Visiting Machu Picchu

Susan exiting a cave

View more photos 

Our guide Juan made it very clear that we were to be ready with bags packed at 7am because we were to meet the train at the Ollantaytambo station.  It was another EARLY go. The train ride wound around the Urubanda river down to Aquas Calientes, the city about a thousand feet below the ancient city of Machu Picchu. We saw many stone stuctures built by the Incas 600 years ago. Many were homes of farmers or grain storage structures. All were like three deminsoal jigsaw puzzels.  How they shaped and fitted all those bolders is a true mistery.  If a mountainside was any angle less than 45 or 50 debrees the ground was farmed by the Incas. They terraced EVERYTHING! Some of these terraces were barely wide enough for one row of corn. They farmed it anyway. From the train station we went directly to the bus which snaked its way up a dozen steep switchbacks to the intrance to the park.  The drop off on the edge of the road was so steep we could bear to look.  Inside the park we truged up about a thousand irregular steps directly to the ruins. Charles Runnels was our inspiration.   Our guides were amazed as he led the pack through the climb.   Matchu Picchu looked just like the pictures. A magical city right out of history.  A few of us took off for Sun’s Gate. It was the only intrance to the city and a place where many common Incas and enemies were turned away.. We met for the obligatory family picture and then had lunch at the entrance to the park. Back down the treturous switchbacks a small native boy raced the bus by decending on the steps. And he beat us!  I think it might have been his dad driving the bus!  He was well compensated for his efforts. The hotel was unlike any I’ve ever seen. Many stucco buildings perched on the river bank connected with stone troughs of running water. Just like Machu Picchu.  Unable to sit at a table for 11, Charles Runnels sat with his three lovely granddaughters. They presented him with a birthday cake … a day early.  We built a fire in our room and went to sleep!