Machupicchu, Peru

On Sunday morning, I awoke from a bed that was more like a hammock due to the backache-inducing gorge in the middle of the limp mattress, and pulled on several layers to venture out into the pre-dawn air of the high jungle. Several hundred stairs later, and before the sun even broke the horizon, I was sweating profusely and peeling off layers. It took hundreds of uneven Inca steps to reach the entrance to Machupicchu. The alternative is to take a bus, but going on foot saves $7--which is almost a third of my daily budget!

While Pedro snuck in a back entrance (as a tourist I have too much guilt to do this, but I admire his gumption and appreciate his point that it´s not as thought the government of Peru actually uses any of the funds incurred from entrance fees to do anything about cleaning or protecing the site), I entered through the front and sat amid the ruins with some tourists from Texas, watching the sun break over the mountains. In two more weeks, on the June 21st solstice, it comes up through a specific ¨V¨shape in the mountains, and illuminates parts of the ruins in an intentional pattern. We´re close enough to solstice that some of these spots are activated now.

It´s incredible how much intention was put into the building of Machupicchu. Certain parts were built to resemble a condor, a llama, an alligator, and the profile of an Inca, among other things. And there are even ancient scale models of Macchupicchu located around the site itself. It is not known exactly what this site was used for, as no written records exist. At one point, due to the discovery of predominantly female remains, it was thought to have been a city of Chosen Women--high priestesses, Incan princesses, and the like--but after a large cache of bones containing the remains of men was uncovered, that theory was debunked.

Regardless, it is now one of my favorite places in the world. After watching the sunrise, we hiked for an hour and a half straight up Wayna Picchu, the mountain that towers above Machupicchu and that is often seen in photos of the site. If you are even somewhat physically fit, do not miss this climb--it was undoubtedly the highlight of my visit. Only 400 people are allowed to do the climb each day, so you have to get to the bottom of the mountain by 8am to get your name on the list.

Climbing Wayna Picchu gives you a completely different perspective on the ruins, as well as the natural majesty surrounding them. Once we reached the top, we found the very highest point of the mountain, and ventured out onto the rock outcropping. We spent four hours without moving, enjoying 360 degree breathtaking views of the Andes. This was the perfect place to learn how to pikchar (chew coca leaves)--having chewed tobacco as a rebellious teenager, I´m a natural! Seeing the white caps of the snow-covered peaks in the distance rising above the impossibly steep mountains in the foreground dotted with sparkling waterfalls, I think I finally understand the expression ¨icing on the cake.¨ This is the second most incredible place I have ever been in my life, and I could have spent three days there, just watching the horizon like a movie screen.

As the day wore on, the clouds turned from light wisps to thick, grey masses that obscured the tops of the peaks around us, and we decided it was time to make the vertigo-inducing climb down and check out the rest of the site. The Temple of the Condor and the Temple of the Sun were definite highlights. We also ventured down into the steep agricultural terraces at the bottom of the site. Looking down into the thick vegetation surrounding the ruins, you can see evidence of other walls and terraces that have yet to be uncovered. It´s almost a surity that in years to come, more ruins of at least as impressive a scale will be discovered elsewhere in the Andes.

Pedro almost had me convinced to spend the night in the site itself -- we even snuck a tent and sleeping bags in. But in the end, I decided it was wise to have a warm bed and a good meal, and not to take our chances with the guards, or with rolling off a cliff in the middle of the night. We returned to town for one of the best meals I´ve eaten months--the trout carpaccio was mouthwatering, the blue cheese and elderflower risotto was extremely satisfying, and the Peruvian wine was surprisingly delicious. If you ever come to Aguas Calientes, don´t miss eating at a place called The Tree House.

We were going to leave on Monday morning, but I am so in love with this place that I just couldn´t bring myself to do it. Not to mention the fact that we ended up switching into a great hotel for $6 a night and I haven´t had a bed this comfortable or a room this warm to sleep in since I left Batesville. So we spent the day ascending a nearby mountain via slippery wooden ladders and thousands of steep stairs. Once at the top, we had more amazing views, and made what has become a signature lunch of bread, avocado, cheese, and canned tuna. On the way down, once we´d gotten past the last ladder, I started running down the mountain trail. By the time I got to the bottom, my legs were literally running on their own. Today, I cannot even feel my legs. My calves have never been this sore--all I can do is laugh at myself every time I try to walk. We spent most of today resting, and are hoping to go back up to Machupicchu tomorrow. Maybe Pedro will talk me into jumping the fence and scrambling through the underbrush to the locals-only back entrance.


Ver mapa más grande