Day 9 - Machu Picchu

We got up early, ate breakfast and headed to the busses before the tourist-filled trains arrive from Cuzco today. The lines were long already and organized by entrance time into the site.

It was about a 45 minute wait, but we finally got up too our bus to drive up to Machu Picchu. I was thankful for the time as our tour guide mistakenly game me someone else’s bus ticket. The tickets have your name on them and you have to show your passport to get on the bus. Luckily they found my ticket in time and I was able to get on. I did have a plan B. One of the members in our group did not go today, but his wife did. It was his ticket that I had. She happen to have his passport with her. He was old with gray hair and blue eyes. I probably could have pulled it off! Ha Ha1 Today we will take circuit 3 and explore the buildings in the lower part of Machu Picchu.

Today the weather was very cloudy and the mountains were shrouded in clouds. This is why it is called the cloud forest. We were lunch to have such a clear day yesterday. However, the wispy clouds made for a very dramatic feeling.

In the Cloud Forest

Once again, Ana Maria did a fantastic job providing explanations of each building we went through. It is still a bit surreal being here. I cannot adequately describe this place in words. I feel lucky just to have been able to be here.

The site was very crowded today. Looking up at the trail for circuit 2, it was packed with tourists and I felt bad because the courses were obscuring the mountains and I am sure their photos were not as good as our from the day before.

We did run into what I would call Peruvian influencers. They were dressed up in fancy traditional clothing and taking photos all over the palace and holding up the lines. They would scoop water from a grinding stone and bless their heads, then stand under an overhanging rock and perform some bizarre hand movements. Our guides said they had no clue what they were doing and none of what they did was remotely significant.

Peruvian Infuencer

This circuit hike was shorter and took us less time. We finished early and took the busses back down to the hotel for lunch. We checked out and headed to the train station. Everything was relaxing as we headed back to Ollyantambo. Here we took a bus to Cusco where we will be staying the next two nights.

Tonight we stay at the Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel.

Monasterio Hotel.

We checked into the hotel where our luggage was waiting in our rooms. I can get used to not having to carry my luggage around! The tour did not include dinner tonight, so we walked about the city. I was on a mission to add to my Guinness Around the World blog and try a Guinness in Peru. There were three Irish pubs close by, but none had Guinness on tap, only in cans. After checking the Guinness website, I learned that Guinness does not make a special recipe for Peru (or Ecuador, our next stop).

We found a wood fired pizza place for dinner and stopped there to eat. IT was delicious.

It was a long day of hiking and taking many modes of transportation. We retired early even though we did not have to get up early tomorrow.