Day 15: Macchu Picchu

We boarded Inka Rail, en route to Aguas Caliente at the base of Macchu Picchu. The train followed along the Urubamba river through the Sacred Valley of the Inkas and with windows all around, we had a spectacular view of the Valley. We watched as the mountains went from dry, and brown with tall eucalyptus trees, to lush and green, and almost jungle. The mountains here are somewhat different then at home. Our mountains have a much larger base to them, these ones here shoot straight up. We arrived in Aguas Caliente around 5, grabbed our luggage and walked through endless markets up steep and narrow cobblestone streets to our hotel. Our hotel here was called, " Plaza Andina". We went to grab a bite and then call it a night because we had to get up at 3:30 to get in line for the bus to Macchu Picchu. I dawdled a wee bit before going out eat and walked into a jewelry store. There was a man sitting at the table making jewelry and when I walked in, he looked up to greet me, with sparkilng eyes and a kind smile he winked and said, "hola". I loved him. He just had a soul that drew you rignt in... He had long hair about mid back, and just a kindness and gentleness about him, im sure everyone who met him loved him. He told me he made all the jewelry, stone and silver, and other beautiful stone work. He introduced himself as Sara, followed by a hand shake and kiss. (it is a traditional way to greet here in peru, with a kiss on the cheek.) He then decided to show me another part of the store, which seemed to be closed at the time, but it was a gallery full of all his beautiful paintings. They were paintings of Macchu Picchu, Inka triology symbols with condors, pumas, and snakes. spirits, the sacred valley. Very spiritual artwork. What a talent. How I knew to walk into the right store... Anyways, it seems everywhere I go I just fall in love with the people. Its so easy... I would have loved to buy a painting from him, but I just cant afford to keep buying paintings!

Karin and I (and everyones else) had requested a wake up call for the next morning. We had also attempted to set the alarm clock... Our wake up was to be at 330. The alarm never went off, and the phone never rang. We woke up to the sound of a rooster crowing. I guess that was our wake up call! We packed our bags and walked down to the bus stop. There was already people in line and more on their way. The bus ride was quite an amazing climb up a switchback up to the high andes. when we got to the check point, we got out and walked. up a few flights of stairs.. but that was nothing. The most beautiful and overwhelming feeling I have ever had happened when we reached the top of our climb. I have waited and waited, and come all this way. And there it was the anceint Inka city of Macchu Picchu. All I wanted to do was cry. About 20 minutes had passed before I even took a picture. I just sat and stared in awe. Soon enough, Pursy gathered us up for our history lesson. He is such a thourogh and informative guide. We learned many things about Macchu Picchu. one thing being that the city itself is not named Macchu Picchu, but that is the name of the mountain to the ?north. The City's name in still unknown but there are some thoughts on what it might be however. The man who discovered it in 1911 was told buy a local farmer that their might be some ruins up there (pointed) on Macchu Picchu. It wasn't, but was in the middle of three mountains. But he decided its name was Macchu Picchu. The man was an american by the name of Hiram Bingham. He found many artifacts, such as pottery, textiles, tools, etc. and He brought them all back to the united states with him and still today they remain in Yale universtity. Which is tragic for Peru. Thier history should be preserved in their own country not the united states.... :( More and more things we learned... the Inkas had an irrigation system running through the entire city, trenches carved out of the stone running down each street and into beautiful fountains. And then, while we were in one of the houses and pursy was telling us what each room was for he showed us a small room with a small hole in the floor... it was a bathroom! There was a completely different plumming system running through the city for sewage. How fantastic is this place!!

Next we climbed up Waynapicchu to get a fabulous view of Macchu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Waynapicchu is the tall tall mountain in the background of Macchu Picchu when you see pictures... the Inka trail goes all the way to the top. It was the most difficult hike I have ever done. Mind you I dont do much hiking.... But it switch backed all the way up one side. Inka stonework made stairs all the way up... it was so rewarding getting to the top. This hike was so dangerous too, its not like in Canada where we have regulations and such, where railing will be placed where its dangerous or boardwalks will be built where the footining isnt safe... no no nothing like that here. It was straight over cliff edges and sometimes extremely narrow pathways... the stairs ranged from narrow short steps to steps that were a foot tall! 5 foot wide to 1 foot wide... some steps were tilted so you never really could get your foooting on them. Near the top were more ruins. there were a few houses and agricultural terraces.. who lived all the way up there? I dont know but they were crazy. The stairs going throught the terraces were so steep that you had to climb up and down them like a ladder. At the very very top, there was a cluster of large boulders that people were climbing all over. You could easily slip on the smoothh side of these big rocks and with all the people, with huge backpacks and what not, its not a surprise that people have fallen off. I got out of there as quick as possible, didnt even get a picture. I really didnt feel like falling off of Waynapicchu. But mind you, if I was going to die, that would be a not so bad way, right? In macchu picchu? I can just see the headlines now...