Although weather forecasts had called for rain at Machu Picchu today, the morning dawned bright and
sunny here in Cusco. Breakfast on the porch surrounding the
courtyard was delicious.
We had been warned that today would be
a long one, and it definitely was as we left the hotel at 8:30 and
returned just after 10:30pm! Driving through the Sacred Valley of
the Incas was even more beautiful than I remembered. We drove
through the Urubamba River Valley, past areas of fast-flowing
rapids, terrace-lined valleys and an occasional Inca Ruin. About 1
1/2hrs outside of Cusco we arrived at Ollantaytambo where we boarded
the Vistadome Train that goes as far as Aguas Calientes on the way to
Machu Picchu.
Disembarking the train we boarded buses
for the last portion of our journey. For 30 minutes we followed one switch back after another until finally our destination – Machu
Picchu – came into view. I can't think of anything I've ever seen
that compares to that breath-taking first impression of the ancient
citadel!
A little history... Hiram Bingham an
American explorer and professor of history at Yale had been
searching for the last capital of the Inca State. Guided by a local
farmer in the area, on July 24, 2011 he climbed up the peak of the
Machu Picchu Mountain and rested in the middle of what is now the
Principal Plaza trying to comprehend the site before him and the
fact that he had finally completed his long search. Since no
written records remained of this region, he decided to give it the
same name as the mountain on which it was located – Machu Picchu
(“old mountain” in Quechua, the local language.)
After a hearty lunch at the only hotel
in the National Park, the Sanctuary Lodge (another Orient Express
property,) we began our trek through these incredible ruins.
Fortunately, we did not realize that by the time we boarded the buses
back to Aguas Calientes about 4:30pm, we would have climbed over 3000
steps! And these were not 'baby' steps – most were at least 12”
high!
Always in view was Machu Picchu, the
'old mountain' and Huaynu Picchu, the 'young mountain.' The City
itself contains temples, palaces, shrines, plazas, streets,paths,
baths and some dwellings (about 200 ) which are thought to have
housed the royalty and privileged of the Inca Empire. Much of the
area contains steppes used for agriculture.
Incidentally, the weather all afternoon was gorgeous -- no rain and pleasant temperatures! Obviously, the Inca Sun god was smiling down on us!!!
After arriving back in Aguas Calientes, we just had time for a quick pizza at a local cafe near the train station before boarding the Vistadome and heading back to Cusco.
Tomorrow we'll tour more of this area in the morning and then catch a flight to Lima where we'll be spending the evening.
Linda
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