Day 259 - Machu Picchu

(Ursula) We got to the train station early and purchased tickets to Machu Picchu. This train was much nicer and not overcrowded.

After a 4-hour ride through mountainous terrain and a long subtropical valley, we reached Aguas Caliente, where everyone was getting off. Machu Picchu is the most famous place in Peru, and we wanted to take our time to explore it all and not feel rushed to return to Cuzco the same day. Thus, we reserved a room in the Bamboo Hut next to the train station for 1-night.

The cost of the bus ride to the archeological site sitting 1,312 feet up on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River, was too much for our budget. We decided to use the hiking trail. The climb was exhausting due to the humid climate and the steep terrain, but we made it in just one hour.

Wow, we arrived in the Inca city of Machu Picchu!

The site was very impressive and mysterious at the same time. Certain areas were still being excavated and restored. What was this place used for? Was it for religious purposes? Was it a retreat or hideout for the Inca emperor Pachacuti? The terraces and sophisticated irrigation systems indicated they were growing crops.

So many thoughts went through our heads all day long. There were so many unanswered questions! And again, as we have seen in Cuzco, the stone masons had done amazing precision work.

There was a gate carved out of a monolith and a strange-looking rock that could have been a sacrificial stone. It was obvious that this was once a fully functional city. It was abandoned for unknown reasons in the mid-15th century.

Climbing around the site wasn’t easy because of the steep terrain, humidity, and higher elevation. St. Peter then took pity on us and let it rain for a while. I found that very considerate! After the rain, it was time to descend to Aguas Caliente. We absolutely loved everything we saw. It was well worth visiting.

We ate a sandwich in our room by candlelight (no electricity) and went to bed tired. Unfortunately, we couldn’t sleep much because mice were rummaging around all night. One even rushed over Heinz’s face and pillow. How gross. They stubbornly tried to get to the provisions in our backpacks.

Expenses $18.70Read more