Great report sasark! I also stayed at the Gran Bolivar and can't believe you did too! The bed IS hard but worth it imo; it was a STEAL of a price for the location and the grand old glamour of the place. I loved El Albargue as well. I really enjoyed the dynamics of watching all the trains coming in in the morning and the buzz of excitement as people jockeyed to climb on for the highlight experience of their Peruvian adventure. I know what you mean by the electricity on that train ride; I probably had it tenfold self-contained just within myself! I could not stop marveling and smiling/beaming during that ride to MP. Looking forward to the rest of your adventures...

Thanks ncounty! Yes, I loved that hotel and now want to find someplace just like it in Buenos Aires -- and maybe Madrid, though I'm guessing wherever I end up in Madrid will cost a bit more! By the way, I noticed in your trip report it cost you only $28?! I'm impressed! How did you book the room? I paid $68 per night, though honestly I still thought that was cheap, given the location and all the other positives.

I think it must have been luck and timing and season, sasark; it went up to about $40 shortly after I booked it. I wanted to experience it just for the $28 bragging rights, lol! Although I wrote that I couldn't recommend it due to the hard beds (as you also noted), I would totally stay there again. It is just not for most people who need more creature comforts than I do. I booked the room through one of the customary sites, can't remember which. I usually use kayak or venere.

I loved Soho in BA; that would be my preferred area to stay there.

Madrid is so much fun; you've got some great adventures ahead! Don't miss a day trip to Toledo. I have some wonderful pictures from there.

Thanks for sharing your photos of Ollanta ... especially Pinkuyllana. We'd hoped to do the hike up there, but ran out of time ... reason to go back someday.

ncounty, thanks so much for the BA and Madrid recommendations! I lived near Madrid when I was a child, but my memories of the city are hazy. I am looking forward to experiencing it again....

eenusa, you're most welcome! It's hard to fit in everything, isn't it? Ah well -- we try!

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Friday, Nov. 25 - Aguas Calientes
===========================

I was keyed up but also a bit sleepy as I sipped a weak coffee Friday morning at Andina Luxury. Besides this disappointing brew, the hotel offered a large and varied buffet, which was adequate but not much more. On the upside, the woman tending it was very friendly. It was about 5:30, and two or three other parties shared the cavernous breakfast room with me. Against one wall was a loud flat-screen TV. Out front was a nice view of the rushing river.

While I'm thinking of it, a few other comments about the hotel: The common areas of the hotel, in particular the large circular stairway in the center of the building, were always dark. Also, though I liked my room, the bathroom was odd -- the shower had no door or curtain. The water-spillage wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but the open concept made the shower experience a little strange. As a side note, at $110 a night, this hotel was the most expensive I booked in Perú. But despite the cost and little quirks, I was glad I stayed there. When initially researching options in Auguas Calientes, I came across so many inns that got bad reviews, and the problems mentioned (bugs, ice-cold showers, noise) were just not ones that I wanted to deal with. I'm sure there are other good options, but Andina Luxury worked well for me.

Anyway, after breakfast, I walked to the bus stop and bought a round-trip ticket. It was about 6 at this point -- I'd missed the earliest bus by a half hour -- but I was glad to see lots of buses lined up and one leaving every few minutes. There were quite a few people waiting on the sidewalk, but not a mob.

The bus trip took about 30 minutes. As we arrived, I saw guests milling about, and guides offering their services. I hesitated -- should I have a guide? I considered it, but I wanted to be able to go through the ruins at my own pace, and I also had a detailed book ("The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour"). So I decided to go solo, and this turned out to be a good choice.

I continued on, got my ticket stamped, and -- wow! It wasn't far to that first spot where you can see most of the ruins spread out before you. A grey-white mist hung in the air, so I couldn't see absolutely everything right away, but I didn't need to! It was breathtaking. I have seen American ruins before, but nothing that comes close to the size and completeness of Machu Picchu. Besides that, the mountains rising all around the city make the sight so dramatic. It reminded me of the first time I saw the Acropolis, also in the early morning, coincidentally. That was an all-time great travel moment, and this was too. Wow!

The rest of the day was amazing. I spent hours exploring the site, staying basically until closing time, pausing occasionally to chat with people I'd met previously along the tourist route. I didn't really eat lunch, but I visited the outdoor lunch counter twice for snacks. The weather was sunny and beautiful all day.

I decided to walk through the ruins in a generally clockwise direction, starting from the guardhouse. I also did a side trip to the Inca drawbridge, which was about a 20-minute walk away each way from the main site. The drawbridge area is interesting and it's a lot less crowded than other parts of Machu Picchu (so if you have yet to visit, this might be good if you want a break from the throngs during the day). By the time I returned from the drawbridge, the mist had cleared, and the view of the city was spectacular!

Next I went through the city structures, starting with the "main gate," then down to the area that houses the Temple of the Sun. This area was very busy, and I had to wait for several tour groups to go through. If you are at Machu Picchu early, it might not be a bad idea to visit this area first, particularly if you want to get photos that don't include lots of people. As a side note, it was here that I first experienced that awful feeling when you realize that you have inadvertently stepped into someone's picture -- lots of people were trying to get photos of the temple, the cave below it, and so on. Fortunately everyone I encountered was good-natured.

Near this area is a staircase with a lot of fountains, which I loved. The sound of falling water was very peaceful. It was also around this time I saw my first llamas stepping delicately through the agricultural terraces. They are so agile -- it was fun to watch them wander confidently up narrow staircases and byways.

From there I headed up to the rock quarry, then into the Sacred Plaza. A guy who worked at the site offered to tell me about the plaza, which was nice, but then it seemed like he didn't want to leave my side, so I left, making a mental note to return the next day.

I went along, walking up to the Intiwatana. My book's explanation of this sundial-like structure was a little convoluted -- I'm still not sure what it was for. However, the book pointed out one thing I really liked, which were two "image stones" -- stones meant to represent the mountains in the distance. I took some pictures of these, then went out onto the large empty platform just beyond the Intiwatana. This area was very peaceful. It was nice to sit for a while, look at the rich green expanse running through the city, and imagine it filled with people (guests today are pretty much kept off the grass in the center of the site).

After a bit I crossed the main plaza and found the sacred rock. Unfortunately, at this point, a guy -- another solo traveler whom I'd met earlier -- came along and sort of attached himself to me. Unlike the guide at the Sacred Plaza, this person was harder to get rid of. Fortunately, it was late, so it wasn't too long before we realized that Machu Picchu was closing for the day and we had to leave the site.

As we walked out, it occurred to me that Machu Picchu is particularly beautiful in the late afternoon, with the rich golden light and long shadows. It had also really cleared out of people – I felt luck to have been able to stay late.

Upon exiting, I noticed visitors getting their passports marked with a Machu Picchu stamp, so I made sure I got that.

My unwanted companion stuck by my side all the way to Aguas Calientes, when he pointedly said he had no idea how he would pass the hour until his train back to Cusco. I politely wished him luck and headed back in the direction of Andina Luxury.

On the way, I stopped to look at a restaurant menu. A woman who spoke no English tried to entice me inside, and we conversed entirely in Spanish about different vegetarian options. In just the few days I'd been in Perú, my Spanish was so much better! Very exciting.

I did end up eating there, and the meal (pizza) was just OK, but I enjoyed the view of the river and the cheerful colors of the restaurant. Afterwards, I headed back to the hotel and chatted for a while with the desk clerk, David, then headed to my room to wash up. I was sad to realize my hands were sunburned -- pretty badly, too. I had covered up everywhere else and had applied sunscreen in the morning, but I guess I forgot to re-apply. Oh, well. If you’re going, be careful!

What a highlight experience! I think you made the right choice to do MP on your own and take your time. I can just imagine how it must have looked in the late afternoon golden sun.

Thanks, ncounty -- yes, I loved it!

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Saturday, Nov. 26 - Aguas Calientes
=============================

Because November is the rainy season, I had arranged for two days at Machu Picchu, just to be on the safe side. As it turned out, the first day's weather was fantastic, but I was still glad I had the second day. Going through the site took longer than I expected (though this may not be your experience -- I am the sort of person who reads every placard in a museum).

Anyway, the second day I again got there pretty early -- around 6:30. I decided to start with a return trip to the Sacred Plaza and Intiwatana, to see if I could get some better photos of it before it was crowded (mission accomplished...). Then I went to the buildings along the eastern side of the site.

I spent several hours walking all around this area, which included some residences, more storehouses, and the building with the mortars (bowl-liked formations that fill with water and might have had an astronomical purpose). I especially liked an area that my guidebook said may have been used as a place for handicrafts. I am an artist and I love crafts, so I decided that was one of my favorite parts of Machu Picchu. ; )

Later I went behind these buildings and noticed a steep narrow staircase leading down to some terraces. As I stepped down it, a park employee called to me, "con cuidado" -- be careful. The lower levels of these terraces were very peaceful and also offered some privacy from the crowds. I saw a trio of people sunbathing there -- I don't sunbathe, but this would be a great place to while away an afternoon.

I climbed back up, and the park guide asked if I would like to see an area that had something to do with "las momias." He spoke no English but after some Q&A I figured out he meant "mummies." I agreed, and he led me back down the stairs to an outdoor area that had bowl-like indentations in the ground, which he said were for children's bodies. Next he led me to several other caves that he said were for mummies. After that, we visited the Intimachay, the cave altered by the Incas so that it would be pierced by light on and around the December solstice, but at no other other times. It was here that the park guide gave me some coca leaves and said I could leave them as an offering, which I did.

By this time, the weather had turned and a light rain was falling, so I put on the rain poncho I had bought for 5 soles in Ollanta.

I thanked the park guide and went back out on my own, going back through some of the other buildings. The main place I still needed to visit was the Temple of the Condor, which was as crowded as the Temple of the Sun. If you haven't seen it, this temple hosts a formation on the ground meant to represent the body of the condor. Up against two walls are long, dramatic formations that symbolize the wings. It's really quite beautiful and you can understand why the area is probably often crowded.

Eventually, it was time to leave. Reluctantly, I started made my way toward the exit, and back onto the bus. I had a ticket on the 6:45 o'clock train to Ollanta, where I needed to pick up my bag and get in a taxi for Cusco. One of the staff at El Albergue had said she'd help me with a taxi (though this probably wasn't necessary to arrange in advance -- there are taxis all around). When I got there, she said she'd arranged a colectivo to take me for 10 soles. In the colectivo, I was sardined in amongst about six other people, with my bag on my lap and no way to move my arms -- but the price was right, I guess. The driver dropped us at the Plaza de Armas, and it was as beautiful as I'd been expecting.

I hailed a taxi and asked him if he knew where my hotel was. He said that he did, but judging from the number of times he stopped to ask directions, it seems unlikely. I figured out later that the hotel, La Piccola Locanda, is on a pedestrian-only street, so that makes it harder for drivers to find. Eventually he dropped me and my luggage off on a side street and told me that I was close, giving me some directions that I didn't totally understand but had a few more turns than I really cared for. Vowing to pack lighter in the future, I hauled my bags up and set out looking for the inn.

While I was walking, two guys looked at me sympathetically and asked if I wanted help. I thanked them but said no. They kept walking but then turned around and asked if I was sure. I paused... I'd gotten up at 4:30 am., and I was pretty tired. I like to be self-sufficient, but now I said OK.

So these two came back. One of them picked up my large bag, carrying it all the way down the street we were on, then onto Calle Resbolosa. We walked all the way down the steep staircase, only to discover at the bottom that La Piccola Locanda was on the *other* end of the street, so we had to go all the way back up the stairs! They took turns carrying the bag, resting occasionally, but never letting me carry it. Finally we got to the inn. I told my two helpers that I felt I owed them a drink, so they waited while I tossed my stuff in my room. Then we went around the corner to a bar and had pisco sours. These guys were from Lima, and just staying in Cusco for a few days -- in fact they were going to Machu Picchu themselves the next day. When they asked me about Machu Picchu, one of the things I mentioned was that I had loved watching the llamas wander around the ruins. I must have gotten some words wrong, because they asked me to repeat myself and when I finally communicated that I thought the llamas were very agile, the way they could easily walk up steep staircases, one of my companions exclaimed, "Just like us!" which made us all laugh. Anyway, it was really fun, but I couldn't believe it when I looked at my watch and saw it was around 1.

My new friends offered to walk me back to the hotel. On the way we stopped to take photos in front of the cathedral. There were so many people out and about, I asked if something was going on, but apparently this is just a normal Saturday night in Cusco. Finally, we all said goodbye, and I went exhausted to my room, grateful to have received assistance in reaching it!

My photos of Machu Picchu:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7172500...7628472037977/

Great report Sasark. I am looking forward to seeing how hard it is to find La Piccola Locanda. It looks easy on the map and so close to the main square. Mind you we have thought the same thing about every hotel in every city we have visited.

Thanks colduphere. I think as long as you remember the name of the church, you will be fine. My mistake was in just writing down the address, glancing at the map without remembering a lot of key details, and getting a taxi driver who didn't know the inn or Calle Resbolosa very well. I did recall that there was a church nearby, but I couldn't remember the name, and of course there are many churches in Cusco! If I were you, I would probably take a printout of the map just to be sure, but it sounds like you will be fine.

wow, you were so lucky to have those two guys help you out, sasark. I had similar problems finding my way back to my hotel one night but it was just carrying a light purse. Thank god for young gentlemen.

Yes, they were very gracious! It was definitely good luck.

Sasark - we have now done the stairs up to Piccola Locanda twice. It certainly is a lot harder than it looked in the pictures I had seen. Maybe it will be easier after we acclimatize a bit.

I had similar steep stairs to climb to my place in Agua Calienete called Rupawasi. Tough with luggage; glad I had help. Hope it gets easier, cold. Fun to be following your travels!

Colduphere -- ugh, I hope it gets better. And I know what you mean; I thought I would be fine with the stairs, but I found them really exhausting and annoying. In fact, there were nights I wanted to head back to my room and change clothes before dinner, but I generally ended up skipping that just because I didn't want to face the stairs.

Related to this, I never took altitude medication in Cusco, which I now think was a mistake. You may want to check and see if they have coca tea at breakfast (it looked like they did when I was there). That might help a bit.

Sasark - Yes they have coca tea all day. Today we went to Pisac and other places and got as high as 12100. I think everyone is now doing pretty well with altitude. There are just steep slopes everywhere that would be tough at home (altitude 240 feet).

Sorry to intrude on your thread Sasark. But just one more thing. Ncounty tomorrow is rafting up above Cuzco. Nothing higher than 3.5 we are told.

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Sunday, Nov. 27 - Cusco
====================

My first night's sleep at La Piccola Locanda didn't go so well. I was awakened a couple of times during the night, probably by the sound of revelers from Calle Resbalosa, though I'm not sure. Then my attempt to sleep in was thwarted by loud people in the hallways, and by the sound of the hotel doorbell, which managed to pierce my sleep even though I was on the second floor. (The door to La Piccola Locanda is always locked, and you can only get in by ringing a doorbell.)

Eventually I got up and wandered into the communal bathroom to take a shower. The bathrooms were spotless, but small. There's no place to put your stuff other than the floor or on the toilet (from which they have a tendency to slide off). Some of the guest rooms do have their own bathrooms, though, so you could avoid this easily enough.

Anyway, these negatives were offset by the fact that my room was really beautiful, decorated nicely and with wonderful views. I also liked the breakfast room, which was cozy and warm -- pretty much the opposite of the breakfast room at Andina Luxury. And though the selection was less varied, the food was far better. The rolls, jams, and cheese all tasted fresh and very good. That first morning we also had a plateful of toffee-flavored squares that were rich and delicious. The breakfast room has a couple of wired PCs, so you can check your e-mail or get online for whatever else you need. (It's best to do this in the morning, because this room is locked up in the evening. I think they will open it up for a small fee, but I just used the PCs in the morning to avoid the hassle.)

Originally I had planned to spend the day at Pisac, but following two long days at Machu Picchu, I didn't want to be in the midst of crowds, nor to walk around ruins. Instead, I dropped off some laundry at a lavanderia across the street from the hotel, then headed down to the Plaza de Armas to explore. As luck would have it, something was going on... in the center of the plaza, a guy and a woman wearing red, black, and white costumes were speaking into microphones to a crowd. Eventually I figured out that they were holding some sort of Quechua tournament, or demonstration. People from the crowd would come forward, were shown pictures, and described the pictures in Quechua. On the ground in the center of the crowd were placards showing the letters of the alphabet, and participants used to them to spell out words on a board, Wheel-of-Fortune style. I thought the highlight of the event was when a girl from the crowd stepped forward and sang a song in Quechua a capella.

I watched for quite a while, then decided to go back to my room for my hat (the sun was brutal). Ugh, what a haul up those stairs! Maybe at a lower altitude it wouldn't seem so bad, but I vowed not to forget anything else in my room for the duration of my stay.

I wandered around the square a bit more, was approached by several vendors wanting to sell me things, and eventually sought refuge in a small cafe with a balcony overlooking the plaza. The restaurant was called Señor Aji. Here I had a banana juice and solterito cusqueña, a bean and vegetable dish that was excellent. While I sat there, the weather turned. First there was thunder, then a wind that was surprisingly icy. The staff hurried to shut the balcony doors so we wouldn't all freeze.

After the rain let up, I went across the plaza to tour the cathedral. I bought the boleto religioso and was told that I could listen to a recorded audio tour via a little device that they lend you. The cathedral staff requires identification for this, so be sure to take a copy of your passport if you want the audio tour, which I thought was worthwhile.

Following the cathedral, I went back to the hotel to put on warmer clothes, then walked around some more. The vendors in the square were incredibly aggressive, which is unfortunate because the square is so beautiful, but not a particularly pleasant place to be (or at least that was my experience).

Eventually I stopped for dinner at a restaurant called Tobasco, which was near the plaza. I went in because a sign out front advertised papas a la huancaina, which is one of several vegetarian dishes that were recommended to me by a Peruvian passenger on my flight from Houston to Lima. It was a potato dish with peppers, onions, and cheese -- very good. The service, however, was forgetful, so I didn't linger too long.

Afterward I went back to the lavanderia for my clothes, then returned to the hotel, making it a pretty early evening, though the night sky was already black. I was really struck by how beautiful Cusco looked from my room, with the city lights rising up all around. It does make you feel that you're at the center of the world, in a way.

colduphere, I just saw your last post! No apologies needed -- I'm glad it's going better with the altitude.

Have fun rafting, ncounty -- be careful!