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Published: November 27th 2023
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Have you ever pondered the issue surrounding the wonders of the world...? I have, and I usually always conclude that I wonder why there aren't more of them, at least in terms of how I value individual places of great beauty. Those issues aside though, among the officially-dubbed wonders of the modern world which I have set about ticking off a bucket list as I have journeyed my way through life, the latest to appear on the radar was Machu Picchu in Peru, and just about the first node on the Peruvian itinerary. Getting there was a case of ditching the rental car option at the last minute in favour of a rail journey to Machu Picchu Pueblo from the town of Ollantaytambo, which appeared to be the last stop-off point before road access to the area containing Machu Picchu became impassable. Arriving at Machu Picchu Pueblo early in the morning, a brief look around town revealed the perfect kind of tourist-centric vibe for the hordes of visitors to the world heritage site a few kilometres further away, reachable by bus or by walking trail. Machu Picchu Pueblo appears to have replaced the town's former name of Aguas Calientes, which hints
more revealingly at the town's status as a hot spring area where a relaxing outdoor spa bathing session is often worked into the mix for visitors to the town who see it as the perfect companion piece to a day spent marvelling at the Inca ruins. Machu Picchu does not really require any prior introduction, as it is best described as a spectacularly significant piece of preserved history in a dramatic and natural setting, and can be viewed from a variety of angles, vantage points, with scope for close-ups, as well as those appealing views which seem to cover all aspects of the entire world heritage site in just one neat snapshot. I'd ideally like this section of the travel blog just to stop being descriptive, and allow your imagination to take control and just imagine what the breadth and scope of Machu Picchu looks and feels like without me having to detail its numerous features. Greenery and stone walls or various shapes and sizes abound, but I'd much prefer to think that you knew that already, and that your mind is presently focusing on the kind of collaging effect of Machu Picchu which makes it what it is. Catching
the shuttle bus back to town meant that the experience was all over, but the charms of the town of Machu Picchu Pueblo took the reins next, and with the railway bisecting the town proper, the atmosphere it gives rise to is still Peruvian, albeit coated in a tourist layer which just about retains enough authenticity to avoid it falling into the synthetic category. Leaving town, and the area's next big draw card happened to be Cusco, the unofficial gateway to the Inca Trail, and a city of considerable note, where buildings of historical significance abound in no small measure. The centrepiece is the cathedral located in the central square known as Plaza de Armas, replete with highly ornate fountain, and a pleasing architectural style which looks even more charming on an evening when lighting effects make the facades of the buildings appear somewhat more elegant and appealing. A short distance from Cusco lies the highly intriguing and inviting piece of curiosity known as the Abode of the Gods, best described as an all-in-one-place Aztec zone, with features a-plenty which suggest that stone carvers had a field day in the process of creating a place of considerable artistic worth, strewn
with statues, rock carvings, and a jagged walled corridor which leads to a few colourful treasures on the interior. One popular day trip from Cusco takes the passenger on a journey with various stop-off points, ranging from a museum or two, to a eucalyptus forest, and a statue of Christ the redeemer, not unlike a miniature version of his counterpart in Rio, elsewhere on the continent. A breeze through a thoroughly appealing pot plant-laden street where steps lined the way eventually led to the town's main square, and it seemed that Cusco had indeed charm in spades, suggesting why it is such an unmissable companion piece to a visit to Machu Picchu. One substantial mystery surrounding the visit to Peru, for my own personal taste, happened to be the realization that the nation's capital city Lima is not quite lauded as the tourist destination which it perhaps deserves to be. A city of considerable size, there are enough areas with masses of character for it to be considered an urban explorer's dream, and the main square, Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas) is a gem of a place where colonial architecture abounds in panorama, with treasures lining the way from just about all streets which lead off from this square. It soon becomes apparent that Lima is a city of districts, each with their own unique character, and a case in question is Chinatown, where the hubbub of commercial activity in the midst of Chinese-influenced buildings and landmarks makes for an intoxicating buzz which eventually leads to an expansive clothing stores district, where Limenos appear to satisfy their shopping needs in one substantial commercial zone. A short-ish taxi ride took me to Larcomar, and a modern beachside shopping plaza which occupies the extreme end of Miraflores, the city's most upscale district, where a street leading off from Larcomar mall gives the impression of being the nation's most prominently first-world urban area, where careful development puts the entire area on a par with some of Europe's finer shopping streets, with supremely charming narrow arcades, and eateries and shops of a varied and appealing nature. A short journey out of town will bring the visitor to Herradura beach, which is a surfer's paradise in season, worth dropping by for a few vital photos of its rocky promontory, even though surfing was off the cards on this occasion. Surfing beaches line a sizeable stretch of the Peruvian coastline, and add depth and diversity to a nation already blessed with features which make it the kind of South American nation which deserves its place high on the wishlist of intrepid traveller lured by the prospect of following the Inca trail and unearthing a few more unexpected treasures along the way. Yes, two more pieces of the South American jigsaw had been put in place, and as a result, I felt like a more complete person than when I had started out on this adventure. Correct me if you think I am mistaken, but isn't that the whole aim of the exercise which I have tried to prove by sharing reflections of this trip with you all...?
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