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Published: September 18th 2010
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As the "Backpacker" train slowly chugged away from the station in Cusco, my lifelong dream of discovering the Lost City of the Incas was under way. The only thing between me and the ruins was the normally 4 hour train trip to Aguas Calientes which is a sleepy little town at the foot of Machu Picchu. We enjoyed the scenic views through the countryside and really began to get excited once we started going along side the Urubamba River. But then the train quickly came to a halt right at the location where the Inca Trail begins. For the first 30 minutes or so we relaxed and enjoyed watching the hikers and their porters begin their journey. But after a couple of hours of not being given any details, we were growing impatient and ready to go again. As quickly as the train had stopped it began again. Wildfires high above had caused some boulders to get loose, tumbling down the mountain and damaging the train tracks. Oh well, we only had about an hour left at that point. But I did wonder how anybody would come that far to see one of the most spectacular wonders of the world for
only a half day. And with the two hour delay, they would only spend a couple of hours at the ruins. Oh well, to each their own.
Nestled in a dramatic natural setting, Machu Picchu was built on a narrow ridge between Machu Picchu (“old peak” in the local Quechua language) mountain and Huayna Picchu (“young peak”) mountain at an elevation of 8,000 feet. Part of the allure of visiting the Lost City of the Incas is the shear effort required just to arrive at the sacred ruins. Some take the famous Inca Trail, arriving after four days of strenuous trekking just in time for the dramatic sunrise. Others may take the high road, literally, hiking at altitudes as high as 15,200 plus feet and covering 35 miles over 6 days while “camping” in luxury inns along the way. Yet even the “less adventurous” route to Machu Picchu entails taking a four-hour train trip from Cusco that is capped off with a 30 minute death-defying bus trip up the mountain while negotiating numerous switchbacks with only inches separating the bus from plunging over the edge into the Urumbamba River 1500 feet below. My wife and I had decided to
discover Machu Picchu on our terms by hiring a local guide to explore the ruins on the first day and by conquering Huayna Picchu and Intipunku by foot on the second day.
Our first glimpse of the stunning image of Huayna Picchu, the precipitous mountain towering high in the clouds as if it is carefully watching over the Lost City of the Incas, is a vision that will be forever implanted in my memory. Adding to the splendor of the moment was the sense of anticipation we had contemplating the next day’s steep trek to the peak of that magnificent mountain that serves as the dramatic backdrop for all of the postcard- perfect photos of Machu Picchu. But for the moment, Rina - our guide of Quechua ancestry - was methodically leading us through the famed ruins of the sacred city as she recounted in great detail the story of Hiram Bingham’s re-discovery of Machu Picchu.
Clipboard and map in hand, Rina was petite in stature and spoke with such confidence that it was obvious she took great pride in her knowledge of the history of the Incas and discovery of Machu Picchu. As I grew impatient to
quickly explore the sacred ruins like a kid running for the playground at lunch time, I quickly learned she was in charge and would set the pace of our tour. She explained how the Incas revered nature and worshipped Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) by detailing examples such as how the Temple of the Condor points in the direction of the sun; or how in the Temple of the Sun, the sun enters through one window during Summer Solstice and through another window during Winter Solstice; or how the Sacred Rock takes the shape of Yanantin Mountain that is directly behind it. She added that if you look at the Sacred Rock carefully, you will notice that it is formed in the shape of a guinea pig, a local delicacy in Peru. When I told her I couldn't wait to try Cuy, she said "yo tambien" (me too). But before our tour was over, she made sure we did not leave without knowing the quickest route from the main entrance to the gateway of the trail leading up Huayna Picchu. That turned out to be invaluable information when we returned at the crack of dawn the next day.
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