Machu Picchu: the most overrated place in the world ??

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Hello my dears !!

This morning, I am heading to Aguas Calientes to go to Machu Picchu (MP). Never heard about it ?

Designated in 2007 as one of the new 7 wonders in the world, and part of the World patrimoine of UNESCO since 1983, the MP was discovered in 1911 by the american archeologist Hiram Bingham. MP (which means Old mountain in Quechua) was apparently a residence of the inca emperor Pachacutec. It is located between the mount Huyana Picchu and Machu Picchu, on the oriental side of the central andes.
This is it for the history. You can always refer to Wikipedia if you want to know more...

Lets start with the negative points:
- Despite being the most visited site of Peru, the access to MP is very difficult. You either get robbed by Perurail which has the monopoly of the train line, or you have to take 3 buses, walk 3 hours and still you are not there !!
- It costs a fortune to reach MP. Very few peruvians can go due to the entrance fee and especially the pricey journey. Some people book a tour for 200USD from Cusco with poor hotel room in Aguas Calientes.
- You feel like in Disney World. Over-crowded with americans talking super loud !!
- The advises of the Lonely Planet. No need to leave too early, everybody does that !!

So, From Cusco I take a bus to Urubamba (2h), where I take a taxi to Ollantaytambo (15 min). This is where is the train station to Aguas Calientes (2h), the town located next to MP. Here starts the joke: After paying 70USD (which is a bargain compared to other departure times), you have to queue 30 minutes to enter the train ! And you feel like in the middle of explorers alla Indiana Jones in brand new outfits. Anyway, here I meet again Gabriel, a cool american guy from Louisiana that I met previously at the Perurail office. He was in Peru and Argentina and heading to Ecuador, so we share good tips And we decid we will climb together the MP the day after. And I meet Gilles, a retired french guy who has explored many places. Super funny guy, he lived in Africa (crossed the Sahara 6 or 7 times, sailed an Hobbie Cat on the Niger river, etc), Mali, Madagascar, and now in Guadaloupe.
After 2h, we arrived in Aguas Calientes, under a rainshower. As usual, some dudes come to promote their hotel. We take one with Gabriel, negociated from 60 to 40 soles (ie 20 each) for a room with 2 beds and hot water. Which is somehow expected in a town called Aguas Calientes... We decide to avoid the gringo crowd in the restaurant and go to the food place over the market. A huge plate of food for 10 soles (Milanesa, rice, fries. the usual...). It rains like cats and dogs. We cross the fingers for tmrw...

The day after, we wake up at 4am to leave early and be part of the 1st ones to enter the MP. Well, as you can imagine, this is a tip from the LP. So, we are dozens of people walking towards the acces road to MP. The climb starts with the famous stairs, accross the 8km bus road. It is supposed to take 1h30. Seriously, it becomes ridiculously crowded. We queue in the stairs !!! But despite the early start, it becomes super warm. Humidity is super high, and we start sweating our @ss like hell. Altitude is low, though. Only 2700m. So we (I mean I) decide to follow the bus road, to a) avoid the crowd, b) take it easy and arrive alive and kicking and c) enjoy the scenery of beautiful landscapes (mountains in a misty sky).
At 6h30, we arrive. Again, a queue of over 100m !! Thanks Lonely Planet and your good tips !
The rain starts again. After 30 min, we are in.

And yes, this is it. Whatever your state of mind, you cant be neutral. This place is simply astonishing. Bob Marly would say "there is a natural mystic in the air". And he is damn right !! The site is totally magical. The location is simply unbelievable. And despite all the toursits, it remains extraordinary.
We start with the left side of the site, goinf up and down for about 1h30. Then we climb the Machu Picchu mountain, which is 800m higher than the site itself (I recommend it vs Huyana Picchu, which is located lower and has restrictions: onlt the 1st 400 people can climb it). But with the mist, I give up. And especially with my knees...
The rains start again, but the site keeps all its magic.

But due to the extreme rain, I leave the site with a bit of disappointment. Not for the place itself, but the weather. I cant imagine how it would have been with a nice sun.....

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