El Dia De Machu Pichu: Part 1
Today we started our day very early to begin our excursion of Machu Picchu. When leaving the ¨Kuychi¨¨ room (designated men’s dorm room at our hostel in Cusco) after I woke up, Kevin and I observed the city of Cusco in darkness while drinking tea. While eating breakfast, we marvelled how the city became illuminated with light as the sun began to rise over the mountains. As everyone began to come down and join us for breakfast, it was clear that we were all going to have an incredible day.
Today we started our day very early to begin our excursion of Machu Picchu. When leaving the ¨Kuychi¨¨ room (designated men’s dorm room at our hostel in Cusco) after I woke up, Kevin and I observed the city of Cusco in darkness while drinking tea. While eating breakfast, we marvelled how the city became illuminated with light as the sun began to rise over the mountains. As everyone began to come down and join us for breakfast, it was clear that we were all going to have an incredible day.
After breakfast, we rode a bus to the city of Poroy (a neighbouring city of Cusco) where we boarded a three and a half hour train to the base of the mountain where Machu Picchu resides (see photos of the gorgeous scenery along the way above). The train ride was long, however we had a great time by entertaining ourselves with each other. While some people chose to sleep for the train ride, others such as Kathryn and I enjoyed eating local delicacies which we obtained from local vendors at various train stops along the way. When we arrived at the base of the mountain, we were all extremely excited for what the day had to offer us. At this time, we had no idea of the life changing experience that we would soon experience with our exploration of the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.
-Alex
Machu Picchu: Part 2
Although our group boarded the first of “three legs” to Machu Picchu at 6:15 this morning, we still knew we’d appreciate what we were about to see. After taking a bus ride (leg #1) with our amigo Walter, we arrived at the PeruRail train station. Of course we were a little groggy, but we boarded the train (#2 leg) at 7:00am and headed to Aguas Calientes, which is at the based on Machu Picchu.
As the train moved on, the reality of Machu Picchu began to sink in for us. For the most part, we travelled with a river on one side of us and mountains surrounded us. The train made a couple of stops along the way and I shouldn’t have been surprised when there were vendors selling items such as corn and freshly picked flowers to all the passengers. A few people tried the corn (which had a slice of cheese on top) and it only cost them 3 soles ($1)! At a later stop, Priya and Megha bought a bouquet of flowers for only 4 soles ($1.50)- it made the vendor extremely happy!
Along the whole 3 ½ train ride, our group bonded- telling stories and discussing the Spanish we either knew from school or were learning on the trip. For me, re-familiarizing myself with the Spanish I had been taught and applying it in Peru has really helped me comprehend and appreciate this language and culture.
After our train ride, we boarded the 3rd leg of our journey- a bus ride up to Machu Picchu! There, we met our amazing tour guide Tito (see below) who quickly learned of our group’s relaxed style of taking tours (what can I say- we love taking pictures!!!)
-Alex
Machu Picchu: Part 2
Although our group boarded the first of “three legs” to Machu Picchu at 6:15 this morning, we still knew we’d appreciate what we were about to see. After taking a bus ride (leg #1) with our amigo Walter, we arrived at the PeruRail train station. Of course we were a little groggy, but we boarded the train (#2 leg) at 7:00am and headed to Aguas Calientes, which is at the based on Machu Picchu.
As the train moved on, the reality of Machu Picchu began to sink in for us. For the most part, we travelled with a river on one side of us and mountains surrounded us. The train made a couple of stops along the way and I shouldn’t have been surprised when there were vendors selling items such as corn and freshly picked flowers to all the passengers. A few people tried the corn (which had a slice of cheese on top) and it only cost them 3 soles ($1)! At a later stop, Priya and Megha bought a bouquet of flowers for only 4 soles ($1.50)- it made the vendor extremely happy!
Along the whole 3 ½ train ride, our group bonded- telling stories and discussing the Spanish we either knew from school or were learning on the trip. For me, re-familiarizing myself with the Spanish I had been taught and applying it in Peru has really helped me comprehend and appreciate this language and culture.
After our train ride, we boarded the 3rd leg of our journey- a bus ride up to Machu Picchu! There, we met our amazing tour guide Tito (see below) who quickly learned of our group’s relaxed style of taking tours (what can I say- we love taking pictures!!!)
Once we entered Machu Picchu, its beauty finally began to sink in. I don´t want to sound boring or historical, but let me give you a brief overview of what Tito told us about Machu Picchu:
In the 1400s, Machu Picchu began as a safe haven for elite Incas from predators who might want to conquer their land. Located over 8,000 feet above sea level, the Incas had the challenging task of creating their home on the peak of a mountain. Machu Picchu is literally a village carved into the top of a mountain, surrounded by many other uninhabited mountains (some that even reach into the clouds!) The Inca trail also surrounds Machu Picchu and it is actually how the Incas found this unoccupied land.
Around the 1530s, it is believed that Machu Picchu was abandoned during Incan civil warfare. For four centuries, Machu Picchu remained untouched and the vegetation became extremely overgrown. It wasn´t until 1911, when an American professor named Hiram Bingham, rediscovered the area of Machu Picchu beneath the grass and trees that covered it. Since then, Machu Picchu has been visited by many tourists- now seeing over one million visitors a year. It is also considered one of the seven manmade wonders of the world.
Alright- now for our group´s experience. Personally, I was freaked out by the layout of Machu Picchu- with every corner we took, I was looking over an edge that dropped hundreds of feet down!
In the 1400s, Machu Picchu began as a safe haven for elite Incas from predators who might want to conquer their land. Located over 8,000 feet above sea level, the Incas had the challenging task of creating their home on the peak of a mountain. Machu Picchu is literally a village carved into the top of a mountain, surrounded by many other uninhabited mountains (some that even reach into the clouds!) The Inca trail also surrounds Machu Picchu and it is actually how the Incas found this unoccupied land.
Around the 1530s, it is believed that Machu Picchu was abandoned during Incan civil warfare. For four centuries, Machu Picchu remained untouched and the vegetation became extremely overgrown. It wasn´t until 1911, when an American professor named Hiram Bingham, rediscovered the area of Machu Picchu beneath the grass and trees that covered it. Since then, Machu Picchu has been visited by many tourists- now seeing over one million visitors a year. It is also considered one of the seven manmade wonders of the world.
Alright- now for our group´s experience. Personally, I was freaked out by the layout of Machu Picchu- with every corner we took, I was looking over an edge that dropped hundreds of feet down!
On our tour with Tito, we learned a lot about the history of Machu Picchu but more importantly we were also seeing some amazing sights. We ended up visiting the Incan king´s bedroom, the Temple of the Condor, the main square and many other tiny rooms and temples. Along the way, we took MANY pictures and they probably do Machu Picchu more justice than this blog entry ever could:
Over the course of the tour, we also bonded with Tito and exchanged English and Spanish phrases. Tito told us more about Pachu Mama and Pacha Wawa (Peruvian folklore which pertains to the mysterious ¨Land Baby¨). At the end of the tour, we got to spend some time with a mama and baby llama! Adorable!!
After the tour, we grabbed a bite to eat at an Incan restaurant then we boarded the train back to Cuzco. Let´s just say that our 3 ½ hour ride turned into 5 hours, and we spent a majority of our time in the dark. It may seem as an inconvenience to those reading this blog that we were in darkness, but in actuality it gave us an incredible opportunity to view the stars in the sky. Some of us within our group were able to see numerous shooting stars (especially the record holder Jelly with 4)!
Alright! Well we made it in time to our hostel with enough time to relax and enjoy the incredible scenery provided by our hostel. Now, its time for bed - and Casa de Mantay in the morning.
-Emily
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