Machu Picchu: Part 2

July 24, 2015

The second day of the Great Machu Picchu Adventure was the big one. (This means kind of a long post, but I promise its chock full of pretty pictures)

I'd be all poetical like to say the day dawned bright and clear, but really we all reluctantly dragged our butts out of bed at 3:30 when the alarm went off. It was cold and dark in the main square where we met up with Jefferson and Mariana (Brazil) at 4:00. About 4:15 we started walking.

There was a 25 min walk down a fairly flat road starting at the bus terminal in town. That got us to a line of people waiting to go across the bridge to the main trail up the mountain

It was the first place to check ticket and passport. Tickets we had bought the night before. S/.128 (about $41 USD) was the fee for just Machu Picchu city, there was an extra fee to climb to the top of Wyna Picchu.

Waiting in line was the perfect time to munch our sack breakfasts we had received the night before. I had my cheese and ham breakfast roll and my peach juice box, leaving the cookies and banana for later.

We got through the line and across the bridge at 5:00am and started the trek up the mountain following the green arrows.

The trail is only 1.78 km long (1.1 miles) but is 390m elevation (1300ft). This translates to just about exactly an hour of stairs. Straight stairs. An endless Stairmaster by headlamp. The cool morning air did zero things to stop the sweat.

This is what we did.  For an hour.  Straight.

Closer to the top as the sky began to lighten the headlamp became unneeded, and the mountains were gorgeous in the dawn. We were pushing to get to the top to see the big view at sunrise, so I didn't take as long of a moment to enjoy it as I could have.

I wish I had, since the top only brought a half-hour long line-mob waiting to get through the gate, with hoards of people who paid to take the bus up the mountain pushing ahead in line. The advertized 'get to see Machu Picchu at sunrise' thing would definitely be from 30 feet down the trail.

Once through the gate (passport check and stamp on your ticket) the view was spectacular.

We had a 2ish hour guided tour that started at 7:00. It took us through about half of the circuit through the ruins, and I admit a lot of it went over my head. Dates and facts were coming rapid fire in Spanish and even though our guide was pretty easy to understand, I missed a lot.

That didn't detract at all from how amazing the ruins are. They were built by the Incas around 1450 and 70% original construction still exists. The refurbishment is replacing stones with ones exactly the same shape we were told, so it doesn't change the look at all. All of it was lovely granite.

Big blocks, little blocks, they were all used to make one wall without mortar in the middle

If this was a movie, now would be when the musical montage running around the ruins would happen. Instead you get a bunch of photos in a row. Just like the movie montage there will be more words after it though.

I actually like this picture for some reason.  I think it captures some of my essence

 

Accidental llama selfie, notice the butt between the two of us.  We didn't notice her until she walked up the steps between us

This one is in the running for ´favorite picture from Peru´

Llamas of Machu Picchu
(yep, they get their own title)

There are a bunch that just roam around grazing and getting followed by tourists with cameras. They certainally do fit in with the decor.

I admit I followed them for a bit so I could have a llama selfie too.

Especially since the baby was so flippin' cute.

Shay and I left the park around 10 to tinkle, eat some food where we wouldn't get yelled at, and hopefully find somewhere to nap. We didn't find anywhere clean enough or out of the way enough for that, but had a nice sit in the shade for a bit.

After going back in we found our way to the top of the tallest terraces we skipped on the tour, and found my favorite view.

The vibrant colors of the mountains against the bright green lawn and the shear vastness of the area just can't be described or captured in pictures unless you have an awesome National Geographic camera and lenses.

I found more llamas enjoying the afternoon and looking picturesque.

Then before heading to the exit, Shay and I each had our last PBJ bun we had prepped. While munching we made a friend.

I think she smelled the food, but stuck around for a bit after I wolfed the last of mine.

She was an incredibly docile creature, just wanted to hang out for a bit. Still it was a little disconcerting to have a rather large llama appear RIGHT next to you all of the sudden.

Sometimes you can chase a llama selfie all day, only to have one sneak up on you.

The hike back down took us 45 mins and 25 walking back to town.

View of Wyna Picchu from the top of the steps heading back to Aguas Calientes

We both had a wonderfully hot shower, and went to find food. Right next door we found a 4 course delicious meal for S/.15 which was exceptionally cheap for such a tourist town. It was the best tasting meal ever for two exhausted gals.

(photos of Aguas Calientes from the next morning, but here is where the photos fit logically with my storytelling)

A resupply train for the town came in the morning we left

Bed happened at 8:00.

The next morning we found some food and walked around town a bit. 11:15 we started the hike back to Hidroelectrica along the train tracks. We got another train selfie.

Walking in the daylight we realized we had walked right around Machu Picchu coming in and could see ruins from the tracks.

Last view of Machu Picchu from the trail

The ride back to Cuzco was just as long and windy, though our driver didn't have quite the same bat out of hell mentality. We knew what to expect this time though. A bathroom and my bed couldn't come soon enough when we got back.

Now I've got Machu Picchu checked off my bucket list, and a whole bunch of gorgeous memories and pictures.

Found a fun piece of graffiti under a trestle on the trail back