Recent Trip to Peru

I recently (relatively speaking) got back from a trip to Peru in November to see Machu Picchu. I had some use-it-or-lose-it vacation time and my wife, having gone to Paris with some girlfriends earlier, said "Go somewhere cool!" I do contract work for an airline so I was able to fly on standby for (almost) free and had a lot of destinations to choose from. Being winter south seemed to make sense and what cooler place can you go then Machu Picchu?

Most everyone bases out of Cusco, Peru to see Machu Picchu or hike the Inca Trail as there are direct flights there from Lima. It's an amazing city with plenty to see from 16th century churches to 15th century Incan ruins. As a matter of fact, most of the churches in Cusco are apparently built on ancient Incan foundations as they were too sturdy and massive to move. Not to mention the Spanish seemed to think it was important to replace every Incan holy sight with a church. That's why Machu Picchu is so special; it's one of the few (if not the only) Incan sights that was not molested by the Conqustadors.

Another important reason to spend some time in Cusco is to get acclimated to the altitude. Cusco is 11,000 feet above sea level and altitude sickness can really wreck a vacation. Apparently anyone can get it regardless of their physical condition. At best you will feel terrible for a little bit while at worst you could die. Fortunately for me the only issues I had were shortness of breath when exerting myself. Obviously you will get winded climbing hills or stairs but I even felt the altitude when tying my shoes. Weird. While I was waiting in my hotel lobby to check in someone told me that in their group of eight, three were completely incapacitated by the altitude.

To get to the Sanctuary you take a four-hour train from Cusco to a village called Aqua Calliente (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo) and from there take a bus (really a shuttle bus) up to the site. It's literally and figuratively breathtaking! Sometimes when you visit a place that you've hyped up in your mind you are a little let down. Not here. It's everything it's cracked up to be. I'm not the sort of person who gets spiritual (and I didn't here) but I can certainly see how so many people can get caught up in the majesty of it all. The ruins are spectacular, the setting high in the Andes mountains is grand and the mood is amazing. I spent two days at the sight (spending the night in Aqua Calliente). In addition to Machu Picchu itself I hiked back up the Inca Trail about 2 Kilometers to Intipunku (the Sun Gate) on day one. On day two I climbed to the top of Huayna Picchu. Huayna Picchu is that mountain you always see behind Machu Picchu in pictures.


The classic shot with Huayna Picchu in the background.




The Sun Temple




Llama in the ruins

 

Church in the Plaza de Armas in Cusco


Qoricancha - This was an Incan Temple until the Spanish built a church on top of it. They did that alot apparently.


Urubamba River Valley on the way to Machu Picchu


The Market in Pisac (in the Urubamba River Valley)


More of the Urubamba River Valley


On the way to Moray


Moray - they guess the Inca used these to test how crops would grow in different micro-climates