We left the Sacred Valley this morning at 10 and boarded our train for Machu Picchu. This was one of the highlights of the trip we were very much looking forward to. Our two-hour ride took us through the jungles and mountains of the Andes on board the Hiram Bingham Orient Express line. What a luxurious way to travel! We had a great brunch as we journeyed along in comfort past small villages, lush valleys, dramatic mountains and eventually tropical foliage, the raging river continually by our side.
There are only two ways into Machu Picchu - on foot via the Inca Trail, or by train. If you opt to hike the trail, you can do so either by roughing it with tent, sleeping bag, dried rations and schlepping your backpack (David and I each did it this way when we hiked the Appalachian Trail back in the day) or you can do as some hikers we spoke with by hiring a porter (the Peruvian equivalent of a Sherpa) to carry your pack and prepare gourmet meals along the way with portable toilet facilities and luxurious blankets and tents. Sounds pretty pleasant! Either way, it is a four day hike traversing steep terrain with magnificent vistas and ruins to see along the way.
Just as with the hike, there are many train options. There is the basic passenger transport or there are several companies which operate meal service and luxury dining/bar/observation cars for the hour-and-a-half trek. We chose Orient Express, mostly because the name conjurs up images of exotic locales and old-world elegance. And it certainly was all that. We enjoyed a nice brunch as we traveled.
When we arrived in Machu Picchu, we had a half hour bus ride which took us to our hotel. OMG. That is really all there is to say about the bus. The drive was extremely scary. Ok, scary only for Karen - David loved it. It seemed we were going almost vertically up for the entire half hour. Up the side of a mountain around hairpin turns, where two buses had no business crossing paths at the same time, immense drop offs, few guard rails. Not for the faint of heart!
Our guide Gilmar (pictured below) was waiting for us at the hotel when we arrived this afternoon.
We are staying at the Sanctuary Lodge, which is actually the only hotel in Machu Picchu proper. Orient Express owns the property - a pretty savvy business move on their part, as they have cornered the market for anyone wishing to stay on site. It is, as they say here, a bit more "rustica" than the other places we have stayed. It feels like a night at a nice summer camp in a way. A WAY nice summer camp!
A bit about the hotel and the area - it feels like a crossroads. There are people from all countries and all walks of life here. Lots of grubby young hikers coming off of four days in the woods, new-age mystical seekers looking for a spiritual experience and trying to soak up the "energy" here, older wealthy individuals checking off a notch on the bucket list - you name it, they're here. It is much like that bar in the Indiana Jones "Raiders of the Lost Ark" movie where the Nazi guy burned his hand and the fire burnt the bar down. And of course the jungle scene where the natives chase him through the ancient ruins! Exotic and exciting!
The hotel has a lot to offer in terms of nature activities. You can take short hikes around the property, each with amazing views of the famous Huayna Picchu. We took the "Orchid Trail" through a rainforest-like path viewing many species of orchids native to the region.
So, after getting off the bus, meeting our guide and checking in to our room, we were off to the ruins. You must realize that the hotel is actually built on some of the ruins, therefore you don't have to go far to get there. A one minute walk from the hotel put us at the entrance to the Parque, as they call it in Spanish. Anything you have ever read, heard, or thought about Machu Picchu did not do it justice. Especially on this day. It actually rained most of the three hours we spent exploring the ruins. You might normally think that rain would put a damper on the day! Not so here. In fact, it only served to enhance the entire experience! We cannot describe the sense of awe, mystery, beauty, and splendor. There just aren't enough words.
We started by hiking to a spot overlooking the ruins. As we hiked, the ruins and the surrounding mountains were disappearing in and out of the clouds, mist and rain. It was incredible! When we got to the high spot, we could see nothing. We were completely enveloped by clouds.
Our guide said "let us sit here and wait a few minutes and see what happens." Sure enough, within ten minutes, the clouds started to part and opened right over the ruins! It was magical!
Ok, I have to interrupt this blog for a moment. As you may or may not know, this is my (David's) 60th birthday. Tomorrow, actually - 12/12/52. In fact, this trip was my birthday present from Karen. We are writing this blog tonight while having dinner in the lodge at Machu Piccho. Well, they just brought me a birthday cake! They turned the lights out, brought me the cake and I was serenaded by a group of Peruvian Indians playing ancient Incan instruments while the crowd sang along! Unbelievable! They even wrote my name in chocolate on the plate!
Now back to the blog...
We covered about half the major ruin area today and plan to do the rest tomorrow morning. AND we hike to the top of Huana Picchu in the morning! Cant wait! Pictures will certainly not do it justice (although we are certainly going to try below!), but suffice it to say that seeing it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Until tomorrow with our love,
David and Karen
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