The Trek to Machu Picchu

On one Thursday night, my friend Kari and I packed up our bags to head to Cusco.  We were both going to meet our brothers.  After two days of strategically packing my things for hiking and sightseeing into one backpack, I set off with dramamine in my pocket, sending up prayers that weren't going to die on the bus ride through the mountains. 

For this journey we splurged and got the expensive tickets.  Our seats were plush and comfortable.  We settled in, took some pills to sleep, and some "herbal" medicine that the pharmacist gave us (for what, we don't know).  At one point my backpack decided to make my life miserable and turn over and fall in the aisle spreading my things everywhere.  I didnt have on my glasses or contacts.  So I had to CRAWL around in the aisle collecting my belongings.  And then, the door in front of me opened, hit my head, and I was greeted by the stewardess who asked me why I put my things in the aisle.  Like I would actually spread my things in the aisle...

We arrived in a very COLD Cusco at 5 am and headed to the Casa Andina San Blas Hotel that I was staying at with Eric.  Thank the Lord that they had a room ready.  We grabbed breakfast which was 18 American dollars, I almost died from the price, and then I stuffed some tea packets and rolls in my pockets for good measure.  Later, I took a nap while Kari went to her hostel.  Then I took a bath and met her for lunch at a cute trattoria in the center.  Walking 3 blocks in the narrow windy streets, I was reminded of Siena, Italy, and I was also reminded that I should have brought my inhaler because I couldn't breathe in the high altitude.  A few hours after, I met up with Eric (yay!) and I introduced him to Peru.  We grabbed dinner at the same place I had lunch.  Haha...it was really good...

So a bit about some of the sites in Cusco...

First is the cathedral.   It is fairly typical, and by typical I mean beautiful. As are all cathedrals.  This one had a few interesting things. For instance, mirrors near the alter.  Apparantly mirrors were frightening several centuries ago.  It was unreal to see a reflection, and this fear drove the churchgoers attention away from the walls and towards the center at the alter.  They should try that in elementary schools I've decided.  Also, a cross, in the choral seating, given to the cathedral by the Vatican.  And finally, a "Black Jesus", patron of earthquakes.

Another popular site is Qorikancha, the site of an ancient Inca temple.  It was originally covered in gold.  Qorikancha actually means "Golden Courtyard".  The temple was later taken by the Spanish and the gold was melted down.  Inside, you can see Spanish architecture on top of Inca structures.  It is a strange yet really cool thing to see.  All that remains today are the outer wall and some small buildings inside, which is now a monestary.  

Now let me tell you about the Incas...

The Inca people began as a tribe in the 12th century and formed their capital in Cusco, which means center or naval.  Technically speaking, the term Inca people is incorrect.  Inca, in Quechua (the official language) means king.  On my journey to Machu Picchu, I learned that it is correct to refer to the people of that time as the Quechua people, who were ruled by the Incas/kings. So...under the leadership of Manco Capac, they formed their city state in the form of one of their 3 sacred animals---puma, condor, and snake.  Cuzco was, and still is despite its growth, in the shape of a puma. 

At the head of the puma is Saqsaywaman (not pronounced sexy woman but similar sock-sigh-wah-mon...you can laugh here), a site at 14,000 feet which overlooks Cuzco.  Saqsaywaman serves as the teeth of the head.  The day I went was pretty cold and drizzly, because its always appropriate to have bad weather when you are outside all day, but it was a great start to all of the historical sites that we saw that day.  At this site, I learned several things, including Pope John Paul II's visit there, the methodology of Inca structures, etc.  Another interesting note is a miniature version of the Christ the Redeemer statue next to Saqsaywaman.  It was given to Cuzco in the 20th century by a group from Pakistan who wanted to thank the city for its hospitality. 

It has been said that Sacsayhuaman included a Sun Temple.  So, it would have been used as a ritual site, which seems natural considering the layout of the rocks are to highlight the rising and setting of the sun.  There is a large open area where llamas roam, and it can hold thousands of people.  If I had been able to, I would have returned to this exact site during the solstice (winter for Peru, summer in the US).  Peruvians celebrate Inti Raymi, the annual Inca festival of the winter solstice and new year in this big field.

The site is a set of stones in three tiers, each one taller than the one in front of it. The stones used are said to be the largest used in any prehispanic America.  It is a display of the precise cut and fitting of each rock which has never been matched in all of the Americas.  The combination of interlocking shapes between completely unique stones, the rounded corners of the stones, and the trapezoidal shape and leaning in of the walls have enabled this site, and every other Inca site, to withstand devestating earthquakes in Cusco whereas the Spanish structures have been damaged or destroyed. 

After Sacsayhuaman, we drove to Q'engo and later Puka Pukara, a road control system.  Then we crossed the road and walked 10 minutes to Tambomachay, Baths of the Princesses.  It was a place where the Incas lodged.  Here there is a small spring that was being channeled through rocks. The water is from a mountain spring and has never stopped flowing.  Seeing natural running water is an opportunity for each guide to bring up "Peru Tummy", my name for it.  She told us that drinking from the natural water would result in a never ending battle with diarrhea.  I however, knew this, (not from experience...gross) and laughed when everyone else was shocked by it. 

On Saturday morning, Eric and I met up with a group that we would ride around with that day.  It was mostly families or couples, all intent on buying articles of clothing with llamas on them whereas Eric and I were focused on bathroom locations during the day.  Driving along, we stopped and played with some llamas, took pictures, and entered the Sacred Valley, a valley carved out by the Urubamba River.  I was thrilled at this point.  The mountains here were full of terraces.  Terraces served two purposes: the first to create more arable land and the second to provide erosion control.  I still don't understand how they were able to climb into the mountains and create them.

On to the ruins of Pisaq...that we didn't get to see... Rather than climbing the ruins, we had one hour to wander around a huge market where I didnt buy anything.  I was proud of my willpower.  I did however try to haggle with a 7 year old just for fun over a piece of silver. 

Then we continued through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.  Through Chinchero,Yucay, Marcabamba, Yanahuara, and Urubamba. We stopped for lunch in Urubamba, sereneded once again by a Peruvian flute player.  Urubamba, I found out, is the capital of the Sacred Valley.  It is also the corn capital of the world.  This is crazy considering Peru is also the potato capital of the world, with over 8,000 varieties of potatoes.  Hard to believe, but go to Peru, eat some traditional meals, and you will believe it. 

The last stop of Saturday was Ollantaytambo, a small village and an Inca archaeological site with a set of terraces 60 kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco. First, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti, and later it acted as a fortress to fend off the Spanish forces in the 1600s.  It was here that our guide began telling us more of the history of the Incas...from rattling off the names of the kings and teaching us about the chakana (more on that later), she always managed to throw in her bitterness about the Spanish invasion such as:

Clara: What did the Spanish bring?
Us: Horses! Transportation!
Clara: They brought diseases...sigh...They brought malnourishment...sigh...They killed us off...


And then she let out a huge exasperated sigh, turned her head to the side, closed her eyes, and I assume cursed all Spanish people.  If there had been a Spanish person in our group, she would have, without a doubt, gone off on them. 

So, the chakana...an Andean symbol of the Incan civilization.  It is derived from Quechua, "chakay" meaning "to cross".  The chakana is a 3 stepped symmetirc cross with a hole in its center, representing Cuzco.  The 3 steps represent the 3 worlds, upper, middle, and lower, existing in this culture.  The upper world, Hanan Pacha includes the stars, celestial beings, and gods.  The middle world, Kay Pacha, represents human life, and the lower world, Uqhu Pacha, represents death.  Their thoughts on death were that you simply moved onto the next world when you died and continued growing older and bigger if you were a child.  This is evident in sacrificial bodies that have been discovered.  Children buried in larger clothes, larger shoes, with items that would be of use to them in their next life. 

The 3 worlds also correspond to the revered animals.  The condor/upper world, the puma/middle world, and the snake/lower world.  The number 3 in the cross is also significant by referring to the concepts of Inca life: munay/love, yachay/knowledge, and llankay/work.  And also to the 3 part agricultural system. 


We also learned about Peruvian philosophy.  The Incas had a code i life:  Do not lie, do not steal, and do not sit still.  Pretty simple.  Everyone in the empire had  a job to do.  No one stole because they didn't have to.  If one person needed help during a crop failure, a neighboring village or the state assisted those in need.  And no one sat still because there was too much to do.  Like carrying 70 ton rocks....


Add this information to this, the Inca kings:

Manco Capac

Sinchí Roca
Lloque Ypanqui

Mayta Capac

Capac Yupanqui
Inca Roca
Yahuar Huacac
Viracocha Inca
Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui
Topa Inca
Huayna Capac
Huascar
Atahuallpa
Topa Huallpa
Manco Inca
Panaullu Inca


Try saying this fast.  Really, try it.

So now I'll turn away from the history lesson and to what we actually did.  First, we climbed up the ruins.  At 12,000 or so feet, this was difficult, but I had the genius idea to just run up the steps and get it over with.  Eric and I beat the group which gave me time to catch my breath at the top.  When the rest of the group reached us, they were amazed that I was competely fine and not breathing heavy. To which I responded, "oh ya not that difficult nahhhh" (that might have been a little lie).

Walking around the top of the ruins/fortress, you can see all of Ollantaytambo and the mountains and glaciers surrounding it.  In the mountain directly across from the ruins, there are two interesting shapes present.  One is of an old man, hunched over.  The other is a carving of one of the kings on the side of a mountain.  You can see his profile.  During the winter solstice, June 21, the sun lights up the kings face, and only his face.  How the people managed to carve this huge figure into the mountain AND know exactly how it would line up with the sun that they revered is amazing to me.

The group walked around the original Inca streets, complete with their aqueduct water system (amazing), and we ventured into a "traditional" family's home.  This home included a room full of guinea pigs where the owners supposedly slept among poop, animal skulls, dead fish on the walls, etc.  Totally normal, totally traditional Incan way of life...totally normal....right?

Later, the group dropped us off at our hotel (another really nice one) and we went to dinner in the Plaza.  We sat outside and had pizza and chicken and beer and fed a cute dog while we watched two three year olds wander around being completely cool and independent. 

The next day, we met another guide, Wilfredo.  He drove us an hour and a half away to Pre-inca ruins.  This was my favorite thing other than Machu Picchu because it is so untouched.  Wilfredo was a great guide.  He got a feel for what we wanted to know and see, and he led us up to the ruins, pointing out interesting things.  He even played his handmade flute he brought :) After looking at the ruins, we were able to distinguish between pre-inca and inca structures.  Inca structures have corners that are very sharp with 90 degree angles whereas pre-inca structures are more rounded.  Wilfredo also found two pieces of pottery laying around dating back to before the Incas, and he gave us those to keep.  I have mine on display in my room. 

After this, we hiked part of the Inca trail, the original path that the Incas took to get to Machu Picchu.  From this site it takes 4 days to reach Machu Picchu by foot.  Going across streams, native families, cows, and terraces, we hiked for about 3 hours and really loved this. 

Later that evening, after lunch and walking around, we waited for the train.  Standing near the station, someone slapped by bum, and I turned around to find Kari! She and her brother were on the same train as us! We went on the more luxurious Inca Rail.  It consisted of one car that was only 10% full, and I felt like first class in our comfortable seats and free foods and drinks.  It was a pleasant two hour journey along the river through the mountains to reach Aguas Calientes, or Machu Picchu Village as some know it. 
 
In Machu Picchu village, we got off at the ridiculously crowded station and started to exit.  Upon our exit, there was a group of locals holding up signs with names on them.  Eric said, "I really hope one of those isnt for me."  but sure enough, there it was, plain as day, ERIC BEARDEN.  So, with one Peruvian and one sign in tow, the four of us followed him the whole 1 block of MP village to the 5 star El Mapi Hotel.  It was very modern and sleek, too bad we only stayed there for 8 hours.  The four of us got dinner together and were serenaded by a Peruvian band playing flutes along to songs similar to that of a Mariachi band or something you would find in Cuba.  Talk about confusion...
 
So with songs that Ricky Ricardo would sing stuck in our heads, I went back to sleep for 5 hours, dreaming of tequila, cuban cigars, and the 330 wake up call we had the next day to go to Machu Picchu...


Since I already wrote about MP, I'll skip to the end.  Tuesday night, Eric and I caught the 10 hour bus ride back to Arequipa. Sitting on the second floor of Cruz del Sur, I met two people across the aisle from me. I knew they looked familiar, and it turns out that they were at the top of Huiana Picchu at the same time as me the day before. Now we are bonded for life. And Bose is my new friend!


So, after riding along, Eric asleep behind me, I went to the bathroom around 3 am where the bus stewardess lady was waiting for me right outside the door to inform me, in spanish, that the bathrooms were for urinating only. To which I responded "que?????" to point out that she was ridiculous for standing there to tell me that. And she answered back again, in spanish, that the bathroom was for urinating only. I am SO glad I know how to say that in spanish now. 


6 am and we arrive in Arequipa. I was happy to be home and really excited to show Eric where I lived.  We napped, and I was still dreaming of flutes, mariachi bands, Ricky Ricardo, Machu Picchu, jungle men, and stairs...

Gringos: Terrorizing Arequipa since January 2011

You probably wouldn’t think that Arequipa is a party city, but it seems as if the title “Party Capital of the World” should not belong to Ibiza, Spain but rather the streets of downtown Arequipa. Because people here are crazy.

Before I arrived, Amanda told me that she and her friends liked to frequent a hostel bar called the Llama. So, a few days after my arrival, we perused into the bar one day, but I was still to out of it with altitude sickness to really absorb the people and atmosphere. When weekend number 3 arrived, I was fully recovered and fully introduced to this bar that became a second home in Arequipa.

The Llama, now known as the Wild Rover, is a meeting ground for gringos from all over the world. It never ceases to amaze me that I meet interesting people there everyday. Sitting in a quirky hostel bar, you instantly feel a friendship between you and the random person sitting on the stool next to you. Whether they are from Australia, England, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Argentina, Germany, the US, or anywhere else, you have something in common. You are a nomad. You love to travel. And you want to learn something from each other.

I can now go to the pub and sit alone and enjoy a meal and a drink, always confident that I will in fact not be alone. Rather, another regular will be in there who I can chat with, and my friends will be working so I can sit and enjoy their company for hours. Some time ago, Claire came in search of me at my house. And when she could not find me at home, she knew I would be at the Llama. Sure enough, two hours after my arrival, she walked in, and we sat for hours enjoying the Sunday.


I love the people I have met in the Llama. I love my stories from the Llama. And trust me, there are a wide variety of stories. Recalling these stories, I wonder…


What do the locals actually think of us gringos? I’m pretty sure on the weekends the city adds extra security the streets within the center because they know that the gringos are out to terrorize this conservative Catholic community.


One weekend in Peru consists of more absolutely ridiculous crazy antics than 6 months worth of strange events in Arkansas combined. And it’s so easy. For instance, one weekend, us four girls went to the Llama to have a movie night in their TV room. Dressed in casual clothes, no makeup, and messy hair, we stayed there for 5 hours. And stayed out until 6 am. It’s a place where the unexpected happens…but it happens everyday. I know you want real stories, but that would take hours. But to summarize…


It’s not uncommon to find Claire and I doing an interpretive dance to Bohemian Rhapsody at the pub. It includes me sliding on me knees across to her during “MAMAAAAAA….DIDNT MEAN TO MAKE YOU CRY….” You get the picture.


It’s not odd to find Amanda and I on top of the bar dancing awkwardly and doing weekly routines to our favorite songs. And this all occurs before midnight. After I have won a limbo contest (being the tallest person in the room). Then, you might see one of us pouring a bottle of water on Matt, Miguel, or Fiona’s heads as they work. For some reason, us girls think that is an acceptable thing to do. And it is here. It’s never strange to be hit on by a Peruvian who can’t speak English but is so under the influence that all he can do is call you Princess and spill 5 beers all at once, all over you and your friends. Sometimes, you can find me and Miguel wrestling outside in the common area. Or Amanda and I Indian leg wrestling on the ground outside in the common area. It’s completely normal to see the bartenders walking around in leopard print fur coats, trash bags, guys wearing women’s lingerie, or some other form of a crazy costume…it all depends on the theme that night. All this might make me sound a little crazy...but don't get me wrong...I just like to have fun. :)

On Friday nights, there is a pub trivia quiz. A quiz of 40 questions. Our team consists of…me, Amanda, Claire, Sabah, Verena, and Mick. We win every time. Mick’s enthusiasm and competitiveness is a great start to the night. We cover our papers immediately so no one around can see the answers. Mick walks around telling everyone that we are going to win. He yells out, YESSSSS, every time we get an answer correct. Which is all of them. After two weeks of winning, everyone knows that they can’t beat us. Our prizes are always appropriate considering it’s a pub. Two pitchers of rum and coke for the team.

Sometimes, the 4 of us girls go to a bar that has no name, but apparently is infamous. We call it the Red Bar. Because the walls are painted red. You know the instant you walk in for the first time that it will be an awkward visit. It is full of only men and no one can decide exactly what kind of bar it is. As we sit down with a pitcher to split between the four of us, we always decide to drink fast and get out because the staring is just too awkward. And before we can comprehend what is going on, a 5 year old walks into the bar and tries to sell us something. But eventually, we are used to this. After all, children have helped Peruvian nights run smoothly for a long time. Then, Bohemian Rhapsody plays on the speakers. And the four of us put on a show of air guitar, piano, drums, and singing. And then we run away, out the door, ignoring the comments…Chicas lindas, hermosas, etc.

After this, we all go to Frogs, the reggae club Kibosh, Déjà vu, La Raja (where the bartenders look like pirates so we call it the Pirate Bar), Mono Blanco (the French bar), etc. The security guards line up at the doors when they see us coming. At Frogs, they wont let Sabah in because she has a bottle of water in her purse. A fight almost ensues and we are all kicked out. Normal. We head to Déjà vu. They wont let us in for free (we have attempted the “but we are tourists please let us in for free” act for months) because by now they know us. So, one of our local friends licks the bouncers face. She probably won’t remember this the next day. And they let us in for free. Normal. We go to Kibosh where there is a private party. But somehow we get in anyways. The group has dwindled. You have been yelled at by friends. You have yelled at friends. Laughed 5 minutes later. Run into your students. Run away from your friends. Chased after you friends. Turned a quiet bar into a dance party. Walked home at 4 am. Inside your room you decide that you want to go back out. So, at 405 am, you go back to Déjà vu. Because this is completely normal. The next day, we all start waking up around 1 or 2 pm. And the second we see each other, we start to laugh, because something stupid has happened the night before.

We love the weekends. And while there is no time to tell stories of why gringos are crazy, just know that…

When your night begins like this…

What else can Arequipa expect?

Peru in numbers

Number of days spent living in Peru: not enough

Number of days I spent recovering from altitude sickness: 10

Number of times I have had what we call "Peru Tummy": 2

Number of conversations I've had with friends about our experiences with "Peru Tummy": 100+

Number of times I've been yelled at by a bus attendant for having "Peru Tummy": 1

Number of times I've been referred to as gringa on the streets by complete strangers: about 15

Number of times I've heard "tu eres grande" (you are tall) by a stranger on the street: 2

Number of carb portions received with one meal: 2 (potatoes and rice with every meal)

Number of spanish words I knew before living in Peru: 25

Number of Spanish words I know now: 1000

Number of cold showers taken because the water here is solar heated and it is not always sunny: about 30

Number of items of clothing I own with llamas on them: 3 (a jumper, socks, and gloves)

Number of times I have danced on the bar of my favorite pub: countless

Number of times I have played limbo and won in my favorite pub: 1

Number of bruises I have from dancing on the bar at my favorite pub: 50

Number of times I have slid across the bar at my favorite pub to songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody: about 20

Number of times I have fought with a bouncer on San Francisco street: 1

Number of times a policeman has tried to flirt with me as I walked past them: 50

Number of times I saw the sunrise: 6

Number of babies I have seen carried in a bag tied to someone's back: 300

Number of two year olds I have seen wandering the streets being completely independent and cool: 75

Number of times I believed 100% that I would die on a bus: 7

Number of museums in Arequipa: 15

Number of museums I have visited in Arequipa: 0

Number of piercings I had done in Peru: 3

Number of friends who also got piercings at the same time as me and we all were in pain: 5

Number of times I attempted to dance salsa: 1

Number of times I made a fool of myself in class: about 200

Number of students who refer to me as "meeeees": 100

Number of people I've been in a combie with: 18, the combie seats about 10

Number of children who frequently peruse the bars and clubs during the nights: there are about 6 regulars

Number of times I've said "que?" when speaking Spanish: 300

Number of times I have played with an alpaca or llama: about 12

Number of guinea pigs I've seen being kept for eating: Aroud 100 

Number of times I've eaten guinea pig : 0

Number of times i was warned what a dangerous place Peru is: About 30

Number of bad experiences I've heard have happened to people: About 20 (earrings being ripped from ears in
combies, rucksacks being sliced open so your belongings fall out without you realizing, taxis driving people to the middle of nowehere then stealing all of their things, people spitting on you to distract you then stealing your purse, thieves holding guests at gunpoint in a hostel whilst stealing everything they own)

Number of bad experiences I've had: 0

Number of people who walk around Arequipa pretending to work for a charity, getting gringos to give them
money and the keeping the money for themselves: 2

Number of times I have yelled "vete" (go away) or callate (shut up) at said people: 50

Number of times my students have asked me if i like Peruvian food: at least 80

Number of times I have lied and said I love Peruvian food: 10

Number of times I have been honest and said I don't like Peruvian food: 70 or more

Number of times my friends and I bought a bucket of fried chicken from KFC for one meal: 2

Number of times we went to Burger King for burgers: 20

Number of meals I cooked myself: 2

Number of times I drank cactus juice: 0

Number of times my friends drank cactus juice: 1

Number of times I have been to the cinema: 0

Number of times I have watched an illegal pirated DVD on the street while it was still in theatres: at least 100

Number of illegal pirated DVDs I bought: 63 

Number of kilometers I climed at Machu Picchu: 16 or more

Number of stairs I climbed at Machu Picchu: about 4000

Number of cold Cusquenas I enjoyed: 100+

Number of times I sandboarded: 1

Number of times I fell down when sandboarding: 10

Number of times my friends and I went to a wine and pisco tasting at a winery and accidentally got pretty buzzed: 1

Number of times a day that I went to the corner store to buy Snickers bars and Coca Colas: 2

Number of times I drank Inca Cola: 2

Number of times I drank Inca Cola and spit it out: 1

Number of times I wrestled with Amanda and Miguel at the pub: 4

Number of times I was offered cocaine during a walk to school at 630 am: 1

Number of days it took me to fall in love with Peru: 1

Living to Tell the Tale of Machu Picchu and the Long Journey Back

On Monday we woke up at 3:30 am to get in line for the bus (because apparently this is completely normal).  At 4:00 am, there was already a group of people in front of us.  We all had to be the first 400 people in line for the climb up Wayna Picchu.  They only allow 200 people per time slots, and there are 2 times--7 am and 10 am.  Seeing as I am an avid and very skilled hiker (sarcasm), we braved the cold and the 1.5 hour long wait.  At 530, our bus departed for Machu Picchu, and upon our arrival, those who had stayed in the lodge and those who had arrived via the 4 day hike on the Inca Trail were already in line. Yikes.

Thankfully, we were the first 400 people there.  We entered the gates, and for some reason I thought...I feel like I am at Disney World about to go on an adventure ride.  Or take the boat to Tom Sawyers Island.  We were not, however, at Disney World, but rounding the corner of the entrance to lay our eyes upon the most magnificent thing I have ever seen and one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Crossing the ruins with only a few people within site, we arrived at the gate of Wayna Picchu and waited in line again.  Too many lines today considering it wasn't even 7 am...

For those who don't know, Wayna Picchu is one of the most photographed mountains in the world.  Situated to the right, and towering above Machu Picchu at 12,000 feet, WP is covered by foliage...so the trail is difficult to see.  I thought to myself...look at some of these people...this hike cant be THAT bad.  I'm ready for this. 

WRONG. The trail up was shocking to me.  Steep and full of switch backs, the trail was mostly steps or carved rock.  The stairs were STEEP and this made going up really challenging, especially considering I was carrying a heavy backpack. It took an hour and maybe 15 minutes to make it to the top and that included rests...I mean...photo ops.  At the top, just when you think you are going to cry, you come to a small cave.  Considering I am tall and was carrying a backpack, it is easy to guess that I got stuck.  In addition to a cave, we had to climb up a ladder to the top of a boulder.  Once I got my bearings, I could finally stand at the top and look down at Machu Picchu. 

This was the most spectacular thing I have ever seen.  It is the reverse view which is not really seen in guidebooks.  Kari, Andrew, and I arrived to the top 20 minutes after my brother.  Everyone at the top sits on huge boulders, and it is hard to describe the setting even with the aid of a picture.  But sitting there, you are literally at the highest point of the mountain because at the top, there are only huge rocks to sit on.  But you must be careful not to fall off :)

For two hours, we sat there marveling at the beauty of the Andes mountains.  People were praying, some were writing, some were listening to music, others were taking photos, and others were just staring. 

After our break, we began the descent.  Most people descend the way they came up.  However, there is a second route that takes you around the back of the whole mountain.  It takes you to the Temple of the Moon, which is actually dedicated to the Pachamama, or Mother Earth. The hike began with a couple asking the four of us, "Do you know what you're doing?" to which our answer was "nope" but we continued anyways.  I was reluctant, though, because I could picture this as the beginning to a thriller or mystery movie where four tourists go missing or fall off the side of a mountain. 

So we began with some steep stairs going down, and then we arrived at another set of narrow stairs tilted away from the mountain.  I thought this was impossible, but there was a steel cable to aid us.  Continuing on, I will admit I was complaining a bit, we trekked down more stairs.  This path was more covered by foliage than the climb up because hardly anyone takes this path as it is more difficult.  My favorite part was somewhere in the first half of the journey.  Eric suddenly exclaimed with laughter, "oh you are going to love this." and then I saw it. There was a very old wooden ladder that extended about thirty feet down.  Getting onto the ladder was difficult enough and the descent was a treat as my blood sugar was obviously low because I was shaking.  That, or I was filled with excitement/joy. 

Without injuries, we continued.  Eric went on ahead, and the three of us hung back, taking some photos.  It's not like we needed rest or anything...

Kari and Andrew sat for a bit and I continued.  I was alone for a good 15 minutes, and I started to hear voices.  I called out everyone's name but got nothing in return.  I could hear the river, heard noises in the lush jungle like vegetation, and knew that a cross between an Amazonian and an Incan was going to jump out and grab me.  I, however, survived because I arrived at the Temple where my brother was.  

At this point, I was somewhere between mad because I was in pain/thirsty/sweaty and happy because I was proud of myself for doing this.  And I figured we only had 30 more minutes or so because it had been around 1.5 hours at this point.  So, at that point, I decided to change clothes in the cave.  Because sometimes, its necessary to change and take a potty break in the midst of old Inca ruins.  

The four of us together saw a sign that said 1.5 hours to MP.  I wanted to hurt someone.  We were running out of water.  So at this point, we realized we had descended really far.  Lower than the entrance to Wayna Picchu.  This meant that we had to go up again.  Never in my life have I seen so many stairs.  We thought they would never end.  But as we were hiking, we were sure they had to stop somewhere.  And just when you think that point has come, you round a corner and there are even more.  

Splitting up again, I was alone for awhile once more, this time trying to convince myself that I was NOT going to get kidnapped by a jungle man despite my hearing of voices coming from the trees.  I came to another ladder that I had to go up alone, and thought once again that I was going to fall off and die.  This is ridiculous, unnecessary, and dangerous, I thought.  Because if you did, in fact, fall off of that ladder, you definitely would have fallen off the mountain.  

Finally, I caught up with Eric, who was sitting on a huge boulder like the king of the mountain.  We could finally see Machu Picchu!!! After 30 more minutes, we made it back to the entrance completely soaked with sweat.  I was cursing in Spanish and talking to myself resulting in many strange looks.  A group of guys was sitting near and I heard the comment "How is she that tired?"  This, obviously, made me mad.  So I snapped at him and said that I had just done the full 5 hour hike, what had he done other than watch people climb it?, and if he were a real man he would do the same.  Only a handful of people did the full hike, and I was so glad to be one of them. 

We walked around Machu Picchu the rest of the day, and started to hike up to the Sun Gate, the entrance from the Inca Trail.  It's been said that people who arrive at the Sun Gate after the 4 day hike on the trail cry because 1. It is a breathtaking site, and 2. You are exhausted and emotional at that point.  We didnt make it to the Sun Gate though because we had done enough for the day, but we did sit and look at MP from another view. 

The architecture is amazing. The stones have straight lines and 90 degree angles. What patience the Incas must have had to carve a stone for months. There are different kinds of stones at Machu Picchu. In addition to the stones from the mountain, there are stones found along the coast and from the jungle. It was an Incan tradition to carry a stone up to the mountain when visiting MP as a gesture of the hard work it took to build the city.

All of the buildings have different designs for a different purposes. The pyramid shapes housed the alter for their idol, the Golden Boy, which always faced the sun rising. People would wave their hands over the rock alter to feel the energy of Machu Picchu, and it’s true, you can feel it. After 4-5 hours of perusing through the structures, we sat and read about MP for awhile. 

Sometimes called the "lost" city of the Incas, it was, in fact, never lost.  It was covered with vegetation until it was discovered in 1911 by Hiran Bingham, a young American explorer, who was actually looking for Vilcamba, The Lost City of Gold. 

Machu Picchu is the only city that was never touched by the Spaniards. But the mystery is...why did they build it? 

Walking around Machu Picchu, you are invited to make your own assumptions and explanations as to why it was built.  Several scenarios have been presented, yet no one knows exactly why...

Was it for war?  A defense center against possible invasion by Amazon tribes?  This could be true, considering how remote of a location it is, but there is no record of war with jungle tribes, and the Incas never expanded into the Amazon.

Could it be agriculture? The existence of terraces served to adapt plants to the altitude.  These terraces were in use when Bingham arrived.  This is an understandable explanation, but it doesn't provide reason for the complexity of the rest of the buildings. 

Maybe it was astronomy? The Incas were excellent astronomers and interested and reading the heavens for clues about the world, especially regarding rainfall.  Some constructions at Machu Picchu are meant to read the movements of stars.  However, the location of MP lies within a cloud forest, so during certain times of the year, there is zero visibility of the sky.  So is this a likely explanation?

Was MP solely a residence?  It was part of Pachacuteq's estate.  So it could be considered a palace but a rather elaborate one at that. It is also said to be partly unfurnished, so this also leaves a mystery. 

Is it a place for the royal females?  Of the 130 bodies found buried there, 90% were female.  This could mean that MP is an Aqlla Wasi, or a house of the chosen women, a kind of priestess dedicated to the inca who lived a secluded life making chicha and weaving for him. 

What is the purpose of the Inca trail?  If MP was to be excluded and a safe place from the outside, there wouldn't be a trail leading to it.  People were meant to walk there and back.  Most of the bones along the Inca trail belong to men.  So, people were meant to visit, but only women made it a stable residence. 

Perhaps these questions can never be answered, and maybe we aren't meant to know.  So this serves as an invitation to walk amongst its ruins and think of your own possibilities.  I would rather it be this way.  Eric told me that on his flight to South America, he was sitting next to a sports psychologist.  He was coming to Peru to talk to a shaman.  According to him, the energy in the world is shifting from Tibet to that area of South America.  For those of you who believe or don't believe in energies, I will say this...at Machu Picchu, you can definitely feel something.  It is hard to explain unless you have been there, but there is a feeling of energy, magic, and mystery.  Maybe it is from the unanswered questions about the city or a deep admiration and awe.  Whatever it is, as I sat there, I felt empowered and unusually calm.  And I wouldn't trade that feeling I had there for anything else in the world.