Advertisement
Published: September 18th 2008
Day 67: Thursday 4th September - Eating Guinea Pig!
No sign of troubles on the way to Cusco and by 6.30am we've safely arrived at the hostel. Head straight for breakfast and am reunited with Jonathan and Eddie (Jonathan had been getting a different bus from Arequipa and Eddie was the guy I travelled with for a few days in Ecuador). I had joked on with Eddie that I would catch up with him in Cusco (In reality I bumped into him in the street in Arequipa.....its a small world!). After breakfast the three of us head into the centre of Cusco. First up I need to sort out my Inca trail. Pay the balance owed but have to fork out an extra $15 as my passport has changed which is annoying. My frustrations don't end there....in my rush to leave Arequipa last night I've managed to lose my microfleece and a cap, so going to have to waste money replacing those. Added to that I've misplaced $100 (I later realise I'd used it to pay for my Nazca flight - Doh!!) and my suncream.....not a good day!
On my way back to the hostel to drop some valuables
off I bump into Rebecca and the two of us head to Jack's cafe to meet Jonathan and Eddie. The plan for the day is to grab a quick bite to eat and then visit the Inca ruins surrounding Cusco. We're all knackered after the 9 hour bus journey and it turns out to be a lazy morning eating some welcome food from back home. In the afternoon we stir and wander the streets, visiting a market for some tremendous juice (can't beat South American juices) and trailing around Cusco to buy a doll for a young Peruvian girl who is celebrating her birthday today! My first impressions of Cusco are positive.....its an attractive city a mix of colonial and Inca architecture with cobbled streets and is laid back, the only downside is the steep climb up to the hostel which given we're at 3300m is knackering. On return to hostel in late afternoon, a Polish guy has moved his stuff on to my bed for a third time today, starting to lose my rag with him.....why can't this guy get the message that this isn't his bed?!
In the evening Katie and Stevie, a couple from England join
us and the six of us go to a restaurant for Cuy. Cuy is the local delicacy and is better known to us as Guinea Pig! Yep I'm going to eat Guinea Pig. Three of them wimp out so Jonathan, Eddie and myself share a Guinea Pig and a half. There isn't much meat on in and the skin is a rather rubbery but the meat itself (when you can find it!) is good and resembles a mix between pork and game. At 27 Soles (a fiver) for a couple of mouthfuls of meat I'm not going to be in a rush to try it again though!
Day 68: Friday 5th September - The impressive 'sexywoman'
The six of us meet early at 7.30am to head to Jack's Cafe to get breakfast and do what we planned to do yesterday, visit the four Inca ruins just outside Cusco. Jack's cafe is like a home from home, serving fab English food. Have my first English breakfast on my trip.......its huge and good and a damn site better than the Ecuadorian and Peruvian breakfasts I've come accustomed to. We have to buy a 'boleto turistico' - a tourist ticket to
visit the ruins which at 130 Soles (25 pounds) doesn't come cheap. Walk across town to catch a bus to Tambomachay the ruin furthest from Cusco - around 10km away. Cusco is surrounded by Inca ruins which is hardly surprising as it was the capital of the Inca empire. Tambomachay is a spirtitual site, and although there isn't much to it the architecture is interesting. After a short visit walk a short while up the road to Pucapucara which was a small Inca settlement of a hundred people or so. We then have a 5km or so walk to Q'enko which is another religious/ceremonial Inca ruin. Q'enko is the least impressive of the ruins but does offer great views down to Cusco in the valley below.
Sacsayhuamán - known better to Gringo's as sexy woman! is the last of the Inca ruins we visit today and is the best of the ruins we visit. Sacsayhuamán is just above Cusco and took 77 years to build. It was the spiritual centre of the Inca civilisation and today is the site of Inti Raymi which is the Sun festival held every June. We get a guided tour which proves to be
very good as he takes us through a labyrinth of tunnels and then shows us a volcanic rock on the site which we have great fun sliding down and wouldn't have otherwise found. The site is impressive for the stonework - the Inca's built huge walls with some individual rocks up to 120 tonnes, and the walls have no mortar or cement to join individual rocks, they all fit in perfectly. Added to this there are some symbolic shapes in the rocks like Llama's, a snake and a puma paw, all of which were important to the Inca's. The quality of construction in the wall stands up to anything I've seen in the modern world and its 500 years old. The guide also tells us that Sacsayhuamán was built in the shape of a Puma's head and that the old city of Cusco in the Inca times (1200-1500) was in the shape of a Puma's body.....very impressive.
On the walk down to Cusco we stop at the hotel where the DJ John Peel died a few years ago.....its morbid, but we're intrigued and its a very nice hotel, but also very expensive (Loki hostel will have to do!). In
the evening after ages wandering the streets looking for a restaurant (Cusco isn't short of them either and has a lot of good ones) we end up in a Dutch one. Can't recall the Dutch being renowned for their food, but end up having a decent curry! We end up in the Irish bar for the second day running, but after one drink we throw in the towel. We're all knackered after our days exertions. Its a shame because Cusco is a party city.......maybe another day? I do have Bread & Butter pudding at 11 o'clock at night in the pub.....missing English food and in Cusco its readily available....it turns out to be yummy but is strange having it so late washed down with beer!
Day 69: Saturday 6th September - An afternoon in the pub watching dreadful England
A morning of chores for me. Need to do some shopping ahead of my Inca Trail trip to replace all the stuff I've lost over the last few days. Takes less time than I expect and I manage to get to the Irish Pub comfortably for the England game. Meet Jonathan in there and Stevie and Katie join us
later. This is almost becoming a local for us, but is surprisingly good for an Irish bar abroad - normally I avoid if I can help it. It also claims to be the highest Irish bar in the world?? Spend the afternoon on the beer watching an expected dreadful England performance as we beat Andorra 2-0.
After having a pre-inca trail brief get my gear ready for the Inca trail and then join the group at a restaurant in the Plaza. After another good meal end up playing cards in a bar (Rock & Roll!) until 1am. Not good, I need to be up for my Inca trail at 5am. Don't mind though its been great fun hanging out with the other five but tonight is going to be the last night together. Rebecca's already headed out to Machu Picchu, and the rest will be gone by the time I get back from my Inca trail. I may meet up with them all again on my travels - Jonathan in either Bolivia or Buenos Aires, Eddie is heading in the same direction as me and Stevie & Katie in Sydney for New Year.
Day 70: Sunday 7th September
- Day 1 of the Inca Trail
I'm getting picked up at 5.45pm just off the main plaza for the start of my Inca Trail. This means an early start, but I'll become accustomed to that over the next few days. We have a 2 hour bus journey to breakfast and then a further short hop to the start of the Inca Trail at kilometre 82 in the Sacred Valley. When we get off the bus we need to sort our gear out between what we are carrying and what the porters will carry for us. I've paid $50 for the privilege so I'll be giving the porters as much as I can! Having done this we queue up at the checkpoint at the start of the Inca Trail to be checked in. The porters do likewise at another checkpoint, they however are getting weighed in as well. The Inca Trail is strictly governed with regard to numbers (500 per day including porters) and weight allowed to be carried. At around 10am after posing for photos and having successfully checked in we're off. The Inca Trail is a 4 day trek over 50 kilometres (30 miles) of contrasting terrain
finishing at the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu. Its been my dream for over a decade to see the Inca ruins, and I'm really looking forward to the coming days at the start of the trek. Our group consists of 8 of us, myself, an American guy Rick , Fergus & Jay an Austrailian couple, Cathal & Emma an Irish couple and Mark & Yildiz a couple from South Africa and Turkey respectively. Apart from Rick who's in his 50's, everyone else seems to be of a similar age. In addition, we are joined by our guide Paull and 14 porters and cooks.
The first part of the trek follows the River Urubamba and is a beautiful walk on even ground - its an easy start. We see two sets of Inca ruins, Q'anabamba and Willkarakay on this section of the walk. Willkarakay is stunning - just an hour or so into the trek and my mind is blown already! We stop for lunch after a gradual climb from walking beside the river. After lunch the gradual climb continues until we reach our campsite at Wayllabamba at 3100m at 4.30pm. It doesn't feel like it but we've already
ascended 700m today, the walk being 14km. It has been a pleasant walk and the first part beside the river was beautiful. The group is good, everyone is getting along and seems to be of similar mindsets and Paull our guide is good - giving us lots of information on the Inca culture and Peru in general. After dinner its an early night, with no electricity there's nothing to do so 8pm becomes a regular bed time. I've got a tent to myself and have a fairly comfortable night's sleep.
Day 71: Monday 8th September - Day 2 of the Inca Trail
Woken at 5am as we've an early start as we've got a lot of distance to cover today. By 6.30am we're walking - initially its a fairly gradual ascent through a forest, which is pleasant, before things get decidedly tougher. After an hour and a half or so we stop for the rest of the group to catch up - Emma is finding things tough going. On resumption, we're out of the forest and climbing more steeply towards Dead Woman's Pass - so called because the shape of the pass resembles a dead woman on her
back. The scenery here is the bleak, bare mountainside of Llulluchupampa and this is the hardest part of the trek. Shortly after 10am I reach the top, but must wait around an hour at the top waiting for everyone else to catch up. Its cold and windy at the top, especially when you're stood still, but its hardly surprising since we're at 4200m - the highest point of the Inca Trail. The descent from Dead Woman's Pass is steep but at least it is getting warmer.
Shortly after midday I arrive in the campsite at Pacamayo. It is situated in a valley at 3600m altitude between two passes. Our guide, Paull is hopeful that he will be able to secure a spot the next campsite over the Runquraqay pass. This will entail a further 4 hours walking, but as its only just after 12pm there is plenty of the day left to achieve this. In the meantime, we tuck into another excellent lunch - the food is proving to be excellent. Towards the end of our meal he returns to tell us that there is no room at the campsite and therefore we are camping here tonight. Its an
early finish to the day - we've only covered 12km, albeit most of it uphill. As there is little to do other than catch up on sleep, four of us decide to hike up to the Runquraqay ruins, which are about a half hour climb. Once there I initially want to press on up to the pass - just for the sake of it, as we'll still have to turn back. The clouds are coming in so I change my mind, and the four of us get back to camp just before it starts pouring it down. Get an hours shut-eye before dinner, where we have another great meal and Paull gives us another history lesson on Peru & the Inca's before another early night.
Day 72: Tuesday 9th September - Day 3 of the Inca Trail
Before we went to bed last night we had agreed to get up half an hour earlier at 5.30am instead of six so we would get a head start on the other groups and therefore spend most of the day walking alone. We set off walking at around 6.30am following the same route as the previous afternoon up to the Runquraqay
ruins. The ruins overlook the valley below and were used by the Inca's as a lookout point to control movements on their territory. Indeed, a number of Inca ruins we pass on the trail are similarly positioned and were used for the same purpose. The weather is cool as the sun struggles to burn through the early morning mist and it only starts to get warm as we reach the Runquraqay pass at around 4000m altitude sometime after 8am, passing two alpine lakes on the way.
The scenery over the second pass improves significantly. We start descending into cloud forest, past another lake and Paull points out a number of flora unique to the trail. The third day of the Inca trail is supposed to have the best scenery and already its looking promising. After around 4km we get to Sayaqmarka, another Inca viewpoint set on a small mountain spur offering incredible views into the jungle in the valley below. From Sayaqmarka you also can see the Inca ruins of Qonchamarka in the valley below. After being allowed sometime to explore the remarkably well preserved ruins in a truly amazing setting we press on down past Qonchamarka ruins and
after a short ascent stop for a ridiculously early lunch at around 11am.
After an hour and a half we're off again, following the trail up through cloud forest and an Inca tunnel carved into the rock to reach a third pass at 3700m. The part of the walk is one of the best, to the left we can see the jungle stretch out before us in the valley below, whilst the trail itself is a nice walk through the forest. At the top of the pass we are offered our first view of Aguas Calientes (the town nearest to Machu Picchu) and also the River Urubamba in the valley below.......we're getting close now. After a short stop we start our descent to the Phuyupatamarka ruins. Again, they are remarkably well preserved and is another Inca viewpoint overlooking the steep valley. The view from here is simply stunning, snowcapped mountains, steep valleys, the river in the bottom and some Inca terraces clinging to the hillside in the valley below.
From Phuyupatamarka the trail dives into the cloud forest below, which although is nice to walk through, is incredibly steep and after a long walk already is starting to
take its toll on my weary limbs. Not to worry, we've plenty of time to reach our campsite at Winay Wayna at 2700m in the valley below. On the way down to the campsite we stop at the Intipata ruins. Intipata is a series of Inca terraces which would have been used for agricultural purposes. As with most of the rest of the ruins on the way they are incredibly well preserved and are stunning. I offer the comment to Paull that if Machu Picchu is better than what we have seen on the Inca trail to date then it must be something truly special. His response is that is is better than the first 3 days combined.....I can't wait, and I'm getting excited.
After passing by the campsite absolutely knackered, I walk the futher 400m or so to the Winay Wayna ruins. Although the light is fading it can't detract from a truly spectacular view. The ruins are a combination of terraces for agriculture and some buildings. They are overlooked by steep cliffside covered in cloud forest and a waterfall and look down into the valley below where the river Urubamba lies. For me this ruin would be
right up there as a major tourist attraction in its own right - but is little more than a sideshow to the main event, Machu Picchu. We have the option of a first shower in 3 days before dinner, but hearing mixed reports decide to slum it out until tomorrow when I return to Cusco. Have dinner in the restaurant facilities in Winay Wayna rather than in the tents. The cook's done himself proud for the penultimate meal, maintaining the high standard of the last few days. After the meal we have a series of speeches thanking the porters and cook for their efforts and present them with a tip and with a beer each before a photo session. Its hilarious seeing how they treat the beers. First they spill a bit on the floor as a 'gift' to Pachamama - mother earth before taking a drink!! This is a local custom. Before we head to our tents to sleep, Paull accompanies us to the Winay Wayna ruins where we sit as the moonlight reflects on the ruins and he tells us the background to them. Fall asleep very tired after covering 16km today but full of excitement as I
reflect forward to tomorrow.
Day 73: Wednesday 10th September - Fulfilling a dream at Machu Picchu
For the past decade or so, ever since I first heard about and saw Machu Picchu on some TV travel programme, I have harboured dreams of one day visiting the site. Today is the day that the dream will come true if I can negotiate the final 7km of walking. We awake early at 4am in preparation to reach Machu Picchu before the main crowds arrive. We must wait at the gate to leave Winay Wayna until 5.30am, when it is opened. We are treated to some inappropriate tunes by a group ahead of us as we wait...goodness knows what the Peruvians think of this! At 5.30am its all stations go, and the groups ahead of us bolt out of the traps, I'm determined to enjoy the final few miles of the Inca trail so I'm going to take it somewhat slower. Also my feet have taken a battering the past 3 days, and so want to take it easy. The first hour of walking is through cloud forest as the River Urubamba flows in the valley far below. At 6.30am we
reach Intipunku, better known as the Sun Gate and here we are treated to our first sight of Machu Picchu.....its stunning alright but with such a high expectation level beforehand, I'm not quite buzzing. We stay at the Sun Gate for a while, taking photos and soaking it in before walking the final few kilometres down to Machu Picchu. We arrive at the top of the site at around 7.30am, the site is the most complete set of Inca ruins, and is situated in a stunning setting, the mountain Wayna Picchu towers above it from behind and then to two sides of the site there are sheer drops to the valley below. In addition, mountains and cloud forest make up an unbelievable 360 degree view. We get a few of the classic shots above the ruins before making our way down to the entrance. On our way down we pass an Indian film crew who must be filming the latest Bollywood classic!
After some refreshments and a breather we enter the site again and Paull starts by giving us the history of the site. The city was abandoned by the Inca's as the Spanish started conquering their empire it
remained undiscovered to the world apart from the locals, until the American, Hiram Bingham discovered it early in the 20th century. Because it was untouched for some 400 years, it remains remarkably well preserved and is undoubtedly the pick of the Inca sites due to this, its scale and the architecture. As Paull continues, I manage to fall asleep.....yes I fell asleep at Machu Picchu!! In my defence it was hot and I was tired after a ridiculously early start, but I guess there are no excuses! After he's finished we then get around two hours to look around the site, Paull continuing to give the background. Machu Picchu doesn't disappoint, in my mind it is one of the top 5 sites I've been lucky so see around the world (Iguassu Falls, Taj Mahal, Galapagos Islands and the Pyramids of Giza being the remainder) and when you add the first 3 days of the Inca trail into the mix I would probably put the Inca trail + Machu Picchu at the very top of that list. I disagree with Paull on one point, I think the first 3 days of the Inca trail are at least the match of Machu
Picchu, but both are truly amazing.
After Paull has finished showing us around we have some free time to explore the site further. I'd like to climb Wayna Pichu but when we arrive at the entrance gate they have already filled their quota of 400 people for the day. Slightly disappointed because the views of Machu Picchu would have been great but I'm knackered so wasn't loking forward to the climb. Given the comprehensive tour and the scorching sun, I decide to catch the bus down to Aguas Calientes straight away, the town nearest Machu Picchu, in the valley below. The cost of the ticket is $7, for no more than a 30 minute journey....extortion, it should be a tenth of the price given we're in Peru! Never mind its covered in the cost of the Inca trail. Chill out in a hostel, where we're having lunch in an hour or so, before saying goodbyes to the group as only 3 of us are heading back to Cusco today. We have however arranged to meet for drinks in Cusco tomorrow night. At around 4pm we get on the train at the start of our 4 hour journey back to
Cusco. The train takes us as far as Ollaytaytambo. Its one of the best train journey's I've had, following the River Urubamba through the Sacred Valley, passing some spectacular scenery and added to that we get some entertainment in the shape of a wierd masked guy dancing and a fashion show!!!! In an hour and a half we're at Ollaytaytambo where the three of us (Me, Emma & Cathal) get in a taxi for the two hour journey to Cusco. Our driver is a maniac, but does manage to get us there in one piece (just) in an hour and a half. Return to Loki hostel knackered to take my first shower in 4 days!!
Day 74: Thursday 11th September - The Sacred Valley
I have been warned that after Machu Picchu that seeing any Inca ruins is an anticlimax. Nevertheless, I'm intrigued by the sites in the Sacred Valley (and forked out for the expensive tourist ticket) so decide to visit them anyway. Need an early start as there's lots to see and the journey's involved are quite long. Catch a bus to Pisac first, the nearest site to Cusco. Arrive around 11am expecting to have this
wrapped up in an hour or so and move on to what I expect to be the more impressive Ollaytaytambo ruins. Three hours later and I've just about managed to take in the huge site which rises 500m from Pisac town to the hillside above. The giant citadel, looks imposingly over the valley, and includes agricultural terraces, lookout points, ceremonial buildings and homes. Outside Machu Picchu, Pisac and Sacsaywaman are the premier sites in my opinion, and I'm certainly not disappointed after Machu Picchu - it was well worthwhile.
Pushed for time now I still decide to take the 2 hour journey to Ollaytaytambo - which with cobbled streets and architecture still standing from Inca times, feels like an Inca town would have done. Whip around the ruins in half an hour - they are an anticlimax after Machu Picchu (and Pisac for that matter). This is no bad thing as I am meeting the group from the Inca trail at 8.30pm in Cusco for drinks and I have a two and a half our hour journey ahead of me and its 4.30pm already. Arrive at my local (well its starting to feel like it anyway!) - Paddy Flaherty's,
the Irish bar at 9ish to meet the guys from the Inca trail. Everyone turns up with the exception of Paull, our guide. We have a good night, continuing to the early hours, before everyone knackered after the week's exertions call's it a night......its been a good group and definitely enhanced the experience.
Day 75: Friday 12th September - Whitewater rafting on the Urubamba river
I'm heading back to the Sacred Valley again to do some rafting today. Although I've had opportunities to do whitewater rafting before, for various reasons its fallen through, so today will be my first time. I'm going to be doing it on the river Urubamba,which was sacred to the Inca's as they believed it was the earthly reminder of the Milky Way. The rapids on the river are rated as grade 3/4, but as its their dry season they are only grade 2/3 at the moment. We spend around 2 hours on the river around Ollaytaytambo, learning the ropes, before having some fun fights with the other two rafts and then tackling 2x grade 3 rapids and 1x grade 2 rapids in quick succession. Get out of the water absolutely freezing, but its
been fun although I could have done with more rapids and a more severe test. Next time I guess, however it wasn't bad for starters.
Get back to Cusco in the early evening and am in two minds to buy a new coat. The one I have takes up too much room in my rucksack and I'm not too keen, but the one I have my eye on is pricey (especially when you have no income!). The shop is open until 9.30pm so decide if its still open after my meal then I'll buy it, otherwise its not meant to be. Spend my meal thinking I should have just bought it when I had the chance, but luckily the shop is still open when I return just before 9.30pm. Climb up to the hostel for the last time - won't miss that hill, being at 3300m+. Was going to pop into the internet cafe for a while but as I manager to break the combination lock protecting my valuables, its going to be an early night as I'm not risking leaving them unattended.
Had a great time in Cusco, the city's right up there with Arequipa as my
favourite of my trip so far. Although its touristy it maintains a charm, and there is so much to do in the surrounding area that you could easily spend 2 weeks here.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.063s; Tpl: 0.02s; cc: 8; qc: 24; dbt: 0.0332s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
