Aguas Calientes And The Amazing Machu Picchu
People glowed over the achievement of trekking to Machu Picchu and reaching the city ruins at dawn. Breathtaking high altitude experiences in Bolivia had every ounce of influence over our decision to own such bragging rights. We took the train. When we arrived at Aguas Calientes, the valley town below the ancient city, we learned that our intended accommodation was located five blocks up a hill. We settled for the first place at the bottom of it.
The town itself was nice enough, with hilly cobblestone streets closed to traffic, and very touristy. Again, markets selling the same old thing, wait staff waving menus as you pass, trying to get your business, and streets of tour company offices, hostels, hotels and the like. The town seemed to be constantly under construction, but it was a pleasant enough to walk around and enjoy a balcony dinner while a band of musicians serenaded diners with cheesy hits like "La Bamba".
We bought our Machu Picchu tickets for a hefty s/.120 and a bus ticket for about half that much. The bus climbed hairpin after hairpin curve, and the view was only the beginning of what we would see once we were at Machu Picchu. We entered the city and walked up another hill; there it was, laid out like on all the postcards. It was surreal; we were actually standing there above it, surrounded by mountains so that the horizon was nothing but rocky peaks covered in greenery and mist. A higher viewpoint provided an even more incredible view, where a steep cliff dropping off to the river far below could be seen. While the familiarity and reputation of the ruins diminished any surprises that day, the surroundings and freedom to explore the site made the visit all the more worthwhile.
The town itself was nice enough, with hilly cobblestone streets closed to traffic, and very touristy. Again, markets selling the same old thing, wait staff waving menus as you pass, trying to get your business, and streets of tour company offices, hostels, hotels and the like. The town seemed to be constantly under construction, but it was a pleasant enough to walk around and enjoy a balcony dinner while a band of musicians serenaded diners with cheesy hits like "La Bamba".
We bought our Machu Picchu tickets for a hefty s/.120 and a bus ticket for about half that much. The bus climbed hairpin after hairpin curve, and the view was only the beginning of what we would see once we were at Machu Picchu. We entered the city and walked up another hill; there it was, laid out like on all the postcards. It was surreal; we were actually standing there above it, surrounded by mountains so that the horizon was nothing but rocky peaks covered in greenery and mist. A higher viewpoint provided an even more incredible view, where a steep cliff dropping off to the river far below could be seen. While the familiarity and reputation of the ruins diminished any surprises that day, the surroundings and freedom to explore the site made the visit all the more worthwhile.
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