Exploring Machu Picchu

After reaching the end of the Inca Trail yesterday, we were too tired to explore the lost city and chose to take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and return early in the morning. We hoped that this would enable us to miss the worst of the crowds.

Catching a bus at 7.30 am we once again began the tortuous ascent back up to Machu Picchu. When we arrived about 30 mins later we discovered that, although the crowds were smaller than the previous afternoon, the masses were already beginning to arrive. When I was last here in 2010, it was at the end of the GFC and global tourism was in the doldrums. At that time it was actually very quiet and we were able to wander almost anywhere we wanted throughout the ruins. That has all changed now.

Not only has the flow of visitors gone through the roof, but there have also been many restrictions placed on where you can now walk within the city. Apparently one of the main reasons for these new restrictions is the stupid obsession with people taking selfies. After several fell to their deaths in recent years in the attempt to take the ultimate selfie, now everyone else has to suffer for their narcissistic stupidity. I can never understand why some travellers feel the need to prove they have been somewhere by taking pictures of themselves in front of every landmark. Surely it should be enough that you know you have been to a place, without having to stand in front of it ?

We tried to avoid the worst of the selfie stick generation and were spellbound as our guide revealed to us many of the secrets of this remarkable construction. Even though much of the original city is still covered by jungle, the part you can see is absolutely breathtaking. It is an incredible testimonial to the engineering brilliance and tenacity of this race of people. Unfortunately it all rapidly came to an end when the plundering Spaniards invaded in 1532. In spite of their building genius, they had no real defense against the guns of the Spanish invaders. The rest is history.

After exploring the lost city we returned down the hill for a final time and then caught the bus back to Ollantaytambo. Then followed a tiring bus trip back to Cusco. Although Cusco is only about 35 km from Ollantaytambo as the condor flies, it is a tortuous 125 km by road. We arrived after dark and were bewildered at the chaotic traffic jam we drove straight into on the outskirts of the city. We gazed open mouthed through the windows of the bus as hundreds of tooting vehicles all jostled for survival on the rough and narrow streets. One thing is certain, I would NEVER be an UBER driver in Cusco.

We finally arrived back at the Casa Andina Hotel just in time to experience an underground earthquake of magnitude 4.8. Apparently it was 10 km right under Cusco city. As I said previously, South America is never boring.

We also received the news that tomorrow a city wide strike has been declared throughout Cusco. Most of the shops will be closed and the city will be in a partial lockdown. What was that I said about South America ?Read more