Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail

I have to admit, I was a little bit skeptical of Machu Picchu.

All the hype, all the cliches, all the postcards with that famous shot.

But, Machu Pacchu is the real deal.  It is probably one of the coolest places in the world.  I´ve seen big mountains, and I´ve seen ancient ruins, but I´ve never seen ruins this impressive on mountains this big.  Wow.

On top of that (no pun intended!), the site is clean, organized and traveler friendly.  For all its faults, the Peruvian government takes its responsibility here seriously.  Getting to and from the site is a breeze.  You can see Peru´s best side here.
Machu Picchu´s obscure history, combined its mountaintop-in-the-clouds-surrounded-by-jungle setting make it a really special place. 

No one really knows what Machu Picchu was for.  It was abandoned when the Spanish came (although the Spanish never found it), and then re-discovered in the early 20th century by an American explorer and archaeologist.  Some people think it was a center of religious worship and power - like the Vatican.  Others think it was a retreat for royalty.  Others say it was built in the shape of a condor and symbolized the ascent to the afterlife.

Regardless, it´s worth a visit.



Machu Picchu visitors wear all sorts of hats as they wait for the train.



There are two classes of trains -
tourist class and local service.  Tourist class hits western standards of comfort and cleanliness, and is accordingly much much more expensive.

The canyon is so narrow it´s basically impossible to build a servicable road.  Even the train tracks get buried a few times a year from mudslides.  Service stopped before Cuzco because tracks further down the line were washed away.

Luckily, there is Peruvian time, and there is tourist time (which is usually on time).  Service is good but very bureaucratic... sometime I´ve noticed in other places too.  There are about 3x too many people checking tickets.

These women walk covered in blankets and other trinkets from head to toe.  How much do they sell?  How much money do they make?  It´s a little heartbreaking seeing these women work so hard to sell a few trinkets, especially when you do the math on how much they must earn for a days work. 

The best coffee in all of Peru.  It was delicious. 

Skylights on the train.

Our hike began with this rickety bridge.



I´m not even that into flowers, but you couldn´t help taking pictures.  The flora really was amazing.



Just two gringos in the jungle.

Mountains as steep as the Tetons, covered in vegetation, and shrouded in clouds.  It sounds good in theory and it is incredible to actually see it.

Winded but happy.

As clouds appeared and disappeared the views would change dramatically.

Terracing high up in the mountains.  Scientists think this might have been an agricultural supply zone for Machu Picchu.




Brutal steps.  But worth the view!





 

More views from the trail.

The train snakes it way at the bottom of this canyon.

Using a little fish-eye lens to try and capture just how larger than life the view is.

To give a sense of scale, this mountain is about 2,000 feet tall with near vertical cliffs, and just sort of sits there in the middle of the canyon.  Amazing.



Welcome to Machu Picchu!



And in black in white.



Making our way through the jungle.  Just 30km away the climate is dry and alpine... amazing how quickly the landscape can change out here.

And here is that famous shot of Machu Picchu. 

For my parent´s refrigerator.

This time without people - just like the postcards!

Shrouded in clouds early in the morning.

Birds of prey.

We weren´t as lucky with weather on the second day - but the clouds and fog give Machu Picchu a very mystical vibe.

You can see a piece of Machu Picchu in the bottom right, with peaks in the background. 

Jungle vegetation with the clouds as a backdrop.

There is so much moisture that some of the plants live just off of the water in the fog - like parts of the Pacific Northwest.

An eerie place.

Mr. Weiner travelling in style!

Cuzco

Ancient Andean culture meets modern high-end tourism.

Cuzco is an amazing place.  It is part indigenous community, part Spanish colonial town, and part playground for tourists from around the world.

If you want a taste of Peru without leaving behind the comforts of home, Cuzco is your spot.  There are boutique hotels, great restaurants and a compact tourist center that is safe and clean.

The restaurants rival the best in Boston and we had the best Pisco sours since Eastern Standard (no small feat!).  All for the price of dinner at TGI Fridays. 

And you can poke your nose outside the center for a taste of local life, without worrying about finding your way home.

Here, more than any other place along my route so far, you can see the history of South America as it was played out.  There are Spanish churches on top of Inca ruins.  Terracing runs up the sides of valleys.  There are dozens of Inca ruins within a few hours drive.

On the other hand, Cuzco and the surrounding area feels much less Spanish than you´d expect.  Nominally, people are Catholic.  But just under the surface the old Inca beliefs are still very much a part of life.  Local farmers still worship the mountains.

Churches built with Inca stones, with a local soundtrack. 
This far into the mountains, it´s hard to find Kei$ha on the radio.  Bye bye Chile.



You can go high-end...



...peaceful balcony views...

 

...cherry tomatoes in caramel and coca sugar cookies...



...or maybe you really miss the taste of Guinness...

...or you can take a 10 minute stroll into the local market.  Hogs.



Ribs, with a side of dubious health regulations.


 

It´s ok if you cook it, right?



Cuzco is strategically located to get produce from both the highlands and the rainforest.  You get staples like potatoes, corn and quinoa and some of the more exotic stuff from the jungle like mangos, papaya and pineapple.

I sense a smoothie waiting to happen.

Marketing local spices.

And here are the smoothies!  Amazing that everyone stays in business - there are about two dozen stalls, all with the same menus.  Feels like a low margin business.

Impressive Spanish architecture.

Cuzco is situated in a very narrow and steep valley.  Sadly, the government doesn´t have the resources to enforce building regulations.  Every rainy season, dozens of houses get washed away by mudslides.

The theme of the highlands is churches and mountains.

The Plaza del Armas from above.  One of the most impressive in Latin America.

A different angle.

There is a fairly sizable Jesus statue overlooking the city.  And, again, there´s a local guy playing a local version of the guitar.  There are women selling local crafts.  And local folks relaxing and passing the time.

It´s a serene place.  For me, it sort of captured everything about Cuzco.

 

Holy Week processions.



Random Finds in Peru

Kind of like the funny signs in China collection in the NYT.

Not really representative of Peru, but they are very funny.

Nothing is as sexy as bottled propane in a mountain hamlet.  Ruby.

No bad how bad your commute is, at least it doesn´t involve this ¨bridge.¨

Now time to catch the bus.





In another great cultural irony, one of the most Catholic places in the world inadvertendly chooses gay pride colors for its flag.



Don´t worry - they are laughing with you not at you.



Ice cream.  Really?