Just back from a wonderful Peru adventure
May 21st, 2009, 10:19 AM
#22
I was there 18 months ago so I am enjoying all this.
I did not drive myself around , but rather had a private guide, and I took the Perurail to Machu Picchu.
I'm following you though the Sacred Valley
so keep it coming!
I did not drive myself around , but rather had a private guide, and I took the Perurail to Machu Picchu.
I'm following you though the Sacred Valley
so keep it coming!
May 21st, 2009, 01:26 PM
#23
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ROFL, the cop jumped in the car and then got in the driver's seat!! Those Peruvians are pretty darned helpful, aren't they?
Looking forward to hearing more about your time in Ollantaytambo, as we only took the train in and out of there to get to MP. We were supposed to stay in Ollay. overnight but that didn't happen.
(BTW, my son is still not fully recovered from his respiratory illness he got in Peru in early April. He just finished 2 wks of steroids and is on an inhaler. He's never had asthma or wheezing but he is battling that now. He is graduating from high school soon and I am hoping he is better when that time comes in a few wks.)
Looking forward to hearing more about your time in Ollantaytambo, as we only took the train in and out of there to get to MP. We were supposed to stay in Ollay. overnight but that didn't happen.
(BTW, my son is still not fully recovered from his respiratory illness he got in Peru in early April. He just finished 2 wks of steroids and is on an inhaler. He's never had asthma or wheezing but he is battling that now. He is graduating from high school soon and I am hoping he is better when that time comes in a few wks.)
May 21st, 2009, 08:38 PM
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emd 3 -
what kind of respiratory illness did your son have? Was it related to altitutde sickness. I'm leaving for Peru on Monday. Also, I'm amazed that there is so much preparation r. swine flu. I hadn't found any reports of cases in Peru. Should I bring masks?
what kind of respiratory illness did your son have? Was it related to altitutde sickness. I'm leaving for Peru on Monday. Also, I'm amazed that there is so much preparation r. swine flu. I hadn't found any reports of cases in Peru. Should I bring masks?
May 22nd, 2009, 05:15 AM
#26
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My son was hospitalized on our 4th day in Cuzco. He was in the hospital for 4 days. He had some pulmonary edema and bronchitis/pneumonia, and it was related to the altitude. His illness happened very suddenly. I did a trip report on our trip and detailed his time in the hospital. Search for "David Choque" here and the report is the first post that comes up. I also got sick w/a respiratory illness, but not as bad as my son.
May 22nd, 2009, 06:41 AM
#27
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Thanks for continuing to read everyone (a special welcome to tully and Percy who also frequent the Costa Rica forum where I spend altogether too much time)! I should be able to get a new installment posted later today and hope to have a link to photos posted by the end of the weekend.
Don't be too concerned about your trip, norvill. There may very well be people wearing masks on your flights, but whether you take one along is really up to your own comfort zone. I think a lot of it was precautionary. Aside from the people at the airport, we really didn't hear much about swine flu at all while we were there.
Emd3's experience was very unfortunate, and I was a bit worried for my own trip because I started to develop a sniffly nose and scratchy throat 2 days before I was scheduled to fly down there. I got a good antibiotic prescription from my doctor (which I never needed to use) and went armed with vitamin C, echinacea, and some of those Cold-Eze zinc lozenges that really do seem to help with cold symptoms. I also drank a lot of water, both to flush out my system and to keep myself hydrated for the altitude change. I felt a little off with the mild cold symptoms for the first day or so of my trip, and then I was completely fine. I did also write down the hospital info emd had provided in her trip report so I would know of a good place to go if anyone in my travel party did happen to get sick.
We adhered to the recommendations for the altitude change:
-Drink lots of water; stay hydrated
-Avoid alcohol for the first few days
-Avoid caffeine for the first few days
-Avoid heavy meals for the first few days
-Take things easy for the first few days
All three of us did fine. We would huff and puff walking up any hill or climbing any stairs, but we just took it nice and slow and rested whenever we needed to. I've basically lived at sea level for the past 12 years and was pretty pleased with how little the altitude affected me overall.
I'm sorry to hear that your son is continuing to have some issues, emd3! Let's hope that he gets it definitively knocked out of his system soon!
Don't be too concerned about your trip, norvill. There may very well be people wearing masks on your flights, but whether you take one along is really up to your own comfort zone. I think a lot of it was precautionary. Aside from the people at the airport, we really didn't hear much about swine flu at all while we were there.
Emd3's experience was very unfortunate, and I was a bit worried for my own trip because I started to develop a sniffly nose and scratchy throat 2 days before I was scheduled to fly down there. I got a good antibiotic prescription from my doctor (which I never needed to use) and went armed with vitamin C, echinacea, and some of those Cold-Eze zinc lozenges that really do seem to help with cold symptoms. I also drank a lot of water, both to flush out my system and to keep myself hydrated for the altitude change. I felt a little off with the mild cold symptoms for the first day or so of my trip, and then I was completely fine. I did also write down the hospital info emd had provided in her trip report so I would know of a good place to go if anyone in my travel party did happen to get sick.
We adhered to the recommendations for the altitude change:
-Drink lots of water; stay hydrated
-Avoid alcohol for the first few days
-Avoid caffeine for the first few days
-Avoid heavy meals for the first few days
-Take things easy for the first few days
All three of us did fine. We would huff and puff walking up any hill or climbing any stairs, but we just took it nice and slow and rested whenever we needed to. I've basically lived at sea level for the past 12 years and was pretty pleased with how little the altitude affected me overall.
I'm sorry to hear that your son is continuing to have some issues, emd3! Let's hope that he gets it definitively knocked out of his system soon!
May 22nd, 2009, 05:39 PM
#28
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May 8, 2009
When we woke up in the morning and looked out the window, the sky was a bright, clear blue with barely a cloud to be seen anywhere. There were 3 llamas grazing on the lawn outside our room. The flowers were blooming, the birds were singing; it was fantastic!
We went over to the hotel restaurant for breakfast (included in the room rate). Pakaritampu puts on a nice breakfast spread that includes eggs, sausage, fried plantains, bread, cheese, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, and juice. I got into the habit of having coca tea each morning with breakfast. I don't know if it helped with the altitude, but it was tasty and seemed to provide a little extra boost to start the day.
After breakfast we set out to explore the Ollantaytambo ruins. They were a short, picturesque 10-15 minute walk from the hotel. We bought some inexpensive walking sticks along the way and they came in handy for making our way up the steep, rocky steps at the site.
The Ollantaytambo ruins climb up the hillside in a series of stone terraces. They date back to the mid-15th century and played an important role as an Incan stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors. We took our sweet time making it to the top, taking frequent rest stops and drinking lots of water. We definitely felt the altitude during the climb, but it wasn't a deal breaker; we just had to take things slowly.
The exertion was completely worth the effort for the views of the village and valley below. We eventually made our way back down to ground level and returned to the hotel to pick up the car. Our plan was to drive out to the ruins at Moray and also visit the Salt Pans of Salineras that have been in use since Incan times.
We drove back to the large-ish town of Urubamba and fumbled around a bit looking for the road that would branch off towards Chinchero. We took a chance on one road that steeply wound up the mountainside but after a few minutes it didn't seem to be going anywhere in particular. We decided it couldn't be the right way and retraced our steps. We drove to the far end of Urubamba and found a man to ask directions of. Turned out the side road we had picked earlier was the right way. So back we went... From there, we actually stayed on track and easily found the turn off for the village of Maras.
Maras is a small, sleepy village nestled in rolling hills. Even though there are 2 notable Incan sites nearby, it is not a place that caters much to tourists. We made our way to the main square and spied a handpainted arrow on the side of a building pointing the way to Moray. Excellent, we're still on track...
We drove up the narrow lane for several short blocks and then the cobblestone road suddenly ended. Directly ahead of us was a rocky, steep, dirt track. This doesn't seem like it can be right. LB and I got out of the car and went on a little scouting mission up the hill. There were little brick houses along the way, but it quickly became clear that our economy rental car was not going to make it up that path. We went back to the car to report our findings to AB and decided we needed to go back to the main square and ask for directions.
How to get back to the square was the next issue. The roadway was very narrow and there was no good place to turn around. AB was willing to put the car in reverse and back her way down to the nearest cross street. LB and I thought we could probably manage to negotiate a 3-point turn if we proceeded up the dirt track a little ways and pulled into the little grassy yard in front of one of the brick houses. AB was pretty skeptical but agreed to let us give it a try. I took the wheel as I had the most experience driving a manual transmission.
I inched forward and angled the car into the tight little grassy space in front of the house. Then the front wheels hit a rut and I was stuck! I evnetually managed to get unstuck, but in doing so, had angled the car so that there was a rock wall directly behind me, and the corner of a brick wall just inches from my left front bumper. I was on an uneven incline with little room for error, but we had to try something. I gunned the engine and felt the resistance as my front bumper scraped against the brick wall to the side of me. I slammed on the brakes and the car settled into the wall.
A farmer came down the dirt track leading a couple of mules laden with some sort of crop. He gaped at us in atonishment. I told him we needed help, but I'm not sure if he understood me. About this same time, a group of children had caught sight of the spectacle and gathered eagerly around the car. We asked if one of them could go get help, but they didn't seem inclined to leave us.
We were all quite frazzled and stressed by this point. The car bumper was clearly scratched and we had no idea how we were going to get it off that dirt track. We were just about to send LB on foot to look for help when a woman approached from the village. She was also quite taken aback to see us there.
We asked if she knew anyone who could help us, preferably several men who could push the car. She looked a little doubtful but headed back down the hill. She was gone for a little while and we thought we'd still have to send LB for reinforcements, but then we saw the lady leading 2 men up the lane. They also gaped in astonishment for a moment and then admirably took charge of the situation. One of them slipped into the driver seat, and the other, along with the woman, LB, and several children (despite our admonishments for them to be careful) gathered at the front of the car. AB and I positioned ourselves to direct the driver and keep him from slamming into the rock wall behind us. With a mighty gunning of the engine and a forceful push from our volunteers, the car had lurched backwards into the lane. "Alto! Alto!", I yelled as the rear bumper approached the rock wall. The driver put on the brakes and straightened out the wheel. The car was miraculously clear of all obstacles and pointed back towards the village. AB and I offered a standing ovation as the man driving stepped out of the car. Of course, we offered a monetary reward to our adult helpers. We were so flustered that we gave the lady twice as much as the two men and didn't figure out until later why she had sort of protested the amount. We probably should have given the kids something also, but once again, were too flustered.
I made AB take the wheel and felt awful that I had been driving when the car got stuck. My companions reassured me that it was okay and we all agreed that if AB's American Express rental insurance didn't come through, we would all split the cost of the repair bill. The bumper had sustained a visible scratch and small dent, and we figured that Hertz would be all over that.
After a brief regrouping, we decided to give up on Moray since we still had no idea where it was. We headed instead to Salineras, as we had seen the turn off for that site before entering Maras.
To be continued...
When we woke up in the morning and looked out the window, the sky was a bright, clear blue with barely a cloud to be seen anywhere. There were 3 llamas grazing on the lawn outside our room. The flowers were blooming, the birds were singing; it was fantastic!
We went over to the hotel restaurant for breakfast (included in the room rate). Pakaritampu puts on a nice breakfast spread that includes eggs, sausage, fried plantains, bread, cheese, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, and juice. I got into the habit of having coca tea each morning with breakfast. I don't know if it helped with the altitude, but it was tasty and seemed to provide a little extra boost to start the day.
After breakfast we set out to explore the Ollantaytambo ruins. They were a short, picturesque 10-15 minute walk from the hotel. We bought some inexpensive walking sticks along the way and they came in handy for making our way up the steep, rocky steps at the site.
The Ollantaytambo ruins climb up the hillside in a series of stone terraces. They date back to the mid-15th century and played an important role as an Incan stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors. We took our sweet time making it to the top, taking frequent rest stops and drinking lots of water. We definitely felt the altitude during the climb, but it wasn't a deal breaker; we just had to take things slowly.
The exertion was completely worth the effort for the views of the village and valley below. We eventually made our way back down to ground level and returned to the hotel to pick up the car. Our plan was to drive out to the ruins at Moray and also visit the Salt Pans of Salineras that have been in use since Incan times.
We drove back to the large-ish town of Urubamba and fumbled around a bit looking for the road that would branch off towards Chinchero. We took a chance on one road that steeply wound up the mountainside but after a few minutes it didn't seem to be going anywhere in particular. We decided it couldn't be the right way and retraced our steps. We drove to the far end of Urubamba and found a man to ask directions of. Turned out the side road we had picked earlier was the right way. So back we went... From there, we actually stayed on track and easily found the turn off for the village of Maras.
Maras is a small, sleepy village nestled in rolling hills. Even though there are 2 notable Incan sites nearby, it is not a place that caters much to tourists. We made our way to the main square and spied a handpainted arrow on the side of a building pointing the way to Moray. Excellent, we're still on track...
We drove up the narrow lane for several short blocks and then the cobblestone road suddenly ended. Directly ahead of us was a rocky, steep, dirt track. This doesn't seem like it can be right. LB and I got out of the car and went on a little scouting mission up the hill. There were little brick houses along the way, but it quickly became clear that our economy rental car was not going to make it up that path. We went back to the car to report our findings to AB and decided we needed to go back to the main square and ask for directions.
How to get back to the square was the next issue. The roadway was very narrow and there was no good place to turn around. AB was willing to put the car in reverse and back her way down to the nearest cross street. LB and I thought we could probably manage to negotiate a 3-point turn if we proceeded up the dirt track a little ways and pulled into the little grassy yard in front of one of the brick houses. AB was pretty skeptical but agreed to let us give it a try. I took the wheel as I had the most experience driving a manual transmission.
I inched forward and angled the car into the tight little grassy space in front of the house. Then the front wheels hit a rut and I was stuck! I evnetually managed to get unstuck, but in doing so, had angled the car so that there was a rock wall directly behind me, and the corner of a brick wall just inches from my left front bumper. I was on an uneven incline with little room for error, but we had to try something. I gunned the engine and felt the resistance as my front bumper scraped against the brick wall to the side of me. I slammed on the brakes and the car settled into the wall.
A farmer came down the dirt track leading a couple of mules laden with some sort of crop. He gaped at us in atonishment. I told him we needed help, but I'm not sure if he understood me. About this same time, a group of children had caught sight of the spectacle and gathered eagerly around the car. We asked if one of them could go get help, but they didn't seem inclined to leave us.
We were all quite frazzled and stressed by this point. The car bumper was clearly scratched and we had no idea how we were going to get it off that dirt track. We were just about to send LB on foot to look for help when a woman approached from the village. She was also quite taken aback to see us there.
We asked if she knew anyone who could help us, preferably several men who could push the car. She looked a little doubtful but headed back down the hill. She was gone for a little while and we thought we'd still have to send LB for reinforcements, but then we saw the lady leading 2 men up the lane. They also gaped in astonishment for a moment and then admirably took charge of the situation. One of them slipped into the driver seat, and the other, along with the woman, LB, and several children (despite our admonishments for them to be careful) gathered at the front of the car. AB and I positioned ourselves to direct the driver and keep him from slamming into the rock wall behind us. With a mighty gunning of the engine and a forceful push from our volunteers, the car had lurched backwards into the lane. "Alto! Alto!", I yelled as the rear bumper approached the rock wall. The driver put on the brakes and straightened out the wheel. The car was miraculously clear of all obstacles and pointed back towards the village. AB and I offered a standing ovation as the man driving stepped out of the car. Of course, we offered a monetary reward to our adult helpers. We were so flustered that we gave the lady twice as much as the two men and didn't figure out until later why she had sort of protested the amount. We probably should have given the kids something also, but once again, were too flustered.
I made AB take the wheel and felt awful that I had been driving when the car got stuck. My companions reassured me that it was okay and we all agreed that if AB's American Express rental insurance didn't come through, we would all split the cost of the repair bill. The bumper had sustained a visible scratch and small dent, and we figured that Hertz would be all over that.
After a brief regrouping, we decided to give up on Moray since we still had no idea where it was. We headed instead to Salineras, as we had seen the turn off for that site before entering Maras.
To be continued...
May 24th, 2009, 09:00 AM
#31
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Yes, it was quite the crazy little mis-adventure! But as emd says, no one was hurt, and it does make for a good story now.
May 8, 2009 cont’d
The way to Salineras was blessedly easy and straightforward. You turn off the main road onto a gravelly side road and follow it for about 8 km. It’s pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. You eventually pass the entry gate and start winding down through a little canyon. The road here is on the narrow side and steep-ish with no guardrails, so it’s advisable to take it nice and slow! If you meet oncoming traffic, someone has to find a wider spot to pull over so that the other vehicle can pass. It’s a relatively short drive and at the bottom, you’re rewarded with the sight of the salt pans stretching down the side of the mountain like some strange landscape from an alien planet.
Salineras has been in use since Incan times. According to the Lonely Planet guide: a hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt-laden water, which is diverted into the salt pans and evaporated to produce a salt used for cattle licks. The people of Maras continue to harvest the salt today for their own use.
It’s definitely a site that’s off the beaten track, but is pretty fascinating to see. There were a few other visitors there that afternoon, and a handful of people actually working in the salt pans. At one point, we were joined by a small group of cyclists who had ridden down the steep, rocky slope from above. We marveled at their ability to have that much energy in the thin air at that altitude.
The setting at Salineras was peaceful and went a long way towards soothing our frazzled nerves from the “rental car incident”. We started to appreciate how ridiculous the whole event had been, and realized that it would make a good story for the folks back home. We began affectionately referring to ourselves as "Las Tres Idiotas", a moniker that stuck for the remainder of the trip (and beyond).
Our good spirits were restored and the afternoon was still young, so we decided we wanted to give Moray another try. We stalwartly drove back to Maras, but this time stopped in the main square to ask for directions. It turns out that we had started out in the right direction last time, but were supposed to turn down a side street by a small corner store (about half way up the lane that dead-ended in the dirt track where our earlier mishap had occured). This time around, we found our way with no difficulty.
Not much is known about Moray, but researchers believe it was used as some sort of agricultural laboratory to cultivate different crops that could weather the harsh growing conditions of the Andes. The site is made up of 3 sets of large circular terraces carved into natural depressions in the ground.
It was also very peaceful at Moray that afternoon. The sun was just starting to lower in the sky and there were relatively few tourists at the site. We wandered around for a little while, but decided we weren’t up to descending all the way to the bottom of the terraces.
Our drive back to Ollantaytambo was uneventful. Once we got back to Pakaritampu, AB called Amercan Express about our little fender bender. She had contacted them before our trip to ensure they would cover CDW for Peru, but you always worry just a little bit that there will be some loophole that comes into play. She got hold of a very nice customer service rep who took down all the information and gave us a claim number. She assured AB that everything would be covered and that there was no need to worry. We should just relax and enjoy the rest of our vacation. Whew!
With that important matter of business out of the way, we went in search of dinner. I had written down some restaurant recs from the great trip reports here, and we settled on Mayupata for this evening. We all ended up ordering pizzas, and I tried the Inca Kola (which tastes sort of like liquid bubble gum). We liked Mayupata. Nice setting and pleasant ambiance. Finding good food was not really a problem in Peru.
We turned in relatively early again (probably ~10:30-ish). We wanted to get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow we had to be at the train station by 7:00 a.m. Anyone care to guess where we were headed?
May 8, 2009 cont’d
The way to Salineras was blessedly easy and straightforward. You turn off the main road onto a gravelly side road and follow it for about 8 km. It’s pretty much out in the middle of nowhere. You eventually pass the entry gate and start winding down through a little canyon. The road here is on the narrow side and steep-ish with no guardrails, so it’s advisable to take it nice and slow! If you meet oncoming traffic, someone has to find a wider spot to pull over so that the other vehicle can pass. It’s a relatively short drive and at the bottom, you’re rewarded with the sight of the salt pans stretching down the side of the mountain like some strange landscape from an alien planet.
Salineras has been in use since Incan times. According to the Lonely Planet guide: a hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt-laden water, which is diverted into the salt pans and evaporated to produce a salt used for cattle licks. The people of Maras continue to harvest the salt today for their own use.
It’s definitely a site that’s off the beaten track, but is pretty fascinating to see. There were a few other visitors there that afternoon, and a handful of people actually working in the salt pans. At one point, we were joined by a small group of cyclists who had ridden down the steep, rocky slope from above. We marveled at their ability to have that much energy in the thin air at that altitude.
The setting at Salineras was peaceful and went a long way towards soothing our frazzled nerves from the “rental car incident”. We started to appreciate how ridiculous the whole event had been, and realized that it would make a good story for the folks back home. We began affectionately referring to ourselves as "Las Tres Idiotas", a moniker that stuck for the remainder of the trip (and beyond).
Our good spirits were restored and the afternoon was still young, so we decided we wanted to give Moray another try. We stalwartly drove back to Maras, but this time stopped in the main square to ask for directions. It turns out that we had started out in the right direction last time, but were supposed to turn down a side street by a small corner store (about half way up the lane that dead-ended in the dirt track where our earlier mishap had occured). This time around, we found our way with no difficulty.
Not much is known about Moray, but researchers believe it was used as some sort of agricultural laboratory to cultivate different crops that could weather the harsh growing conditions of the Andes. The site is made up of 3 sets of large circular terraces carved into natural depressions in the ground.
It was also very peaceful at Moray that afternoon. The sun was just starting to lower in the sky and there were relatively few tourists at the site. We wandered around for a little while, but decided we weren’t up to descending all the way to the bottom of the terraces.
Our drive back to Ollantaytambo was uneventful. Once we got back to Pakaritampu, AB called Amercan Express about our little fender bender. She had contacted them before our trip to ensure they would cover CDW for Peru, but you always worry just a little bit that there will be some loophole that comes into play. She got hold of a very nice customer service rep who took down all the information and gave us a claim number. She assured AB that everything would be covered and that there was no need to worry. We should just relax and enjoy the rest of our vacation. Whew!
With that important matter of business out of the way, we went in search of dinner. I had written down some restaurant recs from the great trip reports here, and we settled on Mayupata for this evening. We all ended up ordering pizzas, and I tried the Inca Kola (which tastes sort of like liquid bubble gum). We liked Mayupata. Nice setting and pleasant ambiance. Finding good food was not really a problem in Peru.
We turned in relatively early again (probably ~10:30-ish). We wanted to get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow we had to be at the train station by 7:00 a.m. Anyone care to guess where we were headed?
May 25th, 2009, 01:51 PM
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cam - Great trip report. Can't wait to talk more about it in person. Of course it's on my list too! I almost forgot it was a trip you had to delay last year, so I'm so glad you were able to make it happen! Did you post pics somewhere or are you still working on that?
May 25th, 2009, 03:03 PM
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Glad to see you continuing along, emd3! Your trip report was a great help to me, and I hope mine will offer some inspiration for others as well.
Working on the photos even as I type this, Hip. Of course I ended up with about a billion Machu Picchu pics and am going through the painful process of whittling them down and trying to pick my favorites. I'm hoping to get them online in the next few days... It was a wonderful trip. You should definitely keep Peru on your "to visit" list.
Working on the photos even as I type this, Hip. Of course I ended up with about a billion Machu Picchu pics and am going through the painful process of whittling them down and trying to pick my favorites. I'm hoping to get them online in the next few days... It was a wonderful trip. You should definitely keep Peru on your "to visit" list.
May 25th, 2009, 07:34 PM
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May 9, 2009
We got up bright and early this morning for the excursion that serves as the centerpiece to most visits to Peru: Machu Picchu!!
Hotel Pakaritampu is conveniently located just a 5-10 minute walk from the train station, so we had time to partake of the breakfast buffet before setting out. The morning was a little bit more overcast than the previous day had been, but there were still large patches of blue sky to be seen, so we were hopeful that it would be a decent day at MP.
We got to the train station plenty early and had to wait for about 10 minutes before they would open the entry gate. We had decided on the Vistadome train rather than the cheaper Backpacker option and were glad of that choice when we saw one of the Backpacker cars, crammed full of passengers facing each other, knee to knee.
We were the first to board our car and thought we might be the only passengers as it got closer to departure time, but then a largish contingent of Japanese tourists joined us at the last minute. We were sitting near the door of the car and as each Japanese passenger boarded, they would look at us and make a little bow or nod of the head, acknowledging our presence. It was sort of humorous, but also kind of nice. Most of us wouldn‘t feel obliged to acknowledge our fellow passengers in the U.S.
The train ride to Aguas Calientes takes about 1.5 hours from Ollantaytambo. It’s a really beautiful ride with sweeping views of the dramatic mountains and rushing river. The best views are from the left side of the train, and we were lucky to have enough vacant seats in our car that we could spread out and each have a window to ourselves.
The foliage gradually changes as you approach Aquas Calientes from more arid, scrubby vegetation to full-fledged cloud forest. I thought the mountains around AC and MP were incredibly beautiful. The town of Aguas Calientes itself, seems to have quite a few detractors. It’s true that it isn’t quaint and peaceful like Ollantaytambo. It very much exists to cater to the MP tourists and brims over with shops, restaurants and hotels. It’s a colorful place and I thought it was sort of fascinating. Many people spend a night or two here, but we were just passing through on a daytrip to MP.
A very nice man at the train station showed us where to get our entry tickets and bus tickets. He actually escorted us part way into town to show us exactly where to go. We lingered long enough to snap a few photos of AC’s main square and then we were ready to board the bus for Machu Picchu!
The ride up to the ruins takes about 15-20 minutes and curves up a steep series of tight switchbacks. This is a ride that might bother people who tend to get carsick. Guardrails are infrequent and there are sheer drop-offs from this road! The scenery is truly spectacular however; jagged, imposing, heavily forested mountain peaks and a meandering river in the valley far below. We were in luck with the weather. There was a light haze hovering in the atmosphere, but the sun was shining and there was no danger of rain moving in to “dampen” our spirits that day.
At one point as we neared the top of the mountain, we caught a quick glimpse of MP, framed against the famous Wayna Picchu peak. Those on the bus who saw it let out an audible gasp. A few minutes later, we were deposited at the entrance to the site. You can’t see MP from there. You have to go through the entry booth and walk along a path that overlooks the amazing river valley below. Then you see a series of 3 thatched-roof huts in front of you which mark part of the outer boundary of the ruins. If you walk the short path that leads to the closest hut, you’ll get your first overview of the site. It’s breathtaking! Just like all the pictures you’ve seen, but better because it’s real. Its tangible. You can reach out and touch the actual stones. It pretty much defies adequate description! I think all I could say initially was, “Wow!”.
We got up bright and early this morning for the excursion that serves as the centerpiece to most visits to Peru: Machu Picchu!!
Hotel Pakaritampu is conveniently located just a 5-10 minute walk from the train station, so we had time to partake of the breakfast buffet before setting out. The morning was a little bit more overcast than the previous day had been, but there were still large patches of blue sky to be seen, so we were hopeful that it would be a decent day at MP.
We got to the train station plenty early and had to wait for about 10 minutes before they would open the entry gate. We had decided on the Vistadome train rather than the cheaper Backpacker option and were glad of that choice when we saw one of the Backpacker cars, crammed full of passengers facing each other, knee to knee.
We were the first to board our car and thought we might be the only passengers as it got closer to departure time, but then a largish contingent of Japanese tourists joined us at the last minute. We were sitting near the door of the car and as each Japanese passenger boarded, they would look at us and make a little bow or nod of the head, acknowledging our presence. It was sort of humorous, but also kind of nice. Most of us wouldn‘t feel obliged to acknowledge our fellow passengers in the U.S.
The train ride to Aguas Calientes takes about 1.5 hours from Ollantaytambo. It’s a really beautiful ride with sweeping views of the dramatic mountains and rushing river. The best views are from the left side of the train, and we were lucky to have enough vacant seats in our car that we could spread out and each have a window to ourselves.
The foliage gradually changes as you approach Aquas Calientes from more arid, scrubby vegetation to full-fledged cloud forest. I thought the mountains around AC and MP were incredibly beautiful. The town of Aguas Calientes itself, seems to have quite a few detractors. It’s true that it isn’t quaint and peaceful like Ollantaytambo. It very much exists to cater to the MP tourists and brims over with shops, restaurants and hotels. It’s a colorful place and I thought it was sort of fascinating. Many people spend a night or two here, but we were just passing through on a daytrip to MP.
A very nice man at the train station showed us where to get our entry tickets and bus tickets. He actually escorted us part way into town to show us exactly where to go. We lingered long enough to snap a few photos of AC’s main square and then we were ready to board the bus for Machu Picchu!
The ride up to the ruins takes about 15-20 minutes and curves up a steep series of tight switchbacks. This is a ride that might bother people who tend to get carsick. Guardrails are infrequent and there are sheer drop-offs from this road! The scenery is truly spectacular however; jagged, imposing, heavily forested mountain peaks and a meandering river in the valley far below. We were in luck with the weather. There was a light haze hovering in the atmosphere, but the sun was shining and there was no danger of rain moving in to “dampen” our spirits that day.
At one point as we neared the top of the mountain, we caught a quick glimpse of MP, framed against the famous Wayna Picchu peak. Those on the bus who saw it let out an audible gasp. A few minutes later, we were deposited at the entrance to the site. You can’t see MP from there. You have to go through the entry booth and walk along a path that overlooks the amazing river valley below. Then you see a series of 3 thatched-roof huts in front of you which mark part of the outer boundary of the ruins. If you walk the short path that leads to the closest hut, you’ll get your first overview of the site. It’s breathtaking! Just like all the pictures you’ve seen, but better because it’s real. Its tangible. You can reach out and touch the actual stones. It pretty much defies adequate description! I think all I could say initially was, “Wow!”.
May 27th, 2009, 01:41 PM
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Thanks Leslie! The picture organization is taking longer than anticipated, but I'm getting there...
emd3, I wish you had felt better for your day at MP, because it really blew me away. I was really interested in your review of Tipon and wished we had had the time to get out there. Maybe I'll get back to Peru someday...
I'll try to get another installment posted tonight. Life has been too hectic since I got back from the trip. Ugh!
emd3, I wish you had felt better for your day at MP, because it really blew me away. I was really interested in your review of Tipon and wished we had had the time to get out there. Maybe I'll get back to Peru someday...
I'll try to get another installment posted tonight. Life has been too hectic since I got back from the trip. Ugh!
May 27th, 2009, 08:48 PM
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May 9, 2009 cont'd
In order to get the famous postcard view of the ruins with Wayna Picchu in the background, you have to hike up the hill to the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock (try saying that 3 times fast!). It’s a nice little jaunt up a steep zig-zagging path, and at that elevation (~7800 ft above sea level) we still had to make several little rest stops (we weren’t the only ones…).
We clambered all over the upper terraces at MP for the first hour or so, gaping at the sight of the ruins, the mountains, and the deeply carved river valleys that practically encircle the site. LB and I decided to check out the Bridge of the Incas, which is about a 20 minute hike past the upper MP terraces. The trail is pretty impressive. It’s quite narrow in places with steep, plunging drop-offs to the valley below. The views along the way are gorgeous, but it may not be for those with a serious fear of heights. In fact, LB let her nerves get the best of her and turned back before we got all the way to the bridge. I bravely went on alone, but not without some trepidation. I finally reached the bridge, which clings precariously to the side of the sheer mountain wall. It’s a drawbridge with a 20 ft gap in the center that can be spanned by wooden planks. The planks could be removed to prevent unauthorized persons from entering Machu Picchu.
I’m glad I made it all the way out there, but was also glad when I made it back to the area where the trail widened out a bit!
We had all agreed to meet up by the Caretaker’s hut at a pre-designated time to go grab some lunch. As I was walking back towards the hut my cell phone rang loud and clear, much to the astonishment of myself and several other people nearby. Who knew you could get a signal at Machu Picchu of all places! I guess there must have been a tower in the vicinity that services Aguas Calientes. It was AB calling to see where I was.
The three of us reunited and decided to splurge on the Santuary Lodge lunch buffet. At 33$ USD per person, this was by far the most expensive meal we ate while in Peru. We beat the main lunch rush and were able to find a nice window-side table. The buffet is actually quite good with a decent selection of salads, breads, veggies, and meats. Several choices of fruit and pastries are available for dessert. It’s all-you-can-eat, so we tried a little of everything and went back for second helpings of our favorites. I’m not sure that I could ever justify the price of the rooms at the lodge, but it did look like a nice place. The location is certainly ideal if you want to be near MP.
After fortifying ourselves with a hearty meal, we headed back into the ruins to explore the main part of the city itself. We climbed up to the Main Temple and Intihuatana Stone (used for charting the solstice and equinox), and then meandered through the lower terraces, Main Square, and Industrial Sector. We ended up doing the whole site without a guide, but that was not by design. We’d heard you could usually hire one right at the entry gate, but didn’t happen to see anyone when we initially arrived. We eavesdropped on a couple of tour groups here and there during the day. Although not a necessity, I think it would have been nice to have had a guide take us around before just wandering at will on our own.
Eventually, the sun started to lower in the sky and the shadows began to lengthen. It was hard to tear ourselves away. The place is just so magical and mysterious. We had truly lucked out with the weather, and the crowds were manageable as well. We stayed past the peak visiting hours and the site was quite peaceful in the later afternoon.
We allowed ourselves one last, long gaze and then headed down the path to the exit. Back to a waiting bus for the steep, curvy ride to town. We were sufficiently tired from our exertions that day and happily boarded the train back to Ollantaytambo. I could have easily dozed off had it not been for the evening's entertainment on the Vistadome. What a spastic, but fun spectacle! It started out with one of the porters doing some sort of traditional dance all dressed up in mask and colorful garb; a stuffed toy llama attached to his belt. This was followed by an actual fashion show in which 2 attractive train attendants strutted down the aisle to ABBA’s 'Dancing Queen' in a variety of fine alpaca shawls and sweaters. We all whistled and applauded. A few passengers bought sweaters. It was somehow a fitting end to the day!
It was around 9:00 p.m. by the time we got ‘home’ so we just grabbed a bite at the hotel restaurant before turning in. I tried the quinoa soup, which was just right after the large lunch I had consumed earlier.
In order to get the famous postcard view of the ruins with Wayna Picchu in the background, you have to hike up the hill to the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock (try saying that 3 times fast!). It’s a nice little jaunt up a steep zig-zagging path, and at that elevation (~7800 ft above sea level) we still had to make several little rest stops (we weren’t the only ones…).
We clambered all over the upper terraces at MP for the first hour or so, gaping at the sight of the ruins, the mountains, and the deeply carved river valleys that practically encircle the site. LB and I decided to check out the Bridge of the Incas, which is about a 20 minute hike past the upper MP terraces. The trail is pretty impressive. It’s quite narrow in places with steep, plunging drop-offs to the valley below. The views along the way are gorgeous, but it may not be for those with a serious fear of heights. In fact, LB let her nerves get the best of her and turned back before we got all the way to the bridge. I bravely went on alone, but not without some trepidation. I finally reached the bridge, which clings precariously to the side of the sheer mountain wall. It’s a drawbridge with a 20 ft gap in the center that can be spanned by wooden planks. The planks could be removed to prevent unauthorized persons from entering Machu Picchu.
I’m glad I made it all the way out there, but was also glad when I made it back to the area where the trail widened out a bit!
We had all agreed to meet up by the Caretaker’s hut at a pre-designated time to go grab some lunch. As I was walking back towards the hut my cell phone rang loud and clear, much to the astonishment of myself and several other people nearby. Who knew you could get a signal at Machu Picchu of all places! I guess there must have been a tower in the vicinity that services Aguas Calientes. It was AB calling to see where I was.
The three of us reunited and decided to splurge on the Santuary Lodge lunch buffet. At 33$ USD per person, this was by far the most expensive meal we ate while in Peru. We beat the main lunch rush and were able to find a nice window-side table. The buffet is actually quite good with a decent selection of salads, breads, veggies, and meats. Several choices of fruit and pastries are available for dessert. It’s all-you-can-eat, so we tried a little of everything and went back for second helpings of our favorites. I’m not sure that I could ever justify the price of the rooms at the lodge, but it did look like a nice place. The location is certainly ideal if you want to be near MP.
After fortifying ourselves with a hearty meal, we headed back into the ruins to explore the main part of the city itself. We climbed up to the Main Temple and Intihuatana Stone (used for charting the solstice and equinox), and then meandered through the lower terraces, Main Square, and Industrial Sector. We ended up doing the whole site without a guide, but that was not by design. We’d heard you could usually hire one right at the entry gate, but didn’t happen to see anyone when we initially arrived. We eavesdropped on a couple of tour groups here and there during the day. Although not a necessity, I think it would have been nice to have had a guide take us around before just wandering at will on our own.
Eventually, the sun started to lower in the sky and the shadows began to lengthen. It was hard to tear ourselves away. The place is just so magical and mysterious. We had truly lucked out with the weather, and the crowds were manageable as well. We stayed past the peak visiting hours and the site was quite peaceful in the later afternoon.
We allowed ourselves one last, long gaze and then headed down the path to the exit. Back to a waiting bus for the steep, curvy ride to town. We were sufficiently tired from our exertions that day and happily boarded the train back to Ollantaytambo. I could have easily dozed off had it not been for the evening's entertainment on the Vistadome. What a spastic, but fun spectacle! It started out with one of the porters doing some sort of traditional dance all dressed up in mask and colorful garb; a stuffed toy llama attached to his belt. This was followed by an actual fashion show in which 2 attractive train attendants strutted down the aisle to ABBA’s 'Dancing Queen' in a variety of fine alpaca shawls and sweaters. We all whistled and applauded. A few passengers bought sweaters. It was somehow a fitting end to the day!
It was around 9:00 p.m. by the time we got ‘home’ so we just grabbed a bite at the hotel restaurant before turning in. I tried the quinoa soup, which was just right after the large lunch I had consumed earlier.
May 28th, 2009, 09:00 AM
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I think we got gypped on our train - it was supposed to be the Vistadome but it had no dome, only normal windows. And no entertainment. I've read other people talking about fashion shows and dancing - we missed out!!
Sounds like your day at MP was perfect.
Sounds like your day at MP was perfect.
