Okay, let me back up - there are indigenous people in the cities wearing traditional clothes walking around with llamas asking if you want to take a photo with them. The catch is that you pay them at least a sole (~33 cents) for the photo.
If you know Beth, you know she is obsessed with llamas. And she wanted a series of photos with llamas, specifically baby llamas.
So we're walking around and we see this group of Peruvians wearing traditional garb with - gasp! - a baby llama! So we stop to take the requisite photo and when we turn around, lo and behold there was Rosy O'Grady's. We ended up having a beer with Mateo (Matt), a Britishman in the service who was stationed there to learn Spanish before heading to Colombia (Brazil? Can't remember) to guard their political leaders.
We head back to the hotel to grab Talia and she meets us back at the bar for a drink before we headed over to Fallen Angel to meet Justin and Tom. We end up chatting with a man (Casey I think) who is not only used to live in Los Angeles, but used to live in Echo Park right around the corner from Beth! Talk about a small world!
Photo of the outside of the Fallen Angel - Talia has some great ones of the inside:
So we head to Fallen Angel, where the tables are old bathtubs turned into fishtanks topped with glass, and we met Justin and Tom for a drink and I ate what is essentially the filet mignon of alpaca - and it was amazing. The bathrooms were really funny too - one was heaven and one was hell - the heaven one was all cracked mirrors and white and frosted glass, and the hell one was black barbed wire with red roses. Very fun theme. Post-Fallen Angel (they closed at 11:30 - WTF?) we escorted Tom and Justin back to their hotel and went to bed ourselves.
Our last day in Cusco was spent walking around the city enjoying the good weather while we had it. Beth was trying to get a spider necklace from this jeweler but he disappeared before we could buy it, so we spent the afternoon picking up some more small gifts and sampling the local food once more.
We found a store that sells coca products and we all went a little bit crazy - I have tea, leaves, candy, and coffee. We ended up buying new duffle bags to fit all the things we've bought, and while T was siesta-ing Bethie and I sampled the beer at the local Irish bar, where we ran into Mateo once more. He took us to a vegetarian "restaurant" that was essentially someone's living room and we had a beer - there were two guys playing chess and that was it:
We decided to just eat at the Irish place, and spent a slow evening talking with the local ex-pats (British, Irish, Dutch) and eating really good American food. Don't worry, I was plenty adventurous and ate as much local cuisine as I could, so it was a nice break to eat a philly cheesesteak and drink a beer!
The next morning we had an early train (6:50 AM!) to Aguas Calientes, or Machu Picchu Pueblo. We were in the backpacker car, and expected a pretty low-quality ride, but the chairs were super comfy and the service was also great, although we had to pay for food (sandwich was only $2). Here's Talia posing in front of a napping Beth on the train:
There was a French family next to us who whipped out an economy pack of Kleenex, and I have never seen two people look more pathetic. The TP in Peru is rough, and as both Beth and Talia were fighting colds there was a lot of nose-blowing. When those Frenchies whipped out the Kleenex they both looked like starving children - and the Frenchies promptly handed over two little packets for each of them - as you can see here:
The ride, again, was interesting in terms of the changes in scenery. Our altitude actually decreased as we got to A.C., but we went from fertile green farmland valley surrounded by high Andean peaks to high Andean peaks covered in thick jungle vegetation. Every now and then, in the sea of green, we could catch a glimpse of an indigenous person wearing really bright colors.
(Aside: local villages still use clothing to symbolize everything from social status to age to martial status, so when they meet at markets or whatever it's very clear not only where they are from but their status in their respective communities!)
Aguas Calientes is a tiny little town based almost entirely on tourism situated at the joining of two rivers, the larger of which is the Urubamba river. It's nestled in a little valley between these humongous jungle-covered Andean cliffs, and really is a town for Inca Trail trekkers and Machu Picchu visitors. Our hotel was amazing - super comfy beds with down comforters and towel folded into animal shapes (we're easily amused, so what?).
Our hotel room - notice the towels!
View from our room:
Beth and Talia doing "the twist" on the main drag of Aguas Calientes:
The Urubamba River from the cafe where we ate lunch:
Train tracks and Aguas Calientes:
Our first day there we managed to take care of our Machu Picchu tickets and the bus tickets to get up to Machu Picchu tickets. After a light lunch (see above photos), Beth took a nap and Talia and I walked the ~2km to the Machu Picchu museum - a new museum that describes how they think Machu Picchu was built, what it was used for, and what the people who lived there were like - how the lived, how they traded, what they used for ceremonies and for weapons and for everyday things. It was really informative, and I got some great photos:
Talia and Megan on the bridge on the walk to the Machu Picchu museum.
Where the road splits - the stairs lead up to Machu Picchu, the road to the right leads to the museum.
Outside the museum:
Orchid in the botanical gardens:
View of Aguas Calientes from the road to Machu Picchu and the museum:
The plan was to take the first bus at 5:30 AM up to Machu Picchu to avoid the tour busses that roll in around 10 or 11. So, up at 4:30 we were in line at 5:15 - and there was really a line! It was surprisingly Disneyland-esque - huge line of people, and when the bus pulled up a large tour group tried to cut in line. The crowd went a little nuts - yelling at the people to get in the back of line - and thankfully the person taking the bus tickets didn't let them on the bus. We managed to sneak on the very first bus up the hill - and by hill I mean scary series of dirt switchbacks, photos to follow - and were one of the first 30 or so people into M.P.
The line to get into Machu Picchu - at 6AM!
I can't describe Machu Picchu other than to say it's amazing and it dwarfs you. It's huge, I mean really huge, and the sense of mystery and history is intense. We took about two hours to get through the ruins proper, but the highlights for me were climbing up to the Watchman's Tower, which was used, as the name implies, to watch for enemies heading their way. The typical M.P. photos you see in books and on postcards are all taken from the Watchman's Tower. I also really enjoyed the Sun Temple, where there are windows which are used to measure the solstice - sun comes in one when it rises on the summer solstice, and in the other on the winter solstice. The sacred square (that name isn't right) was cool - there was an altar and the Temple of Three Windows, which symbolize the world above, the present world, and the world below (it's no wonder the indigenous were able to incorporate Catholicism/Christianity so well, but it's still an eclectic mix of paganism and Christianity over there.).
Photos of Machu Picchu:
Beth at the entrance with Machu Picchu proper in the misty background:
Same photo of me:
Photo of Talia and Beth taking photos of Machu Picchu:
The Watchman's Hut - used for watching the valleys for approaching enemies. Because this sits above Machu Picchu proper, the postcard photos are taken from this spot. Of course, because we were there so early and in the rainy season, it was very cloudy and misty, but I really thought it made it more mysterious and even more beautiful!
Near the Watchman's Hut, we found a herd of llama. Beth tried getting close, but the llama on the ground was baring its teeth and growling at her:
I love this photo of the Watchman's Hut:
Machu Picchu from the Watchman's Hut:
The ladies at the main door to Machu Picchu:
We were lucky enough to see the majestic guinea pig in the wild at Machu Picchu - behold it in all its glory:
Living quarters in MP:
Talia viewed through a window:
Beth and Talia resting for a minute:
Machu Picchu proper - the temple of the condor is to the right, the main plaza is the grassy area leading off to the left.
Typical traditional Incan ladder:
The Temple of the Three Windows in the Sacred Plaza - representing the world above, the present world, and the world below:
Intihuatana, not a sundial, but used to determine the summer and winter solstices. Also the highest point in Machu Picchu proper:
In some places there were staircases that looked like they just disappeared into thin air:
Beth hanging out in one of the living areas:
We're a walking ad for New Balance!
The terraces up to Intihuatana:
You'll have to take my word for it, but this stone is 6 meters long and three meters high, and the outline mimicks the mountains in the background (stupid mist!). It's also at the very far end of Machu Picchu, right before the Wayna Picchu climb:
After our two hour-esque tour, I decided to climb WaynaPicchu, a peak that's another ~1000 vertical feet above Machu Picchu. Beth and Talia said they didn't mind waiting for me, so we agreed to meet between 11:30 and 12 outside the "park." The climb up (again, photos to follow) was intense. Here's my description:
You enter through a gate at the far end of Machu Picchu, where you have to sign in and sign out, because people have fallen off and died. Then it's onto the trail, which mostly consists of a narrow, muddy, slippery set of rock and stone steps. In places where it is especially narrow and steep, there is a large cable anchored in the mountain to help you pull yourself up. In quite a few places, there is a very steep drop to the side, and often the climb was nearly vertical.
I made it up in about an hour, and surprisingly the peak was pretty crowded. People was more that slightly rude as well, pushing to get past people and jockeying for the best photo position. I decided to avoid the whole issue and took some pretty bad self-portraits and scenery shots (that I'll post later). I spent about 30 minutes climbing around some more ruins up there before heading back down.
The Wayna Picchu entrance - I was about the 130th person in that day:
The beginning of the trail - you can see little dots that are people climbing up the peak:
View of the switchbacks the bus takes to get up to Machu Picchu, taken from the Wayna Picchu trail:
At the top there were structural terraces and a few buildings - likely watchtowers - but it was so freaking steep - these people are climbing using their hands as well...
View of some of the terraces and a building at the almost-top of Wayna Picchu:
Near the peak, some ruins with people hanging out on them on the left, and you can see the switchbacks the busses take up to Machu Picchu in the background:
Dorky self-portrait of me in the same spot:
One of the staircases near the top - stone wall on one side (that you can't see) and sheer drop on the other. Whew! Do. Not. Fall. Oh yeah - they make you sign in and sign out because people have fallen off and died. Great.
Another view of the scary narrow staircase:
I made it to the top! Woo!
The Real Peak and the rock hogs who wouldn't move the entire time I was on the peak:
Extremely dorky self-portrait of a happy tired me at the very top of Wayna Picchu:
Oh wait, this one's even dorkier - a nice French girl took this for me, then said "if you don't like it I can take another one." I was like, no, I really just look like that, but thanks anyway. I think this looks totally fake.
And of course the shot I was dying to get - Machu Picchu from Wayna Picchu. It seriously was clear the entire time I was up there, and started to rain as soon as I started walking back down. Talk about great timing!
As I walked out, it began to sprinkle, then to pour when I worked my way back through Machu Picchu itself. By the time I met Talia and Beth outside I was soaked, but they met me with hot tea and crackers. We took the next bus back down and met some Argentinian boys who were passing out Oreos and other cookies, and who had a Kermit the Frog puppet they were playing around with. Photos to follow.
The Argentinian boys with their Kermit the Frog doll:
Our train wasn't until 5, so we ended up spending some quality time at a restaurant, where we ordered a ton of food and drinks, then back onto the train for a ~4 hour ride back to Cusco. Long day!
We crashed hard in Cusco and slept like crazy. The next morning we had an 8:30AM cab, so we had breakfast and I talked to a nice Englishman named Simon, who, as it turns out, is the travel editor for the Independent, one of London's biggest papers. He was doing a story about Peru travel, and asked if he could interview me, so of course I said yes! He taped me talking about Wayna Picchu, my favorite parts of Peru, what I'll take home from Peru, and it'll be posted on his website. He promised to send me a link, so I'll post it/forward it when I get it. I'm sound like an idiot, but it was funny.
Uneventful plane ride back to Lima - thankfully LAN airlines didn't pull any fast ones on us this time around, so we were right on time. Once were out of baggage claim, we found our favorite cab driver, Eduardo, waiting with a big sign that said "Megan" - that's all, no last name, just "Megan." He took us back to our Lima hotel - Hotel El Patio - where we had a great suite. We went out for a great little lunch and then took a walk to the Parque De Amor, a park with these beautiful tiled benches and walls where couples would meet at night to spend time together away from society's - and their parents'! - watchful eyes. There were paragliders jumping off the cliffs, so we sat and watched for a while, then T went down for a siesta that lasted all night, and Beth and I sat on one of the decks of our hotel for a while and ended up chatting with two guys who had just arrived in Lima with no real plans.
They picked my brain for ideas, and I sent them to Astrid y Gaston for dinner and recommended some good hotels for them in the cities we visited. Bethie and I walked to a nice restaurant where we had some excellent cebiche and a good bottle of Argentinian Cabernet, and chatted with our friendly waiter Rodolfo who wanted to practice his English, which was already very good. Afterwards, we sat on the patios outside of our hotel room, and caught the newbies on their way back from Astrid y Gaston - and they were falling all over themselves saying how great it was, which was nice!
After we killed all the beer in our collection, we went to bed and were up the next morning to finish packing for our long flight home. Off to the airport and onto the flight, then we parted ways in San Salvador... We both landed around the same time (11ish), and Armen picked me up from the airport (thanks again Armen!) and took me home, where instead of going to bed like I should have, we opened a bottle of wine and chatted until about 3:15AM. Oops. Today is back to "normal." I am at work, but mainly to finish writing the blog and to organize my photos...
Beer hour starts in about 90 minutes...
I'm considering a career change - travel writing perhaps? Or working in industry for a few years, live frugally to save a ton of money, then just travel for a few years... We'll see!
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