Cusco and Machu Picchu

Our accomodation in Cusco was the Monasterio, originally a 16th century monastery, and now a five star hotel operated by the same folks who run the trains to Machu Picchu. Our room was somewhat upgraded from the level of monastic cell, even equipped with oxygen delivered by the ventilation system.

View out the window of our cell

 The town is at an elevation of about 11,000 ft. above sea level, so there is definitely some adjustment when coming from sea level where we've been spending most of our time. Our symptoms included mild headache and some shortness of breath when sprinting up the narrow Inca designed roadways. The hotel serves a local popular remedy, coca tea, which is a mild stimulant and may cause one to fail a drug test. Quite enjoyable.

We arrived on a Sunday, and on the way from the airport we saw a small truck full of young people throwing water balloons at passers-by. Part of the local carnival celebration, and when we went for a walk about the town we saw plenty more, and lots of young kids equipped with large spray cans of shaving cream which they dispensed with great abandon. We didn't get nailed, as there is apparently a bit of an unwritten rule not to harras the gringoes. During our explorations we came across a loud procession, led by some people carrying their religious icon, the Virgin, followed by small band, and further followed by a group of costumed dancers with their own band. The dances, we were told, come from the indigenous religion, and symbolize the harvesting of crops.

Carnival procession  in Cusco

The town was laid out by the Incas, whose engineering included diversion of waterways and roadbuilding. When I commented that they must have driven small cars, our driver came right back, saying " no, they didn't have cars, but they did have motorbikes". I bit. "llamahas". (in Spanish, the double L is pronounced like our Y.) Local humour. When the conquistadores arrived, they tore down the heathen structures, and built their own, but keeping the layout of the town, which now has a population of about 500,000.

In the morning, we took a van ride for about two hours to about the midpoint of the Cusco - Machu Picchu train, the Hiram Bingham. This is a narrow-gauge railway the follows the Urubamba River, the sacred valley. . Normally it would run from a station closer to Cusco, but due to washouts from heavy rains, we picked it up at Ollantaytambo. Along the van route the high point was at about 12,000 ft. ASL, where we stopped for photos and shopping at a roadside stand.

Craft vendor's child. Not sure why the astonished look.

The train ride took about an hour and a half, during which we were served a very nice brunch, and entertained by a couple of minstrels in the bar car which had an open platform at the back. They invited audience participation, and gave some of us instruments such as a bell, marachas, and in our case the jawbone of an ass. Really quite an effective device, held by the chin,and beaten on the cheek. The teeth, dried and loose, rattle and buzz.

La Bamba on the jawbone

On arrival at the station, we took a bus up the steep climb to the Citadel of Machu Picchu.

As is the case with many of the world's wonders, it beggars description. The setting is astounding, and its architects and builders converted a steep mountainside at high altitude into a setting with housing and crop terraces for the highly privileged (current theory, and without the help of extra-terrestrials). They had no iron implements, and apparently worked the hard granite with hematite tools and abrasion. The quality of the stonework is variable, according to the importance of the structure and the expertise of the masons, some of whom were thought to have left in the later period of construction. It was under construction and occupied for less than 100 years, and is thought to have been more or less abandoned as a result of civil war, when the residents departed for the security of the capital at Cusco. With no written records, its name is unknown, and it is called by the name of the nearby highest peak, meaning Old Mountain. I could go on, but there is plenty of more accurate information available at other sources, so suffice to say that it's worth adding to your bucket list.

This local guy kept hogging the frame

,

...just to show that we were really there

After the tour, down to the Orient Express hostelry for afternoon tea, complete with scones and clotted cream, then a bit of time in the market and back on to the train for the trip home accompanied by a lovely dinner, and back to our monastery.

Tomorrow, back to Lima.