running solo along that edge...maybe the Incas were onto something with their ideas of being close to the gods at higher elevations. It wasn't just the thin air - maybe God vacations there like they think the Incas may have, because I swear I could feel Him running next to me.

If you look in the center here you can see a wooden plan bridging the two stone paths. Further along the path becomes overgrown and I have no idea where that trail once led. The point from where I took this picture is as far as they would allow me to go.

On my way back to find Ryon I had this picture taken - I couldn't pass up the postcard viewpoint without getting one shot in it to prove I was there!

This was one of a group of llamas I hung out with for my last few minutes of looking at the view before leaving. They keep llamas around to cut the grass so it always looks like a manicured lawn.

Then hot cocoa, bus ride down, hot/cold shower, pizza with stray dogs (EVERYWHERE), and a train ride home in my Peruvian pajamas (Forgot to bring DRY clothes). Exhausted, but unable to sleep, I watched The Office on the train, alternating with watching the views, of course. It was hard to tear my eyes from the raging white waters of the river, but for The Office I occasionally did :) The following are a couple views from the train:

We had already been awake 16 hours and worked our butts off many of those hours, so we were consequently exhausted, but we told Raj we'd have Christmas dinner with him. So, rather than shower and pass out like I wanted, I changed out of my PJ's and found Raj not in his hostel, but at our favorite bar, Nuna Machay. We three then had dinner at Jack's Cafe (It's like food from home almost and very comforting on a day like that...and Christmas, after all!) Back to Jen (the awesome bartender) and a band at Nuna Machay, and I do believe it was the longest day of my life. I made it 'home' to my hostel with the arrival of the sun after hearing Juan play the ukulele, which was beautiful, and I did get a short nap on a cot sometime during the night. It was, indeed, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!