Itinerary for Day 7: Machu Picchu to Cusco: After breakfast at the hotel we make our way to the bus station for the ride up to Machu Picchu (30 min). A complete guided tour of Machu Picchu will be provided (2 hrs) and you will have about 4 additional hours to explore the site independently. We return by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch before the train embarks for Ollantaytambo (1.5hrs). Upon arrival, a private vehicle awaits to take us back to Cusco (1.5hrs)
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday
to mEEEeeee, happy birthday to meeeeeeeee!!!
to mEEEeeee, happy birthday to meeeeeeeee!!!
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| Birthday hydration. Before…. |
What a brilliant day its been today!
As well as being my birthday, today is the day we finally visit Machu
Picchu! Both Lisa and I were very interested to see if it was going to live up to expectations or not, especially given all the other incredible sights we’ve seen and experiences we’ve had already on this trip! It was going to be a long day as we were up at 5am for a quick breakfast ready to leave at 6am. Given the specialness of the day, its quite possible that something bubbly may well have been decanted into the stainless steel water bottles for celebratory purposes later, but you didn’t hear that from me…
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| And…after…. |
We left our bags in the room for collection and would reunite with them at train station later in afternoon and made the short walk into town to catch the bus. It was raining but not too heavily, but mountain tops were swathed in heavy mist so wondered if would see anything. We were also glad we didn’t arrange a special tour to go up even earlier to watch the sun rise as we would have seen absolutely nothing.
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| I’ve got a golden ticket!! |
It was just daylight, still fresh, but there were already lines of
eager tourists such as ourselves starting to snake their way through the
town, draped in brightly colored plastic ponchos, heading for the bus
station. Liz had already got both our
bus tickets and our Machu Picchu entrance tickets, so we didn’t have to wait on
line to buy them. There were a constant
stream of buses that would simply wait at the station, then leave when they
were full – we must have timed it just right because when we arrived there was
no line, so we got straight on the bus – which then immediately left! Like the train yesterday, the bus was also
extremely comfortable, so we settled in for the 25 min bumpy ascent up the
mountain to Machu Picchu. Lisa remarked
that it felt like we were going to a theme park – and it did feel a little that
way. I think we were both still
adjusting to the sheer number of people and the noise and bustle, after the
last week of near solitude in the mountains.
eager tourists such as ourselves starting to snake their way through the
town, draped in brightly colored plastic ponchos, heading for the bus
station. Liz had already got both our
bus tickets and our Machu Picchu entrance tickets, so we didn’t have to wait on
line to buy them. There were a constant
stream of buses that would simply wait at the station, then leave when they
were full – we must have timed it just right because when we arrived there was
no line, so we got straight on the bus – which then immediately left! Like the train yesterday, the bus was also
extremely comfortable, so we settled in for the 25 min bumpy ascent up the
mountain to Machu Picchu. Lisa remarked
that it felt like we were going to a theme park – and it did feel a little that
way. I think we were both still
adjusting to the sheer number of people and the noise and bustle, after the
last week of near solitude in the mountains.
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| Approaching Machu Picchu from the entrance gate |
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| MP below still swathed in mist |
After a short while being serenaded by pan pipes while on the bus, we reached the entrance gate. There were already lots
of people milling about, (the only restrooms were outside the city itself, with a 1 soles pay-to-pee entrance fee). Tickets are issued to the
individual, with a max of 3000 visitors a day and you had to show your passport with your ticket to prevent tickets getting sold on to other people later in the day. Most people go in the morning with lots of the big tour buses turning up
around 10am. We got there just before 7am so while it wasn’t empty, it
wasn’t quite as stuffed full as it would be later on that morning.
of people milling about, (the only restrooms were outside the city itself, with a 1 soles pay-to-pee entrance fee). Tickets are issued to the
individual, with a max of 3000 visitors a day and you had to show your passport with your ticket to prevent tickets getting sold on to other people later in the day. Most people go in the morning with lots of the big tour buses turning up
around 10am. We got there just before 7am so while it wasn’t empty, it
wasn’t quite as stuffed full as it would be later on that morning.
Liz had warned us the day before that getting round Machu Picchu
was actually quite hard work, with many steps some of them quite steep
ones. She wasn’t kidding! Even with our week-long mountain
conditioning, climbing up and down the huge city was enough to get the heart
rate elevated again and for the breath to quicken. (I didn’t think to wear my heart rate
monitor, I’m afraid, so there are no scores on the doors today – sorry!). My comfort with yesterday’s decision not to
do the knee-crushing hike went back up to 100% as I could understand Liz’s
caution that you needed to be in good shape fo Machu Picchu. However, even
though we were out of breath a little bit, we were still doing vastly better
than probably about 80% of everyone else who was there, some of whom seemed to be dressed more appropriately than others for clambering around the city!
was actually quite hard work, with many steps some of them quite steep
ones. She wasn’t kidding! Even with our week-long mountain
conditioning, climbing up and down the huge city was enough to get the heart
rate elevated again and for the breath to quicken. (I didn’t think to wear my heart rate
monitor, I’m afraid, so there are no scores on the doors today – sorry!). My comfort with yesterday’s decision not to
do the knee-crushing hike went back up to 100% as I could understand Liz’s
caution that you needed to be in good shape fo Machu Picchu. However, even
though we were out of breath a little bit, we were still doing vastly better
than probably about 80% of everyone else who was there, some of whom seemed to be dressed more appropriately than others for clambering around the city!
After clearing the passport control entrance gate, the first bit was a short walk uphill from the entrance gate and
around this curved wall. The mist was
still so heavy we could see absolutely nothing. After 10 mins we stopped at the first vista point and, just as we did so, as if by
magic, the mists suddenly cleared up for just a few moments, enough for us to
get our first glimpse of the city way below us!
around this curved wall. The mist was
still so heavy we could see absolutely nothing. After 10 mins we stopped at the first vista point and, just as we did so, as if by
magic, the mists suddenly cleared up for just a few moments, enough for us to
get our first glimpse of the city way below us!
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| First sighting of the city below! |
Wow. That first sighting
was something special. It was just long enough to
reveal the wonders that lurked beneath, but then gone again in a couple of moments, as the
mists wrapped the city back up again. As the morning went on, the mists progressively cleared so that, by 12pm or so, it was pretty clear and you had an excellent view of the city.
was something special. It was just long enough to
reveal the wonders that lurked beneath, but then gone again in a couple of moments, as the
mists wrapped the city back up again. As the morning went on, the mists progressively cleared so that, by 12pm or so, it was pretty clear and you had an excellent view of the city.
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| Temple of the Sun |
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| Residential area |
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| Machu Picchu high street |
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| Had to be done, really. The mountain of Wayna Picchu in the background. Nope. We didn’t climb it. |
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| Finally, the mist clears to reveal the magnificent city below |
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| Group shot! |
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| Upstairs view of temple of the sun |
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| Bottom half of Temple of the Sun. See how they built the wall to adapt to the natural curvature of the rocks. Bloody geniuses! |
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| These Incan’s were very very clever. Built multiple fountains and very sophisticated water and drainage systems. |
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| Everyone say “queso!” |
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| Ornamental rock carved exactly to reflect the shape of the mountains behind |
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| Damaged by an earthquake, but still standing! Very impressive! |
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| This rock points exactly due north and south. |
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| And here’s the proof. Absolutely dead on. How did they do that?? |
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| View up towards temple of the 3 windows |
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| This was truly amazing. Reflecting pools, built so that the Inca (the king) could look at the reflection of the stars. Apparently they were geniuses at astronomy too! |
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| temple of the condor. the bit at the front is the beak, head and body and the large angular, upwards rocks behind are the condor’s wings |
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| Terraces for agriculture as well as structural support for the city |
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| Alpaca lawnmowers |
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| Happy bunny having a happy birthday! And not looking a day over 43! |
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| A visitor enjoying a moment of quiet reflection |
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| The Inka bridge. Look how they have constructed the bridge with the stones stacked against the cliff. The gap in the middle is crossed with a wooden drawbridge, allowing them to control who gains access to the city. Very clever. |
We stayed up in Machu Picchu until about 1pm, then it was time to get the bus back to Aguas Calientes and to the hotel for lunch. We had another delicious 3-course lunch during which I opened the birthday cards I’d brought with me, so it was very festive!
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| Happy birthday lunch to me! |
After lunch, we hung out at the hotel til 3.30pm (a quick
nap may have just sneaked in while we recharged our respective devices) when it
was finally time to say farewell to our Machu Picchu adventure and head to the
train station to collect our bags and board the train to Ollantaytambo. The boarding process was slightly less
chaotic this time and the carriages were equally as plush and comfortable as
the last train. The journey would take
about an hour and a half and gazing up at the mountains, it was impossible not
to feel a twinge of emotion that this incredibly journey was starting to draw
to a close. I felt myself missing the
mountains already – so who knows, maybe one day in the future, I’ll be back.
nap may have just sneaked in while we recharged our respective devices) when it
was finally time to say farewell to our Machu Picchu adventure and head to the
train station to collect our bags and board the train to Ollantaytambo. The boarding process was slightly less
chaotic this time and the carriages were equally as plush and comfortable as
the last train. The journey would take
about an hour and a half and gazing up at the mountains, it was impossible not
to feel a twinge of emotion that this incredibly journey was starting to draw
to a close. I felt myself missing the
mountains already – so who knows, maybe one day in the future, I’ll be back.
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| Sparko en route to Ollantaytambo |
My reflections were interrupted by an impromptu on-board
show where the attendants who’d previously just been serving us coffee and
inedible sandwiches, suddenly turned into the entertainment! First up was a still-yet unidentified
caricature (we think it might have supposed to have represented the mountain
puma, one of the three Andean gods?) who ran up and down the carriage in a
brightly colored costume making an odd purring sound! He then started to pull passengers from their
seats for a quick dance and, yes, before I knew it, I’d been selected and
hauled to my feet for some special attention!
(unbeknownst to me, I’d been stitched up by Lisa and Liz who’d told one
of the train attendants earlier that it was my birthday, so I may as well have
been wearing a Star Trek red jersey…).
show where the attendants who’d previously just been serving us coffee and
inedible sandwiches, suddenly turned into the entertainment! First up was a still-yet unidentified
caricature (we think it might have supposed to have represented the mountain
puma, one of the three Andean gods?) who ran up and down the carriage in a
brightly colored costume making an odd purring sound! He then started to pull passengers from their
seats for a quick dance and, yes, before I knew it, I’d been selected and
hauled to my feet for some special attention!
(unbeknownst to me, I’d been stitched up by Lisa and Liz who’d told one
of the train attendants earlier that it was my birthday, so I may as well have
been wearing a Star Trek red jersey…).
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| My dance date |
But it was all good fun, and it felt nice to be made a fuss of on my
birthday, so I didn’t mind at all. He
was probably very grateful to have been wearing that thick mask though – all of
us, myself included, smelled pretty fragrant after 4 hrs clambering up and down
Machu Picchu!
birthday, so I didn’t mind at all. He
was probably very grateful to have been wearing that thick mask though – all of
us, myself included, smelled pretty fragrant after 4 hrs clambering up and down
Machu Picchu!
But it wasn’t over yet!
After Puma-man finally purred off, then the other 2 attendants put on a
fashion show, modeling – yes – the latest in alpaca wear that you could
purchase on the train! Yes, I was on a
train leaving Machu Picchu and still managed to find a shopping opportunity! Funnily enough, it was all from the same shop
that Lisa and I had done some damage in before leaving Cusco the first time, so
it was good quality baby alpaca gear (being now the expert that I am in
mountain wear). And OF COURSE I bought
something! Was there ever any doubt I
would? I actually bought this very nice
black baby alpaca cape, with a lovely white graphic trim and a hood (it looks
nice that I’m making it sound) and that had lots of different ways you could
wear it. I’m sure I’ll never figure them
out again, but it’s a long winter in Chicago, so who knows, give me enough time
and I might…
After Puma-man finally purred off, then the other 2 attendants put on a
fashion show, modeling – yes – the latest in alpaca wear that you could
purchase on the train! Yes, I was on a
train leaving Machu Picchu and still managed to find a shopping opportunity! Funnily enough, it was all from the same shop
that Lisa and I had done some damage in before leaving Cusco the first time, so
it was good quality baby alpaca gear (being now the expert that I am in
mountain wear). And OF COURSE I bought
something! Was there ever any doubt I
would? I actually bought this very nice
black baby alpaca cape, with a lovely white graphic trim and a hood (it looks
nice that I’m making it sound) and that had lots of different ways you could
wear it. I’m sure I’ll never figure them
out again, but it’s a long winter in Chicago, so who knows, give me enough time
and I might…
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| My birthday pressie to myself! Yey for train shopping! |
After a quick snafu with paying for it (her credit card
machine didn’t work, so I had to borrow some money temporarily from my fellow
passengers), we arrived at Ollantaytambo, ready for our 1hr 45min drive back to
Cusco and last night in the El Mercado hotel.
Crazy Sticks (as usual) had lost her glasses so we spent 10mins looking
for them, before she finally found them hooked on the front of her shirt. HHM had done something equally as doh-worthy
earlier in the day, believing that he’d left his phone in the hotel. Him and Crazy Sticks bickered about it all
the way on the bus to MP, and had Liz phoning the hotel for him when we
arrived, asking if anyone had seen it etc.
Then, about 3hrs later, he finally discovers it was at the bottom of his
bag the whole time. Durrr…..
machine didn’t work, so I had to borrow some money temporarily from my fellow
passengers), we arrived at Ollantaytambo, ready for our 1hr 45min drive back to
Cusco and last night in the El Mercado hotel.
Crazy Sticks (as usual) had lost her glasses so we spent 10mins looking
for them, before she finally found them hooked on the front of her shirt. HHM had done something equally as doh-worthy
earlier in the day, believing that he’d left his phone in the hotel. Him and Crazy Sticks bickered about it all
the way on the bus to MP, and had Liz phoning the hotel for him when we
arrived, asking if anyone had seen it etc.
Then, about 3hrs later, he finally discovers it was at the bottom of his
bag the whole time. Durrr…..
The drive back to Cusco was uneventful – most people took
the opportunity to have a quick snooze (there were only 6 of us by this stage,
as Top Brit, Top Banana, Captain Obvious and PYFU had stayed on in MP). We did stop briefly to get out and have a
look at the stars, which were incredible (we saw the Southern Cross) and makes
you realize just how much light pollution we have. And then, before we knew it, we were back at the El Mercado, where it almost didn’t seem real that just a week beforehand we were preparing to leave for our trek. Now, our time in Peru is almost at an end – we fly to Lima tomorrow and then head back to the US late on Saturday night. This is always the most bittersweet part of a trip – but for now, its still my birthday and I think its been a pretty damn good one!! Thank you to everyone for all your wonderful birthday wishes – its been brilliant! Now I just have to figure out how to top this one next year!!
the opportunity to have a quick snooze (there were only 6 of us by this stage,
as Top Brit, Top Banana, Captain Obvious and PYFU had stayed on in MP). We did stop briefly to get out and have a
look at the stars, which were incredible (we saw the Southern Cross) and makes
you realize just how much light pollution we have. And then, before we knew it, we were back at the El Mercado, where it almost didn’t seem real that just a week beforehand we were preparing to leave for our trek. Now, our time in Peru is almost at an end – we fly to Lima tomorrow and then head back to the US late on Saturday night. This is always the most bittersweet part of a trip – but for now, its still my birthday and I think its been a pretty damn good one!! Thank you to everyone for all your wonderful birthday wishes – its been brilliant! Now I just have to figure out how to top this one next year!!
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| Final view of the mountains with the light shining on the top. Anyone else fancy a Toblerone? |
2 Comments
What an amazing way to spend you birthday, and i am glad MP was everything you hoped it would be, i was worried too after all the wonderful trek memories that it would be a disappointment, but so glad it wasn't! I am sure you will go back,it is a fantastic country, fried guinea pigs included! thank you for bringing us with you, the amazing blogs, and guest blog writer Liz too!So happy you had another memorable birthday, you do know how to choose the perfect holiday! Safe travels home, and i know, apart from all the alpaca purchases included, you will always carry MP with you! Wonderful thank you both again xxxxxxxx
Thank you for a wonderful last day,a very special Happy Birthday indeed, and you look younger with every year that passes !! So pleased that the cloud cover passed and the wonders of MP were revealed to you in all its glory, you and Liza have surely worked hard to get there in peak condition. We will all miss your daily blogs,and it raises expectations for the future, where in the world will you go next? Safe travels home , cant wait to see all your wooly purchases ,the cape though does like like it would suit a sixty something Mumsie just as much as a younger daughter ! lots of love to you both and many thanks for taking us with you on this incredible journey xxxxxxxxxxxx