World Peru Cusco Machu Picchu

On the Road Again

Train ride to Machu Picchu Jun 29, 2009

From Cuzco, Peru ...

Today we were up at 5:00am. The temperatures are much cooler here in the mornings (in the 30s today) although the daytime temperatures still reach the low 70s. The six of us got into two taxis and headed through the streets of Cuzco to the train station at Poroy. As our time for departure got closer, the train station became very crowded with tourists bound for Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas.

Charlie and I had seats together at a table for four. We were seated with another couple who did not speak English, so unfortunately our conversation was very limited. The guy looked very much like Antonio Banderas to me ... okay, I can handle this for three hours! :-)

We rode in a mid-class car, and the tables had cloth tablecloths and were very nice. We had two waiters in our car, and we were served a very nice breakfast of assorted cheeses and breads, ham, pastries, quince jam, and coffee and juice. However, there was no heat on the train and it was very, very cold. They gave us blankets to cover our laps and legs.

The train ride lasted for three hours but was fantastic. The views were outstanding. First we passed through farmlands. Then the mountains took us through a canyon which required the train to take a series of switchbacks. The entire trip we followed along the Urubamba River. We stopped about midway through our trip in the small town of Ollantaytambo. We were allowed to get out and stretch in the sun for a few minutes.

Our trip continued on as we enjoyed gorgeous mountain views and lots of rushing white water in the river. We finally arrived at our final destination - the town of Aguas Calientes. It was an interesting little town with a few hotels and restaurants, all catering to tourists en route to Machu Picchu. It is here that we had to catch a bus to ride the final miles up the side of a very steep mountain along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. To get to the buses, we walked along a half mile or so of sidewalk which wound through all sorts of little shops and restaurants. This path was lined with vendors selling colorful Peruvian goods out of booths.

We boarded the bus which was an old bus and packed tight with people. We then started up a very steep gravel road which wound around and around and up the mountains. The road was very narrow, and there were no guard rails of course! Just when you thought there wasn’t room enough for our bus to stay on the narrow road, along came another bus in the opposite direction. Thus requiring us to get over even close to the edge with the big drop off! This ride was definitely not for those with a fear of heights.

Machu Picchu started to come into view the further we climbed the mountain. Finally, we arrived at the entrance. Our tickets to get in, which we had already purchased, were 124 soles person (around $40 US). We were immediately approached by an Inkan indian young man who offered to be our guide for the price of 50 soles, so we all agreed this would be a great idea. Otherwise, you would not really have an idea of what you were seeing. His name was Bralio, and he was excellent. Bralio led us through the beautiful ruins for two hours. There were 22 llamas at Machu Picchu (Bralio pronounced them “ya-mas.”) After that ended, we were on our own. The ruins were so amazing, and I really cannot put into words what I felt when we were there. After the tour was over, I think everyone just wanted to sit and be quiet and drink in the majesty of this beautiful spot that God created. The skill and ingenuity of the Incas who built this lost city were also truly amazing. I will just have to let my picture speak for themselves, although I know they don’t do it the justice it deserved. But such is the case with many of the wonders of the world.

Some of the others in our group hiked up to the guard house which was a much longer steep hike. I’m sure the views would have been very good, but I was so hungry by this time, that I did not think I could do it. So Charlie and I just had a very relaxing walk back down to the main entrance, sitting and taking in the views along the way. It was great.

We finally boarded the bus to return to the train station. Our train was leaving at 4:30pm to return to Cusco. On the return trip, we were entertained by a special Peruvian dancer, and the waiters put on a fashion show modeling beautiful Alpaca handmade clothing for sale. We were served a meal of smoked pork tenderloin and cheese on bread, a banana cheesecake petit four, and beverages. On this trip, Charlie and I shared a table with a couple from Chile. Although we could only speak a little Spanish with them, they were a lot of fun. Everyone was very tired on the trip back though.

Once we returned to the train station, we caught a shuttle back to town and were dropped off at the square. We were all in the mood for some “regular food,” so we shared a couple pizzas at a cute little cafe. On the way back to the hotel, there were many people on the streets selling various items. I bought a cute stuffed doll for Alexis and a pretty oil painting from a local art student.

Once back at the hotel, we showered and fell into bed. What a great day!