Cusco, the Sacred Vally and Machu Picchu!

I updated to early on Friday because for dinner our family had Antequecho, also known as cow heart. It was actually pretty good. And our family gave us Mate de Cocoa, which is supposed to help with altitude sickness in preparation of our trip.

Saturday
We had to be at the ISA office at 3:30 to fly to Cusco by 5:45. It was pretty cold in Cusco when we got there because of the altitude but we left immediately for the Sacred Valley. We took an hour bus ride through Cusco to get to the Sacred Valley and made a couple of stops along the way. We went to a place called Nelly’s House in Chinchero, where they show how they hand weave alpaca and wool items. I definitely bought myself an alpaca wool blanket!!! I was excited.

We arrived in Urubamba, which is apart of the Sacred Valley and hiked through an old Incan village. We climbed Ollantaytambo ruins, which they said was preparing us for hiking around Machu Picchu the next day. My lungs could tell we were at a different altitude for sure. We had an amazing lunch buffet and went to a local bar to try Chicheria, which is beer made from different corns, and played sapo (kind of like Peru’s version of washers only way more difficult)

Our hotel in Urubamba (the Sonesta Posada Yucay) was amazing! I actually took a bubble bath for the first time in 5 weeks!

Sunday – Machu Picchu!!
We had to leave our hotel by 4:30 so we had an awesome breakfast at the hotel. We didn’t leave at 4:30 and had to get to Ollantaytambo to catch our train to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. So Michelle was telling us to prepare to sprint through the town because our big bus couldn’t make it into the town but luckily a bus for the train came and met us part of the way. From the station we had to take another 30-minute van ride to where the actual trains are and then we had an hour train ride to Aguas Calientes. It was really amazing to ride a train through that area; it was beautiful. From there we took a 20-minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu!! It is so beautiful there and pictures can’t do it justice. It was a great and surreal experience to be there, it didn’t seem like it happened.

We ate lunch there and Hunter, Jacob, Sarah, Sierra, Kate and I wanted to climb the top of Machu Picchu. I almost didn’t make it up because the top of Machu Picchu is 10,000 feet above see level and my lungs felt like they were being crushed by a giant rock! So we climbed about 3,000 feet up from the ruins to the top, I think. Thank God for Sierra she really pushed me and didn’t let me turn around because she knew I would regret it. She stayed behind with me and it took us about 2 hours (probably a little more) to get up but it was SO worth it! I’m really amazed that I can say that I climbed to the top of Machu Picchu!

Me at the top of Machu Picchu with the Inca ruins and Huaynapicchu in the background (I know my hair is in my face but it doesn't matter!)

It is amazing the people you meet around the world. I had a TX State shirt on and got stopped by a group of people that went to UT while we were walking to get dinner in Aguas Calientes (by the way our food was great!). Our second hotel was pretty nice too, Inti Inn). We all crashed that night after hiking around all day.

Monday – back to Cusco
We literally traveled all day to get to Cusco and took almost every kind of transportation that day except airplane. On the train we had really good conversations with Michelle about ISA and other things (I think I might apply for an internship with ISA since their office is in Austin). And we also all talked about the different Inca facts we had learned; for example, you only see about 40% of Machu Picchu, majority of the walls are below ground and you cant see them. I know some other stuff but I need to sit down and think about them first.

Once we got to Cusco close to 4 o’clock we got to relax at our hotel for a little while then went on a walking tour of Cusco. It’s a very touristy city because people stop there on their way to or from the Sacred Valley but it’s also very pretty. Michelle was our guide and it was interesting to hear about how the Spanish destroyed all the Incan temples and built Catholic churches over the sites and that’s why there are so many churches in Cusco. After the tour we had our goodbye dinner with the entire program at a local pizza place, it was really good but I don’t think I ever imagined eating this much pizza while in Peru.

Tuesday – Free Day in Cusco
We went to the Inca ruins at the top of Cusco that was an Incan fortress. It’s also where they have their big sun festival every June and we missed it by 3 days! They were still cleaning up. You can tell the fortress was huge! We walked to a part where the rocks are like a slide and of course we had to participate in that. I think we were pretty entertaining to the locals there, we had to epic fails there (Brandon and Alex’s falls were extremely entertaining!)

That afternoon Emmi, Christa, and I went to some museums and to walk around Cusco a little more. The street vendors in Cusco are everywhere! If you go be prepared for them. We went to Qorikancha, which is a site of the Incan Sun Temple in Cusco. The Spanish had majority of the temple destroyed and a church built on top of it of course. It was also made into a convent called the Convento de Santo Del Cusco. Later we went to a local Mercado and I got some gifts buts still need to get a few more.

That night majority of the program went out to eat. It was great to sit and talk with everyone one last time since we are all leaving Saturday. And it’s always interesting to talk to Michelle and hear her experiences and advice on things.

Wednesday – Back to Lima
We traveled all morning again back to Lima. It’s kind of depressing to go from these amazing and beautiful areas of Peru and then go back to Lima. Not that Lima isn’t nice and has it’s pretty parts and days but the lack of sun and green can get depressing and bring you down. Don’t get me wrong I loved my experience in Lima but I probably wouldn’t spend more than a few days here before going somewhere else.

My thoughts ---
So the program is winding down. I have 2 full days in Lima before I fly back home. I am so excited to get back to Texas and have the sun and heat, even though I know it’s really, really hot there I still miss it. It’s going to be really weird and sad not seeing the ISA students anymore. We are going to try and get everyone together one last time on Friday since majority of us leave Saturday. Tears have already started flowing and I have a feeling Friday is not going to be any different. I’m really going to miss everyone, my host family, Emmi (my roommate) and yes I will miss Lima. This has been the best experience I could have ever had. I love that I picked Peru, even though I have moments where I don’t like Lima. And really loved my excursions to the jungle and Machu Picchu, it was definitely worth it. I appreciate this trip, the people I’ve met, the things I’ve been able to do and the 5 weeks I’ve been gone. I know I’ve changed from this trip but I guess I wont know how much until I get back home and have the reality of life and school (and graduation, ahh!) hit me.

Hopefully I can post one more time Friday before I leave, if not I will try and post Saturday when I get back home!

P.S. my new picture at the top is my PERSONAL picture of Machu Picchu :)