Inca Trail y Machu Picchu

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Buenos Dias por Aquas Calientes y Feliz el Dia de Nuevo Anos--Dos mil y ocho!!!
Well we are back in civilization again, at least what we call it down here and drying out, resting our sore legs and just reflecting on another amazing journey!! The 4 day Inca Trail trek is all what it is cracked up to be and more. We started out on Dec. 29th. from Cusco after a very cool night following , yes another rain storm, and on the way out to the trail head there they were- Snow capped Andes and as high as 18,000 with a foreground of fields of green crops and pastures and more Quechuan communities. We picked up all our porters along the way from their own farms and headed to the the town of Ollyantambo for desayuno- breakfast. We bought our walking sticks and bag of Coca leaves and off we went to the trail head. With our passports stamped with the Trail and our guide Freddy (said his lastname was Kruger), off Aud and I went with 14 other trekkers and 21 porters and 2 guides. The first day was pretty smooth but still some significant ups- leaving the beautiful Urabamba River-Valley up we went into the Andes towards our eventual goal- Machu Picchu in 4 days. Seeing various other Incan ruins along the way and thanks to Freddy´s incredible passion and knowledge of the Incan-Quechuan cultures we quickly felt like we had gone back in time to this raw and simple lifestyle. The meals that our cook Wiliam fixed in conditions of high altitude, rain, in a tent and all the food carried in on the backs of the porters was Out of this World!! A few of the items were- pancakes with carmel cream on them, fresh veggies-onions-avocados, pink trout, stuffed cucumber, warm and very flavorful soups, always hot tea-Coca/etc. , various meats, bananas flambied (Carol you spell it) and the last night, a surprise Cake with Feliz de Nuevo Años!! Aud went crazy on that! We all slept in small tents, 3 person dome tents and for Aud and me we thought it was big enough for the family, little did we know how that extra room would come in handy (room for all our wet gear to dry out- RIGHT?¿?). First day and night clear and Oh the Stars - just like being on top of Whitney! Yet, we noticed that Orion was upside down, wondered what happend to him, maybe too many Pisco Sours??? All mornings were very early with wakeup calls, 4-5 am- then get us fed, packed up and the porters were always right behind us packing up our tents before we could get out of them, and then on the trail by 6-6:30 am. Day two was known to be the worst, starting at a elevation of about 10,000 ft., biggest climb 1,200 meters to the sacred pass called Warmiwañusqa (4,200m) which was just over 14,000 feet. Well the group, or as Freddy called us- Family- headed out for this big climb in three sections or two breaks- 3 - 400 meter legs. Well, a little explanation here, Boberto I guess wanted to test his "porter" abilities so both Aud and I didn´t hire a porter for the entire trek and we carried all our own stuff and in my new pack and her overstuffed day pack. There was a scale at the begining of the day to check on the porter´s weight- making sure that they were not being abused, which is a very important and unfortunately new trend. Freddy told us that in the past a porter would carry as much as 40-50kg.!! So my pack checked in at 19.2 about 43 lbs. and off I went. Ok the first 400 meters but on the second section which they felt was the worst, lots of steps and up and up and up I really had a lifetime experience. A very good day for me as I was not only in the lead of my fellow trekkers who most all but one didn´t have full packs but also for a short and steep time I was able to stay up with two porters- in between them, a young one and older man (yeah probably in his early 40s, but we had one who was in his early 50´s, amazing). It was very spiritual morning for me as I was walking in the footsteps of these incredibly fit people and at the same time on the 1,300 year old Inca Trail once used on a daily basis by the Incan communities -to- yes communte. So- yes I made it to the top far behind the porters but yet a fantastic feeling knowing that I really gave it a good go at such high altitude and also knowing that I don´t have to do it as my job!! Very spiritual moment too which i won´t share with all of you, private between me and Pachamama!!

Weather in these mountains is contstantly changing as we were surrounded by a moving mist all the time and therefore makes the area so Mystical! Much like the Eastern Sierra weather "Wait 5 minutes and it will be different!" On top -one by one- our gang made it and applause for all, very supportive group. We all then went over to a location on the pass where Freddy lead us in a Quechuan tradition of giving an offering to Pachamama. He had explained to us at the bottom to pick up a small rock to bring to the top for Pachamama in thanks of letting us get to the top of the pass and to preserve this sacred environment, so we all had our rocks and our Coca leaves and forming a small bouquet of three leaves- symbolizing the three levels of Quechuan culture: lower -Snake, middle -Puma, & upper -Condor, we blew on them to the east, set them down under our rock and they were all stacked up. Then a little Pisco spilled on them and the rest was for our toast!! Some pictures and then the DOWN hill, not Boberto´s thing! All steps down for 2 hours, YUCK, that means No Bueno if you don´t comprend. Andrea cruised down as she still has those great downhill legs and I ooched and ouched down. Great to finally be in camp, rest, food, warmth, and for entertainment two waterfalls right above us and snow capped peaks off to the west of us. Another cool night, stars, and fantastic food.

After another cool night and Freddy´s stories and our great group chatting we were off early the next morning for the longest Km day w/ dos passes but not as high. They were amazing as we visited more ruins with the constant mist and snow capped peaks around. Then Pachamama said- Boberto y Andrea you need a tad more challenge, and the sky went black and mas lluvia (rain man rain!!). So from about 11 to 4:30 hiked in the pouring rain, miserable and very challenging to keep going, and steps-steps-steps, both up and down and the last down is known as the "2,000 steps" and I counted every xzsivfanow one!!! It truely is an amazing ancient trail, at times we were hiking and there would be a drop-off of say 10-20 feet and if you looked over the edge it was all built up with the Incan tight block method. By the way- siesmic note- from all the past earthquakes here in the Cusco Region none of the Incan structures have fallen, a little shifting but no collaspe, but the stuctures that the Spanish built on top have crumbled to the ground. Ok, back to the day, so through all this rain it did make sense as in the 4 day trek we pass down, yes down through 6 ecological zones- (Cusco is at 11K+ and Machu Picchu is at 9K) so we were now in the Rain Forest zone, and boy was it a challenge to keep moving and not pull out the camera to shoot tropical vegatation/flower shots along the way-did it anyway. I did stop also on a very steep section where the steps were not finished by the Incans, more rounded and then proceeded to slowly side step down, then I heard the familar whistle and yes three porters fully loaded came running, yes RUNNING down the steps- they are just amazing athletes! Another geo note, the large Urabamba River that comes out of the Andes and Cusco Region and flows right around Machu Picchu eventually ends up in the Amazon- yes we were up in the starting zone of the Amazon. So Aud and I. much like the UCSC mascot, slugged into camp happy to be done with that very difficult day, and go figure- at camp the clouds passed and out came the stars- great but cool again. So to rehydrate we headed right for the little bar there for a nice cool Cusquena Beer, soaking wet- but it was great!! Should be time for a predinner nap but we mustered up the strength to go out with both Freddy and Percy to visit what Freddy called his next favorite site to Machu Picchu, Wiñaywayna. A smaller group of us survivors went out to this very vertical site and had one of the most inspiring presentations by Freddy. We all touched our foreheads to the flowing canal water in one of the many collection areas and later heard Percy play a few traditional songs on his wooden flute out over this peaceful ancient community. Oh, Percy and Añgel snuck some warm Sangria in for another offering to Pachamama and yes we couldn´t waste the rest so down it went. Then we toured the rest and viewed the vertical drop-off at the bottom end of the structure where a mystical flowing waterfall carressed down the canyon.

Ok, to end this novela and bring on the sane Andrea´s version another day. Well, we had our last supper and for us "older folks" to bed to warm up-dry out. The kids off to the bar for a New Years Party. Then up at a little after 3am- pack up in record 30 minutes, some hot Coca tea and a pancake and then all down in line at the "check point" station- to let us all into the Machu Picchu area. There must of been 5-6 groups of 15-20 hikers all lined up. They opened at 5am and we were group two, feeling like my physical effort was finally winding down- little did I expect that I had signed up for the Machu Picchu 10K Race- off we went all jamming at a very fast hiking pace for about 90mins, oh they threw in a few steps to climb too, how creative of them, and photo bug Bob had to stop to shoot a 2 in. diameter violet orchid on the way which ruined my chances to go to nationals this year!! But then made the famous "Sun Gate" at and there was Machu Picchu about 1/2 mile below us and the first light of the day on the ¨"Sun Dial" of the community- what a site!!! Pictures abound as the sun kept creeping up and yes nothing but Blue Sky- thankyou Pachamama. We finally wandered down there as a group and set up before all the tour buses showed up and sat back and listened to Freddy explain all the history of the site and just took in the very peacful and spiritualness of this 7th Wonder of the World.

Well folks that´s it for me, maybe Audie will expand on the site and I´m sure the pictures will tell a better story. Back in Cusco now and getting ready to head for Patagonia tomorrow. Care to all and cherish to the earth no matter where we are. Boberto

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Photos

Road to the trailhead
I love this photo because it shows how dramatic the mountains can be with the green hills nearby.

The Trailhead
This kilometer 82. The start of the 4 day Inca Trail trip.

Cute quechuan girl at camp uno
Small girl wanted a pose at our first night of camping

Pachamama Offering
This is our gathering of rocks and coca leaves as a traditional offering to Pachama for our successful hike and love of this great environment.

End of the long trek
Wet and finished, but happy it was over for today

Percy & Flute-Wiñaywayna
Quechuan flute concerto at the Wiñaywayna Incan Ruins

Machu Picchu-sunrise
THEE Place at sunrise from the Sun Gate

Machu Picchu Sun Temple
View from below this amazing structure

Comments

[Caty]

Thanks again for blogging
Wow, I felt like I was there. Thanks a lot from someone who loves to hike, but may never enjoy that experience. I thought of you both the whole time you were hiking. Enjoy Patagonia and I look forward to your next entry. Love, Caty

[carol]

Flambéed.
Bill - I won't touch your other spelling. Andrée is right - I should have had a cuppa for that missive. Your trip sounds formidable (pronounce that in français, s'l te plaît). I think I'm up for it, having successfully completed the Druid Stone's loop on Jan. 1 (you-know-who's bday). I'm still recovering. MP should be a breeze. Happy 2008! love & hugs