Day 8: Macchu Pichu

So 04.00 a.m. We only had 5 hours ahead to sleep, but I didn't sleep at all. I was feeling under the weather but I took some medicine and made a big effort to get better as soon as possible. This was one of my most long-awaited visits in Peru and I didn't want anything to ruin this moment.

There were two ways to go up to Macchu Pichu: a one- hour- and -a- half hike climbing up hundreds of stone steps, as Incas used to do, or taking a eight-dollar touristic bus which would only take 5 minutes. We wanted to do the first option (cheaper and more adventurous) but my body said no point-black, otherwise I would have gotten as sick as a dog. Once up there, we were glad about not having done it anyway, because apparently it was hard and exhausting according to some of our travelmates who did it.

 

Well, there we were, high atop the world on the mystical peak! Still a bit sick and sleepy, Macchu Pichu ("Old Peak" in Quechua) stood before our very eyes. The early mist floating in between the mountains and ruins put such a magical touch that it seemed like a dream to us. What a sight to see to have clouds drifting above and below you! It was a shame I couldn't enjoy that marvel at first, but as the morning passed by, I felt better until I was almost back on my feet. We spent the rest of the time exploring the area (which covers a much larger area than we expected!), taking millions of pictures, strolling around and rejoicing in this paradise.

 

No wonder this is such a touristy place. It is a breathtaking 360-degree landscape, mysterious, magical, invigorating, a natural painkiller, an utterly unique and stunning panorama. Definitely one of the best (if not the best) places I have ever been to! Despite the fact we weren't able to see the sunrise due to the mist and drizzle, which accompanied us all the time, we were as happy as clams.

Pictures are worth a thousand words (they don't do it justice though)

 

winding road from Aguas Calientes to Macchu Pichu



one of the astrological "devices"



Oops! This is quite high...

Wayna Pichu peak

 

The Inca civilization was complex and smart, but I won't go into details as it would take ages. Macchu Pichu, or The lost city of the Incas, is believed to have been a religious site, although its purpose still remains unclear. They also used this 15th-century site for astrological purposes, which is absolutely amazing taking into account they could only use stones, water and barely nothing else for it. The site is so hidden that Spanish conquerors didn't find the place, fortunately. Actually, it wasn't discovered until 1911.

 

Against our will, we had to say goodbye to Heaven and go back down to Aguas Calientes if we didn't want to miss the train that would take us where the vans were waiting for us (the two-hour hike we did the previous day along the railway would now be a short ride by train). How lucky we were that, once we were at the pick-up point, there was no room for us in the van. The guides had joined two different groups or so and miscounted passengers, but they sorted it out by driving us by car part of the way and then putting us on a local bus. It didn't matter how we would travel, our way back was to be the same crazy bumpy winding journey. The good thing about it was the stunning landscape again, and travelling with warm locals. Shame we couldn't say goodbye to our travel buddies with whom we'd travelled to Macchu Pichu and had a very nice time with.

 

Six hours later we made it to Cusco again, to our so-loved cozy hostel. Time for a well-deserved shower and a good night's sleep.