Machu Picchu

Well, we made it!!

The trek and Machu Picchu was amazing. The trek portion was challenging, we covered three mountain peaks over 4000m high, walked around numerous clear blue green lakes and saw the front and back of the snow capped mountain, Victoria. We had 12 people on our trek, a great mix of international participants which made for great company. Along with us, we had two guides, and a staff of 5 who carried our sleeping bags and clothes (on horses) on our route as well as set up our tents and make fabulous meals. Both of us handled the altitude okay and just took the trek slow and steady. The scenary was breathtaking, but it was surprising how dry it was. It was like tundra vegetation and thankfully always sunny. On the first day, we immediately hit a steep climb within the first hour and it was a test of our fitness and breathing capacity. We were told that chewing coco leaves helps to expand one´s breathing capacity, but neither Jon nor I tried it. Many of our fellow participants said it didn´t really help anyway. Our guide Freddy, said that the Quechau people worshiped the snow because it is a form of water which provides for their survival and is a form of fertility.

We were all so well fed on this trip, the cooks somehow whipped up four our five dishes each meal, ranging from chicken with peanut sauce, breaded fish, numerous salads (included a beet salad), pancakes, porriage, beef with tomatoes and onions and french fries (tradionally called lomo saltado), stuffed bell pepper, stuffed chicken, fried rice, and a different kind of soup each day. We had a spicy pasta soup, pumpkin, celery, corn, asparagus, and quinoa soup. At one point, they baked a cake! Our camping grounds were very civilized too, we had tents set up when we got to our campsite and an outhouse. For Ching Jen´s first camping trip, she was spoiled (but happy). On the first day, we passed a 4000m peak and walked 14km. The second day was harder, where we had to hike 20km and pass two 4000+m mountains. Also, along the way we met many local people, many of them children. As a gift, we gave them pencils and modeling clay. Both nights were cold, but we managed with -8 degree C sleeping bags. On the second night, we had a special dinner. The staff created their version of an imu and cooked lamb and guinea pig. First, they built an igloo of stones, heat them up with a fire in it and then put in the lamb and guinea pig on pot covers in the oven. Next they made the stone igloo collapse into itself, covering the meat with rocks. Then cardboard, straw, tarp and dirt covered the entire thing. It cooked for 50 min before we could eat. The lamb was good, but the guinea pig was a bit rubbery and there wasn´t a lot of meat.

The next morning all we had left to walk was a three hour journey downhill. Once downhill, we took a train ride from ollantytambo to aguas calientes, a super touristy town at the base of machu picchu. Along the way in the train we passed a number of inca ruins in the sacred valley. Once we reached aguas calientes we stripped off our dirty clothes and dashed through the town to the famous hot springs which were not hot and did not have us springing for joy. They did manage to clean us off somewhat. We had an early dinner and hit the sack. At 3 am we got up to be in line to go to machu picchu and be able to hike wayna picchu, the super scenic mountain that overlooks machu picchu. Only 400 tickets are available each day to go up wayna picchu, machu picchu has no restrictions and sees about 2000 tourists a day. Luckily we got tickets 367 and 368. They'll need to adjust there system as only a year ago the line didn't start for another hour. Now people camp out over night for this once in a lifetime dream destination. And it was incredible. The entire site is so much larger and more dramatic than we imagined from the countless photos and videos we've seen. At 7 we had a 2 hour tour discussing the numerous theories about the site and the incas. Then we got to explore on our own. We had so much fun wandering in and out of the ruins. Constantly we were reminded of the panoramas. The near mountains are like lush thimbles rising out of the river valley. Then in the distance we could see snow capped Andean peaks glinting in the rising sun. The terraces, which may have been used for experimental agriculture, cascade down the mountain in the east and west directions. Hundreds of rectangular structures, densely packed, and probably the former locations of workshops and storerooms are interspersed with larger religious and political structures. All of them are made of very precise stone constructions. It is difficult to explain the incredible experience of getting to visit this place. At 10am we waited in another line to check in for the hike up wayna picchu. The hike was pretty strenuous since the day was hot and our bodies were tired from 3 days of high altitude trekking and lack of sleep. But the views were completely worth it. From the top it was possible to see machu picchu's condor plan shape. The rest of the afternoon we wandered the site some more before our bodies said enough and we returned to Aguas Calientes. We had a final meal with our group and guide. Then we all boarded a 5 pm train back to Cuzco. In Cuzco we said final goodbyes to everyone and returned to our hotel to pack and organize for our bus that was leaving for Puno, Peru in only 5 hours.