Back to Cusco afternoon, Monday, 4/16/18

We four adventurers (Jimmy, me, Kari and Mary D.) who spent the morning exploring misty Machu Picchu returned in time to check out of our hotel (and have an early lunch).  We stopped at a few places before boarding the train back to Cusco.

This statue in Agua Calientes' Virgen del Carmen church is worshiped as the Lord of Tremors, or The Black Christ, because in 1650 when a massive earthquake flattened Cusco, the statue was taken out to the streets, and the earthquake stopped.  Revered ever since.

Another stop we made was at a museum filled with photos from Machu Picchu's "rediscovery," compared with recent photos -- quite amazing to see how MP looked when Hiram Bingham first saw the site.  The image on the left is dated 1912, the one on the right is from 2014.  Not much change in over 100 years -- maybe a little straightening, but otherwise left intact. 

I guess Agua Calientes townspeople know when to expect PeruRail to chug into town.  Otherwise, vendors and others crossing the tracks would get run over.

The ride back to Ollanytaytambo was just as much fun, including the tunnels, as the previous day's ride, and we were even treated to a "fashion show."  The Urubamba River roars downstream next to the track.

This character was part of the "fashion show,"

and very entertaining for everyone in our car.

After disembarking the train, we boarded a bus bound for Cusco where we'll spend the night.  But first (as we like to say), we stopped at Chincheros for a weaving demonstration.

For a small coin, Pauline and I posed with the "dressed-up" llamas and Indigenous ladies.

This striking black and white raptor of the high Andes is a Mountain Caracara.

At Chincheros, we were motioned to sit on chairs placed around the room, and graciously offered a cup of tea, and then the demonstrations began.  I took pics of the entire process, but we'd be sitting here, writing and reading, till cows walked through the living room, so I'll be brief.

She made her own "soap" from a root called saqta, which is a natural detergent. by shredding it, adding water and then washing the fiber in a bowl.  You see the root and shredder next to the white washing water.  We were all surprised to see the dingy and dirty-appearing fiber (in large bowl, left) come out of its bath white as snow.

"Weaving is a way of life in Chincheros, as important for preserving ancient traditions as it is for earning a livelihood.  Located in the Peruvian Andes on the Inca road between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Chincheros was an early Inca center built by emperor Tupa Inca as his country estate.  During Inca reign, textiles were woven and offered to make special occasions, from peace treaties and sacrifices to marriage ceremonies and puberty rites.

In Chincheros, children grow up playing with their mother's spindle and loom.  By age six or seven, most children learn to weave by watching their elders.  They begin by weaving jakimas, or narrow ribbons, before moving on to more complicated pieces."  (courtesy Road Scholar)  Everyone in the group loved this entire demo, the ladies and their traditional outfits of red and black.

Naturally dyed fiber/yarn on the wall behind the women.

After the demo, woven scarfs, runners, etc., were offered for sale.  Beautifully done, brightly-colored pieces.  Jimmy and I bought a couple of items, and the price was not excessive.  We like that when we do buy something, we're helping a community (and its members) be self-sustaining.

Well, how about this for a finale?  Pizza for dinner, and very good pizza, to boot.  In Cusco, (back to the high altitude of 11,000'), we enjoyed a Peruvian pizza.  After such an active day, and pizza in our tummies, it only took a few seconds for us to conk out on our comfy bed.  Tomorrow, we go to Sacsayhuaman.  See if you can say that fast three times!  How about once?

A Misty Machu Picchu, Monday, 4/16/18

A misty rain was falling on Kari, Mary D, and Jimmy and I as we waited in line at 5:15am, well before the Sun God thought of smiling on us.  Thankfully it was a short walk from our hotel to the line.  We didn't have long to wait ... one by one the small buses rolled down the narrow street toward us, and one by one people filed aboard.  When that bus roared away, it was replaced by another and another.  Buses gave the impression of pachyderms, standing trunk to tail.  By 5:30 we were aboard a bus and on our way to a morning's explore at Machu Picchu.

Hauntingly irresistible.

Mary wanted to investigate the lower areas of MP that the group didn't get to the day before.  Kari wanted to hike up to the Sun Gate.  Jimmy and I had no real destination in mind till we saw the sign for Inka Bridge.  (Apparently the spelling is interchangeable:  Inca/Inka ... I'm not sure which is the right way, or if one is preferred over the other.)   We had to be back in town by 10 am to join the rest of the group, so we'd be fine checking out the bridge, time-wise. 

No sun peeking through the mist, but we didn't mind.

The sign behind Jimmy says "Ceremonial Rock."

... on the trail toward Inca Bridge.

We arrived at this gate approx 6:45, but it didn't open till 7am, so we stood around in front of the gate, waiting.  I could see nothing between the slats that might give me an idea what we'd see when the gate DID open.  I admired the lichen on the rocks.  Promptly at 7, a guard from inside the gate unlocked it.  At his "guard shack," in Spanish and pointing, he asked us to sign a register, name, age, where we were from, and time in, with an empty box next to it for "time out."  His was a native's face, brown and with a happy smile, as though today was the best day of his life.  A few other people followed us in and signed the register.

The mighty Urubamba looks like it has been damned (middle of the pic).

This walk -- hike -- was nuts, narrow, uneven, with lots of ups and downs, and altogether kind of eerie.  At the same time, patches or clumps of flowers grew wildly which made it feel cheerier.  You can see Jimmy in his grey jacket.  Believe me, the bottom is a long way down.

Look at this skinny winding path carved into solid rock.  While you're at it, please observe that someone or lots of someones had to build the wall below (how?) to make and strengthen the path.

This handrail was put there for good reason!  One misstep and you're 1,900' below on the valley floor.  At this point, the path was leading us downhill.

This final gate was locked, end of the line.

To go further would lead to disaster.

OK, now I'm going to quote from Wiki, words I could scarcely believe:  "Inca Bridge is a part of a mountain trail that heads west from Machu Picchu. The trail is a stone path, part of which is cut into a cliff face.  A twenty-foot gap was left in this section of the carved cliff edge, with a 1,900-foot drop, that could be bridged with two tree trunks, otherwise leaving the trail impassable to outsiders."  See the gate where we had to turn around?  And the boards over the twenty-foot gap?  

Above you can clearly see the stone path and the wooden boards or tree trunks that could be pulled away in a moment.  The Incas carved this out of solid rock, shored it up with thousands of blocks, as an escape route or to stymie attackers.  Without the middle wood section, the path was useless.  The stone path and steps have lasted eons.  The wood can be replaced as needed.  I don't know when it was last used, probably long ago.  What an unforgettable image!

I added the red check mark for reference.

That is the far side of the stone walk. 

It wasn't easy.

Whew!  After gasping at the Inca Bridge and the path to it, we commenced a return to the ruins, signing out on the guard's register. The light rain had stopped, and, by gum, the sun peeked through the mist, giving a golden glow to yonder mountain!

Another Rufus Collared Sparrow, this one singing its little heart out.

With the sun burning off the mist, the flowers along the path popped! 

More fortifications.

Jimmy and I continued our explore and became sort of trapped in a maze of stone blocks.  Arrows kept pointing us up and up into the ruins.  We didn't want to (we'd done it yesterday).  A helpful worker showed us another way down, which we took.  The site actually stretches over five miles, with more than 3,000 stone steps that link its many different levels, and I swear we hit every one of those steps!

The sun didn't stay with us, misty clouds continuing to swirl around the site, giving it an other-worldly touch.  Above, Jimmy walks toward Machu Picchu's exit.  What a fascinating man-made wonder, simply beyond belief ... we were so glad we came back for another glimpse of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (2007)!  However, it was time for us to leave; we had miles to go before we slept that evening, which is for yet another post.

Machu Picchu, Sunday, 4/15/18

For all that's written and the millions of photos of Machu Picchu, no one mentions or shows that there's a restaurant near the entrance!  Yes.  I'm sure most of you know you have to buy a ticket to get into the ruins, in advance.  Also, you go either morning or afternoon.  Shifts, doncha know.  That also tells you just how many people want to visit this amazing spot on earth, so many that they've had to split each day into shifts.  Tidbits for you.  

From Agua Calientes where the group is staying, we boarded a rickety bus, crossed the Urubamba River (photo, above), and began the ascent, a somewhat hair-raising switchback on a narrow track, to Machu Picchu, at roughly 8'000'.  This photo was taken near the top.  Somehow these buses could pass each other, one going up, the other going down, with barely a couple of inches to spare.  When the bus stopped, we piled out and entered the restaurant for a delicious buffet lunch.  You know we were filled with excitement!

At the plaza, ready to enter the site,

with Steve, an unintentional photo-bomber.

First, we'll climb to the Guardhouse (pointy roof, center) for what can only be described as a spectacular view of the ruins.  Climb is the operative word for Machu Picchu.  Steep steps up and many steps down ... what a workout we had today.

For us, like many others before us, seeing Machu Picchu, trodding over Incan ground, was the long-anticipated highlight of our trip to Peru.  These images (top/bottom) are the terraces and buildings of Machu Picchu ... it looks like the photos we've all seen, but somehow in person, there's an energy here that you miss in pictures.  This really is an awesome sight.  I took a hundred-and-a-half photos, every angle, and we were hard put to pick which go into this post.  Ancient peoples built these structures and abandoned them.  The jungle overran them, and Hiram Bingham "rediscovered" Machu Picchu in 1911.  Our Road Scholar briefing said, "Machu Picchu was built, flourished, and fell into demise within a period of 100 years."  I hope you're as impressed by this as I was!

Yes, we were here! 

With our guide, we clambered up, down, and all around.  The stony walkways are full of trip hazards, but no one got hurt.  We never felt crowded, though other groups were present, singles, families and couples exploring the site; we were well-taken care of.

The day was warm, very warm.  These are "cloud forest" mountains -- humid and tropical -- with colorful Epiphytes (Bromeliads, etc.) growing where you don't expect to see them.

Llamas still graze the green grasses at the ruins.

A view of Wayna (or Huayna) Picchu mountain framed in a doorway.
I like this one!

Orchids, Angel Trumpets, and others grace the site.

I'm sorry we didn't pay closer attention to the names of the rooms we were in.  Just figure we scoured the ruins, seeing The Temple of the Condor, The Temple of the Three Windows, etc.  Jimmy was especially intrigued by the sophisticated stone walls, fusing huge blocks without using mortar.  Everyone is, I suppose.  It remains a mystery, all of it.  In 1983, UNESCO designated Machu Picchu a World Heritage Site, describing it as "an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization."  Rightly so.

This viewpoint overlooks the Urubamba River far below.

Do not fall over that railing ... it's 1,000' down!

Look how green everything is.

Jimmy and I posing at The Sacred Rock -- the rock apparently is a powerful symbol in Machu Picchu and recognized as a spiritual area for meditation and absorbing positive energies.  It also resembles the top of the mountains behind it.  I wondered what the words Machu Picchu mean.  It's a Quechua word:  Machu means old or ancient, and Picchu means mountain.  Translated, Machu Picchu is "Old Mountain."

Jimmy and his friend, "Bob!"

Wowzers.  Sometime in late afternoon, we returned to earth and Agua Calientes.  We had time to shower and eat dinner at IndioFeliz (excellent) and afterward, Jimmy and I strolled around the town, admiring the sculptures.  I took photos of the best ones, but they seem to have disappeared.  Too bad.

Nature does Nothing in Vain

One early morning deserves another, I suppose.  But this time, we were the instigators.  For an extra cost, those of us in the group who wanted to visit Machu Picchu in the morning could do so.  Jimmy and I and two other ladies were the only people who opted in.  That meant up at 4am again, breakfast at 4:30 and out the door by 5:15 to catch the rickety bus back up the mountain.  We waited in line (yup, there's a line that early) for about 15 minutes and were on our way by 5:30 in a light misty rain.  "Stay tuned for the rest of the story" tomorrow.