Judd's Bloggings: High Expectations Part 2

Between the people I've met on this trip and the tons of people who've posted travel blogs online- I'd heard every possible positive adjective used to describe Machu Picchu...

Incredible

Awesome

Magical

Unbelievable

Breathtaking

Phenomenal

Beautiful

Awe-Inspiring

etc...

Machu Picchu had a lot to live up to.

Day 4

Aguas Caliente to Machu Picchu

We woke up at 3:45 am and began hiking at about 4:15. It was still pitch black and the 4 mile hike was extremely steep, climbing 450 meters. It didn't slow us down at all- probably because everyone was running on pure adrenaline and anticipation. We got to the top at 5:45 am - 15 minutes prior to the gates opening up. There were maybe 15 others ahead of us in line, all hikers. At about 5:55 the busses that bring people up from Aguas Caliente who choose not to hike, started arriving. By the time the gates opened up, there were people lined up behind us as far as we could see.

Upon getting inside the first stop was the entrance gate of Huayna Picchu. When looking at the standard picture of MP (Machu Picchu) like the one above, HP (Huayna Picchu) is the big mountain in the center. Because of the steep climb and the lack of space at the top, Peruvian officials only allow 400 people per day to climb HP, so it was a must to hit HP first. SInce we arrived so early we were climbing HP by 7am. This is another treacherous climb (the top is 360 meters higher than MP) and by the time we reached the top it was time to sit and enjoy the view. It truly felt like we were on top of the world as you look down upon the seemingly small MP ruins.

Standing on top of Huaynu Picchu:

When we got back down to MP it was time to explore the ruins. I have to admit, I was dumbfounded by the sheer size of the place. All of the photos I'd seen in the past made the place look kind of small, perhaps because it sits between such huge mountains- and pictures never do the size of mountains justice. We walked from building to building, room to room, and I realized that it wasn't just a few Incas hanging out here way back then- thousands of Incas could have lived here easily. There's over 140 separate buildings and more than 100 sets of stone stairways. The stone work, like the rest I've seen in and around Cusco, is impeccable. Another thing that amazed me was the fact that there is no bad view of the place. Whether you are in a large room, or on the east or west side of the place, or on top of HP looking down, or wherever.... it's always the most magnificent view and you feel like you HAVE to take a picture of it. I must've taken 300 photos while I was there.

It is very hard to put into words how MP makes you feel. I can say things like It was beautiful- but after being there in person, those words just aren't good enough for this place.

Looking at this man-made masterpiece created hundreds of years ago makes you really think twice about saying the words "I cant..."

Before leaving I had to hike up to Intipunku, aka The Sun Gate. This was the official entrance used by the Incas hundreds of years ago. It sits about 270 meters higher than MP, up above the ruins, and is the first look at MP that an Incan would have. When I finally arrived at the top, I was drenched in sweat for the third time in one day. From The Sun Gate you can see everything- Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu and even the small town of Aguas Caliente where we had slept. I realized that in the last few hours I had climbed: 450 meters to get to MP, 360 meters to get to HP (then back down), and finally another 25o meters to where I was standing at The Sun Gate.... and it was only 11:00 am! I am not sure I have ever over-exerted myself to this degree before and that's not to mention the 3 days of hiking and biking prior to today. But the strange thing was, with the exception of the sweat, I couldn't really feel any of it. I didn't feel sore, or tired. I could probably do it all over again if I needed to.

The current locals that live near MP say the ancient Incas had no problems hiking back and forth to this city in the sky because Machu Picchu gave them energy and clarity. I looked down at everything below me and sure enough, I felt clear and energized! I figured either I'm delirious from the altitude and exercise- or maybe they are right about the magic of this place.

Either way, I felt a tremendous sense of relief. Not just because I made it up to the Sun Gate. I was relieved to have survived the hike, the volunteer work, the travel, the whole thing. This marked the end of a 3-month long journey for me, and what a great ending it was.

I can go home now, I thought to myself.

While walking back down the stone steps to MP, all of a sudden every muscle in my body started aching all at once. My feet and legs hurt more with every step, my back- up near my right shoulder- felt like someone hit it with a hammer, and I felt like an Incan drummer was inside my head. The Incan magic was wearing off pretty fast.

Machu Picchu lived up to all of my expectations and I am going to sleep really good tonight.

The view from The Sun Gate: