Last night (12Nov11) we decided to go VERY early to Machu Pichu by bus... for a number of reasons. Avoid the afternoon crowds and see the site in the early morning to witness the morning mists rolling in and out through the surrounding mountains. (I can´t believe that as I just wrote that I became quite emotional at recalling the memory and vision... what a sook!!)
Anyway, for the 13th Nov, we decided on breakfast at 5:30am to catch the 6am bus to the site. In my morning haziness, I am wondering why everyone is at breakfast as some have decided on a later visit to the site. As I am eating breakfast, a cake with one massive candle emerges from the kitchen and my fellow travelers start singing happy birthday. I was totally overcome by surprise. It was so lovely that people I had only just met a few days ago would make the effort and Mario our tour leader would put into action covert plans to find a cake in this tiny town... plus I got a home made card from Karen that was signed by the group. It was really quite touching.
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| Morning surprise. |
So, after the surprises and well wishes, back to business of getting to the site. We walk to the bus stop, get on board and take the massive switch back road up to the Inca and Quechua peoples' Machu Pichu site. This road is pretty daunting but after "Blind Corner" Juan whose driving habit of overtaking trucks on blind corners caused the group some concern, it wasn't as challenging as it might have otherwise been.
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| About to board |
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| View of the mountains from the switch back road and bus trip up |
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| Having just arrived at the site. |
I need to cut a long story short because I want to share the highlights and keep some memories sacred and only for me. If I still used a film camera, I´m sure I would have taken 50 rolls of film in just the first 10 mins of setting eyes on this magical place. The rolling mists were like beach waves coming and going; hiding and revealing themselves through the surrounding mountains... almost like playing hide and seek with the viewer. I sat up high with my legs dangling over the edge just in total silent awe of such beauty. I am not surprised the Incas picked this site. To be greeted each morning with such natural beauty would have been just as amazing back then.
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| Early morning mists in the mountains |
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| Playing hide and seek |
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| Amazing creations from both mother nature and humans |
We had a good hour to ourselves before our official tour of Machu Pichu started so I just soaked it all up in silence. Taking in every inch of detail of the place from where I had perched myself. And the day just got better and better. Our tour guide was wonderful, knowledgeable and kept the fact short and sweet. He didn't need to bang on about every inch of Machu Pichu as I have found some of our guides did at other sites and tours. He knew his stuff and knew it well. We visited the Sun temple, the moon temple, the houses of the privileged as well as the workers, the stores and the sun dial that had the exact marking of the summer and winter solstice. We saw the upright flat rock that had been precisely carved to imitate the massive mountain directly behind it. Gawd, this place just couldn't stop being amazing. The lush green terraces were kept under control by the free labour of alpacas and llamas used as local gardeners. And always in view, the massive surrounding lush green mountains.
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| Bucket list item achieved |
Later on in the morning, after our tour and after the morning mist had burnt off, I decide it was time to head towards the Sun Gate and see it from there. It was a moderate uphill slog so the mantra "deep breaths, small steps" kept playing in my head to make it up there. However, when I got to the first outpost half way up, I knew I didn't need to go any further. This was where I needed to be and I sat down at this spot. For a good 30-40 minutes I shard my present with this beautiful creation from the past. Just me and him, in silence... plus the cute little lizardy, skinky thingy that just kept running around me and chased and caught a fly right up close to my leg. That 30-40 minutes was my birthday present to me.
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| View from up high towards the Sun Gate |
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| My little Peruvian totem animal. Seemed to pop up everywhere |
After heading back down to rejoin the group for lunch, we found our tour leader Mario back in town and sat on the balcony at one of the many restaurants for lunch . I had my birthday cake placed in front of me and during lunch, Mario arranged for a Peruvian band to come upstairs and sing happy birthday in English and Spanish. The table next to ours, full of intrepid hikers, also joined in the singing. It was a total hoot!!
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| Best three course birthday lunch ever. Peruvian Beer, nachos and cake |
Later in the day, we collected our belongings and headed for the train station but not before meeting up with Tim the New Zealander (long story from the night before, don´t ask), having a few farewell drinks, being shouted a strawberry and almond cocktail by the bar tender in honour of my birthday and finally dragging ourselves to the train. It was late.. slow.. dark and some knobs had left their windows open so our train carriage soon filled up with the most massive moths I have ever seen. Picture the waiter in our carriage swotting moths with his serving tray, most amusing! We finally got back to the Ollantaytambo to be greeted by "Blind Corner" Juan for the night drive back to Cuzco at 9pm... Let me tell you, that was an interesting drive. I finally crawled into bed around 12am. What an amazing day, an amazing birthday and an amazing place!!
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| Best mojitos in town |
THANK YOU PERU!!!!!!!
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