Archive for 2014

Machu Picchu or Machu Pikchu

At some unearthly hour in the morning of Wednesday, February 19, 2014 we left Cusco to take the train to Aguas Calientes ( warm waters), now officially renamed as Machu Picchu Pueblo. Aguas Calientes or MPP is a very small town, which lies in the valley next to Machu Picchu.

During the rainy season it is not possible to take the train for the whole journey due to the frequency of mudslides. We arrived at Wanchaq Station, Cusco and were bused to Pachar Station where we embarked on our abbreviated train journey, following the swollen Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes. At the Aguas Calientes train station we were met by a very nice young man from “The Sumac”, who walked us over to our hotel. Apart from the shuttle buses there are no vehicles except for construction and maintenance purposes. No taxis. There are many levels of accommodations in this very small town from hostels to five star hotels. The Sumac was five-star which included breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner and was a lovely place to stay.

Our private guide for the trip to Machu Picchu the next day, met with us that afternoon to advise us of the protocol and what we could expect. He was very knowledgeable and kindly brought Jim a hiking pole to use for the ascent up the mountain. After our meeting, we strolled through the town of Aguas Calientes, which we found colourful, vibrant and very interesting. The narrow streets were very steep, lots of restaurants, many souvenir shops, street dogs and people. The street dogs were intriguing, as for the most part they were of the hairless variety with coats on to protect them from the sun. These dogs are not homeless. Their owners just allow them to stroll around the town all day to party with their friends, then they return home at night. After a lovely dinner we had an early night in preparation for our very early start the next morning.

Thursday morning we met our guide and took the shuttle bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu or Machu Pikchu as the Quechua (pronounced kechua) people call it means “old peak” Machu = old and Pikchu = peak and is a 15^th century Inca site situated 7,970 ft above sea level in the Urumbamba Province of Peru. This was considerably lower than the 14,000 feet that we encountered in Bolivia. “Almost sea level!!!!!!” However, we met people that suffered severe altitude sickness from ascending the mountain and had to be put into a hyperbaric chamber.

Machu Picchu, built by the Incas around 1450 was abandoned a century later and it is generally thought that the inhabitants died from smallpox and syphilis introduced by travelers and not conquered by the Spaniards, as many are led to believe. In 1911 Hiram Bingham, an American historian, brought international attention to this place, that until then had only been known locally. Restoration work began and by 1976 thirty per cent had been restored. Restoration is still ongoing to this day. In 1981 it was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary and in 1983 a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Machu Picchu suffers natural phenomena like earthquakes and harsh weather systems but also from the pressures of too many tourists. At present the tourist limit per day is 2,500 and only 400 daily are allowed to climb the adjacent mountain Hauyna (Waynu) Picchu where more ruins are situated at the top.

Machu Picchu is breathtakingly beautiful. We spent the morning with our guide trying to take in all the historical data. It was definitely a brain overload. Then the rest of the day we were on our own. We were going to ascend to the Sun Gate but as it started raining we thought it might be a little slippery so went in a different direction. When the sun came out we decided to go ahead but lo and behold there was a rock slide on the mountain and we had to leave immediately so as not to be stuck up there all night. Although we did not make the Sun Gate we had a good view of it and the whole experience was ethereal. The terraces are a sight to behold themselves. The Llamas were re-introduced several years ago, are well adapted and breeding. They add to the authenticity. We saw some Vizcachas, small rodent like creatures seemingly a rabbit crossed with a squirrel but are closely related to Chinchillas and red-legged millipedes which are relatively harmless, if you are not given to fainting fits at the top of a mountain.

The Inca culture was very strictly structured. They were great architects, administrators and builders who built roads, irrigation systems, palaces and temples. They transported massive pieces of granite from mountains many miles away, for construction of their cities, of which modern society cannot fathom the accomplishment of such feats. The Incas did not invent or use the wheel. They had no written language, but messages were conveyed by a series of knots in ropes. Everyone in the Inca society, regardless of age or mental capability had a role to fulfill and in turn contributed to the society as a whole. They were by and large a peaceful society giving thanks to their Gods for what they had. They were true environmentalists. They used plants and herbs for medicines for which they had many remedies. It was said that they could cure Malaria with the plants at their disposal. They died out before this could be revealed to later generations. Coca leaves featured in many of their medicines, but not turned into narcotic drugs like our so-called “civilized society” of today. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Inca Spirits at Machu Picchu, which will live on in our memories forever.

At the end of the day we returned to the luxury of The Sumac, the wonderful staff and another great dinner.

The next day we decide to explore another part of Aguas Calientes and set off on a long hike along the railway tracks to Los Jardines de Mandor. We left The Sumac and followed the river down the hill to the Butterfly Farm. We stopped briefly at this biological breeding centre, which wasn’t really open. There are no actual butterflies just pupae and larvae, but very interesting nevertheless. We turned right here and followed the railway tracks, which ultimately take you back to Machu Picchu. There were many interesting sights both on the way there and back. We saw some very strange Tetrio Sphinx caterpillars and an amazing Blue Crowned Motmot, along with the Hiram Bingham Train.

Arriving at Los Jardines de Mandor we purchased our entrance tickets at the little café, in the middle of nowhere, across the rail tracks. On entering we walked into the Garden of Eden. This botanical garden, a natural reserve, is being restored to its natural habitat with an amazing collection of orchids, local plants, butterflies and birds. We saw beautiful blue Rhetus Periander Butterflies and Red Banded Altinotes absorbing minerals from the rocks. Nature is amazing! There were many beautiful flowers, innumerable varieties of orchids, the kinds you will never see sold in stores, hydrangeas, proteas, abutilons, gladioli and more. There were also several beautiful Catarats (waterfalls) and such peace and quiet.

On leaving our sanctuary along the train tracks we wandered back towards Aguas Calientes and were amazed that we could see The Sun Gate at Machu Picchu from this vantage point.

We enjoyed our last supper and breakfast the next morning before embarking on the train journey back to Cusco for an overnight stop and ultimately flying back to Lima and our friends at Peru Star, St. Isidra, Lima for our last night in Peru……

Aguas Calientes

Machu Picchu - Terraces

Jim & Barbara - Macu Picchu

Machu Picchu

The Temple of the Sun - Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Map of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Llama at Machu Picchu

Jim & Barbara - Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Vizcacha - Machu Picchu

Entrance Gate to Waynu Picchu

Waynu Picchu

Unbelievable engineering and architecture

Rock Slide at Machu Picchu

Red Legged Millipede

Machu Picchu

Jim at Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes from Machu Picchu

Urumbamba River

Rhetus Periander butterfly

Red and black banded Altinotes

Blue Crowned Motmot

Hiram Bingham Train

Abutilon

Orchids

Catarat (Waterfall)

Jim at Los Jardines de Mandor

Hydrangea

Protea

Waterfall

Hibiscus type?

Orchid

Leaving Los Jardines de Mandor

View from the rail tracks to Machu Picchu

Another view from the rail tracks

Pseudosphinxtetrio Caterpillar of the Tetrio Sphinx Moth

Urumbamba River approaching Aguas Calientes

The Sumac Hotel on the Urumbamba River

The Sacred Valley, Peru

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is an area between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Peru in the Urumbamba River Valley.

Our morning did not start too well as the English speaking guide we had booked was sick, so another arrived who did not speak a word of English. We travelled to the National Park entrance at which point we realised that this was not going to work, so we made him take us back to the hotel.

After leaving him at the hotel we walked into Cusco to try and arrange another tour. Unfortunately, by the time we got there we had missed all of the organised tours. Luckily after walking through the streets we found a travel agency and Nancy, who spoke perfect English, found us a very experienced English speaking guide. Within half an hour we were on our way.

We left Cusco climbing high above the valley and the Urumbamba river, where the views were amazing. We stopped to visit Inca Ruins on the way to Pisac. The sights and the sites were incredible. The walls, structures, terraces and houses. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the construction of all the walls and other buildings at Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay and Puka Pukara often called The Red Fort.

After driving through all of this magnificent scenery we stopped at the terraces and ruins of Pisac. These ruins are very high with narrow trails where one side is a sheer cliff-face drop. "Don't stumble."

After making it back safely to the car we drove to the village of Pisac, population around 10,000 people, mostly indigenous who speak the ancient Quechua language. Pisac is famous for its market place which is situated around the main square. The main square is not like the one in Cusco but a small meeting place. The market was fairly quiet as there were no tours at the time we were there. It was also a little different from other markets we have been to. Check out the shoes and the dolls. Also in the middle was a "Cuy" restaurant where you can pick your own guinea pig. They also cook guinea pigs on brasseries on the side of the road around here. It is a very popular dish.

After leaving Pisac and en-route to the restaurant for lunch we stopped by Inkariy which is currently still being constructed. It is due to open soon and will be a museum and cultural centre. This will be a great addition for education of the Sacred Valley.

Back on our way again, with stomachs rumbling we stopped at a local restaurant in a small town between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It was full of local people and we noted that the portions were huge. Even as hungry as we were Jim and I shared a meal of pork, potatoes, corn, rice, vegetables and we still could not eat it all. Our guide had a whole meal but couldn't eat his corn, but that was all he left. We found throughout these parts of South America that all meals are served with both rice and potatoes together not common in North America. They also have many varieties of potatoes with different uses. Some are dry, some for soups etc.

Next we headed to Ollantaytambo and the site of probably the most famous ruins in the Sacred Valley. When we arrived there was a local festival in full swing. The people were all singing, drinking and dancing around the tree in the middle of the square. This was the "Felling of the Tree" celebration. They actually were not cutting down the only tree in the square, as it had been cut somewhere else and re-erected in the square for the celebration. The whole tree was adorned with presents, many of which were household items. They dance around the tree, seemingly for hours and then axe the tree down. Once down, it was a stampede to get a present. They all looked pretty pooped at the end of it, but they had lots of fun.

Whilst the celebrations continued we explored the ruins. We climbed to the top of the terraces, which was no mean feat, but we were rewarded by the magnificent views down the valley.

When we left Ollantaytambo it was getting quite late in the day, due to our delayed start and our next stop was to be Chinchero. Chinchero is small village in the Andes, inhabited by the Quechua and famous for its weaving. Chinchero has become a weaving co-operative where the older women teach the younger ones the traditional weaving skills and now the village is becoming self sufficient. Unfortunately due to time constraints, tiredness and an early start for Aguas Caliente the next day we had to forgo our visit to this important centre.

We headed back to Cusco bidding farewell to the magical Sacred Valley and watched the glaciers of the Andes getting ready for bed........................................