Yo Momma´s a Llama

We conquered Machu Picchu! (Sorry for the lack of pictures, it is really hard to find computers that are fast enough or have usb ports. Don´t worry, we have some 800 pictures already...not to mention videos thanks to Ray aka Clark)

Yesterday we woke up early and trained from Cusco to Aguas Calientes. We arrived around lunchtime and headed on a bus up to Machu Picchu after checking into our hotel. The bus drive itself is crazy, with beautiful views...the drive consists of more than a dozen switchbacks up the side of a mountain, on a road only narrow enough for one bus, but they manage to squeeze in two at times! (I held my breath each time). We explored the ruins until closing, right before sunset. The experience is indescribable, the Andes are incredible, I could go on and on but I really don´t know where to start. It is unbelievable how such a beautiful city could be built so high with so little resources.



Today was Mission Wayna Picchu (the tall mountain behind all of the Machu Picchu postcards). We woke up at 4 a.m. (rather, Ray woke up at 4, I woke up when the coffee came) so we could fall in line for the bus. We got down to the bus station by 4:30 and there was already a line forming. At 5:30 the first bus came, and we were lucky enough to be on the second bus of the day! As soon as we arrived, I hopped off the bus and raced to the front gate, with a HUGE crowd following. Again we waited patiently at the gate and made friends with a group of Americans who just came off the Inca Trail the day before. Only 400 people a day are allowed to climb up Wayna Picchu so it gets a little crazy. Luckily, the Americans we met still had their sherpa named Francisco, so as soon as the gates open it was a mad dash to the back of the ruins toward Wayna Picchu. At approximately 7:00 am, Ray and I walked through the Wayna Picchu checkpoint (number 26 and 27) and began our long day of hiking in the Andes.



I had my doubts the day before, having heard stories about how dangerous and scary it is - the Incan steps are narrow and wind steeply up and down the face of the mountain, most of the time there is no guardrail so there is little room for error. But with adrenaline pumping, I focused on putting one foot in front of the other, and the climb up went by so fast. (At least for me, Ray has a ¨trick knee¨) You´ll have to wait to see the pictures from the top of the mountain...just amazing. You can see the clouds below us which slowly separate to reveal more gorgeous, tree covered mountains. After having lunch at the top, we ventured down the back of Wayna Picchu to see the Gran Caverna. This was probably my favorite portion of the hike. Although steep and intimidating (two times we had to climb down ladders made out of tree branches which hugged the mountain side) the path was relatively quiet and well engineered... the Incans must have perfected the art of making steps out of granite. I´ll let the pictures (I promise to post more asap) explain the rest.



We are waiting for our train back to Cusco. Tomorrow we fly from Cusco to Lima to Piura, then take a taxi to Mancora. Yay beach for a week! I never want to climb up stairs again. Oh, and Ray had guinea pig in Cusco...but that´s another story...