Our Journey to Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was “discovered” in 1911 by the Yale professor Hiram Bingham and I can understand now why he had to go off the beaten track to find this “lost city.” The only way to access Aguas Calientes, the city located in the valley below the site and that only recently has been created to house the thousands of tourists that come through, is by train. And because you have to take a tourist train, it’s very expensive. In fact, don’t get me started about how expensive the trip is to Machu Picchu, because it makes me frustrated about what a rip off it is compared to everything else in Peru. However, it is one of the seven modern wonders of the world and I can say that its 100% worth the money and effort to get there. However, Bekah and I were especially aware of how much we were getting ripped off, after living in Huaycan where everything is super cheap. My Spanish certainly came in handy though and I think I impressed a number of Peruvians who are used to tourists who are clueless when I opened my mouth and could communicate easily in Spanish. Anyways, our train ride through the valley was stunning; the mountains became taller and taller and the river rushing by because more turbulent. Machu Picchu is actually located in the jungle, so the plants and trees changed and the air became thick with heavy clouds and mist. In the distance, we saw a rainbow arching over the mountain tops but it disappeared too quickly to even snap a photo. The town of Aguas Calientes was a bit of a let down after gorgeous Ollantaytambo; it felt artificial and extremely touristy. It took us a while to find an inexpensive “Menu” dinner for 7 soles. Menu is the cheapest way to eat in Peru- it usually includes a big bowl of soup, a drink and the choice of a main course such as grilled chicken, omelets, or meat.

Furthermore, we stayed in a grungy backpacking hostel and we shared the dorm with a group of guys. However, one of them turned out to be from Mexico and I had a blast talking with him about how much we miss Mexican food! Early the next morning, we awoke and prepared for our big day. To tell you the truth, both Bekah and I didn’t quite know what to expect. After seeing so many tourists and totally falling in love with Ollanta, we figured Machu Picchu would be cool but would be too crowded to really feel the magical energy of the place. Thankfully, we were proved very wrong! Anyways, as the bus climbed the side of the mountain to the site, our jaws dropped and we could hardly contain our excitement; it finally dawned on us what was actually happening! The views of the mountains and the valley below were unbelievable.

When we arrived at the summit, a steady rain was falling and we were very glad we had picked up the hideous colored ponchos for 2 soles each. After walking down a path crowded with tour groups, all of a sudden, BAM there was the famous, iconic view of Machu Picchu down below. It was more beautiful than any photograph, poem or movie could ever capture. What makes it so breathtaking is that the Incan city was engineered to rest on the top of a mountain located in the middle of a spectacular range of mountains and that it was constructed to beautiful harmonize with the landscape. Furthermore, the constantly shifting mist and swirling clouds make you feel like you are at the top of the world...or maybe that you have even reached the heavens.