Machu Picchu y Aguas Calientes

We`ll we`re in La Paz, Bolivia now - an absolutely wonderful place. It`s been a while since I`ve had a chance to sit down at a computer and make a blog post (apologies), but this one is about Machu Picchu and the little town about twenty minutes on foot away, Aguas Calientes. Basically there`s one word to summarize Machu Picchu: spectacuar. We were both affraid that after seeing so many pictures before hand that actually being there wouldn`t be such a big deal, but we were thankfully wrong.

We had to take a miserable 4 hour train from Cuzco which took us out of the altiplano and in the cloud forest. It was kind of strange looking out the window seeing modern Incans working their farms, giving us a creepy colonial India feel. But as we decended the landscape became more and more enchanting, especially following the river. We stayed one night in Aguas Calientes then in the morning made the twenty minute walk to the base of the mountain, then the hour and a half climb to Machu Picchu. We could have taken a bus, but though the feeling of doing the climb would be worth it. Once we got to the top we went through ruins, listening to other people`s tours, then made the hike to the Incans Bridge (not the one we saw in Mendoza) then to the Sun Gate.

I have way too many photos to upload, but here are some highlights:

This is Aguas Calientes. Pretty much this town exists to serve Machu Picchu tourists. It was very pleasant even if it had a theme park feel.


This picture was shot on our way up to the ruins.


Here`s Antonia posing in front of the ruins.


Here`s a shot from inside the complex showing the beautiful landscape surrounding the site.


Here`s another from inside the complex.


This is the Incan Bridge. You can`t go across anymore, but the walk there was really nice.


Here`s a picture taken from the Sun Gate, the end of the Incan Trail. It was about an hours walk from the ruins uphill.


Here`s a shot of Machu Picchu mountain. You can barely make out the ruins on the the upper left hand side.