The Wonder of Machu Picchu

For years and years, I’d dreamed of visiting Machu Picchu. It was impossible to conceive of coming all the way to Peru, all the way to the Sacred Valley, and NOT see Machu Picchu – but that’s almost what happened to us. First, though, let’s hop on the train taking us from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the small town closest to the Machu Picchu site.

The one hour and forty-minute trip follows the Urubamba River. The peaks of the Andes form a backdrop to the rural landscape. At times, the river flows gently, but its nature changes as it crashes over boulders blocking its path. 

 

I discreetly push aside my mask to take a bite of my lunch while gazing out the window. I’m eating quinoa for the third time today. The first was at breakfast (popped quinoa as a cereal), the second for my mid-morning snack (a quinoa protein bar), and now quinoa salad in the box lunch I’ve been carrying. Fortunately, I love quinoa.  

 

When the train finally slows to a stop in center of Aguas Calientes, we step right down onto a main commercial street. Within a few seconds, we’re at the door of our hotel. 

 

I’m delighted not only by the size of my room but by the view. The large windows look out onto the Urubamba River below. As soon as I open the window, a thundering roar fills the room. 

 

So far, so good, right? But there’s a catch. During the pandemic, the government actually closed Machu Picchu for several months. They eventually allowed the site to reopen, although they have been severely restricting the number of daily visitors. The current cap is about 4000 a day. Advance tickets are essential for guaranteed entrance but, according to Walter, Peruvians tend to just show up and assume they can get in. When they are turned away, they often become incensed. Vocal confrontations with the authorities sometimes ensue. In addition, the local workers who rely on tourists and have suffered a loss of income are upset with the government’s limit on visitors. They have started demonstrating and going on strike to pressure the government to raise the number of daily visitors allowed. 

 

On the day of our arrival, the bus drivers who ferry visitors from Aguas Calientes up to the site entrance (the route is a 15 to 20-minute drive of steep switchbacks) have been on strike since the early morning. While we were on the train, Walter learned that a group of strikers was blocking a bridge that the buses have to cross. As a result, there would be no buses leaving from town to take us up to the entrance to Machu Picchu. That’s the bad news. 

 

Now, the good news is that we can walk from town to the bridge (which will take about 40 minutes), cross the bridge on foot, and then wait for a bus that’s traveling in a loop to ferry visitors the rest of the way to the site. In other words, we won’t miss our chance to see Machu Picchu this afternoon. 

 

After walking across the bridge, we only have to wait about 15 minutes for a bus to appear coming down the mountain. Clutching my hiking pole, I eagerly clamber aboard for the ride up. 

 

As soon as the bus begins the climb, I look out the windows and stare, mesmerized by the landscape. There’s something magical about it. What I’m seeing – this dense green foliage, these peaks that soar skyward and plunge into mysterious depths, this golden light and veils of low hanging clouds - all of it seems unreal and yet alive and breathing at the same time.

It's clear that I’m already enveloped by the spell of Machu Picchu. I can only imagine what it must have been like to travel through this landscape before roads were built. I’ve learned that Machu Picchu is located on the edge of the jungle. In fact, before the Inca city was built, the area was covered with bamboo (the type native to South America) and there were snakes all over. 

 

It took the Incas 100 years to build Machu Picchu. All able-bodied men living in the Inca Empire were required to pay taxes in the form of labor. For two months of the year, a man could be sent to work anywhere in the empire while the state provided for his family. This required a high level of organization on the part of the central administration. 

 

More evidence of the highly organized Inca state is the number of storehouses where food was stockpiled for years in case the harvest was bad. The Incas were so successful at this task that they could feed 10 million people for three years. We’ll see some of the storehouses at Machu Picchu. 

 

Finally, we reach the actual entrance to the site, and line up with our tickets and passports in hand. Yes, you need your passport (and not just a copy of it) to enter Machu Picchu. Your full name is on the timed ticket and it must match the name on your passport. 

 

Once we’re past the entrance, I think with a certain satisfaction, “Francisco Pizarro never set foot here.” In fact, Machu Picchu is one of the few Inca sites that the Spanish never reached. The city was never conquered or destroyed by invaders. It even remained unknown to most of the Inca people.  

 

Machu Picchu has been shrouded in mystery since its “discovery” by Hiram Bingham in 1911. Archaeologists believe that it was built around 1450 CE during the reign of the emperor Pachacutec. They also believe that it housed only about 700 people and was off limits to most of the population. There is evidence that it was built as a religious center. The presence of temples, an observatory, sacrificial human remains, and a solar clock support that theory. However, there’s much we still don’t know about Machu Picchu. 

 

It’s a little after 3pm when we start to explore the site. As I expected, the climb soon becomes steep. I have to catch my breath, not only from the altitude but from the excitement of finally being here. I glance around in all directions and realize that Machu Picchu is much, much bigger than I imagined. Portions of the stone ruins and agricultural terraces bask in the golden light of late afternoon sun while others are already cloaked in shadows. Clouds swirl in the blue sky. Swallows swoop in front of my eyes. It’s hard to know where to begin. Fortunately, Walter and our local guide lead the way, providing commentary when we pause to take in the impressive ruins and majestic vistas.

Today, we can only cover a small portion of the site. We look down on agricultural terraces and the ruins of multiple granite structures, large and small. There are no decorations on the stone exteriors. The manmade architecture of Machu Picchu reminds me of sculpture, yet it also blends with its natural surroundings.

 

Our guide points out the food storehouses on one of the hillsides. He also notes that there were communal kitchens and dining rooms as well as living accommodations for the emperor and a very select group of nobles, as well as the people who served them. 

 

The sun slips lower in the sky and I wonder what it would be like to see Machu Picchu at night, with only the llamas and alpacas for company, but I can only dream about that. The site closes before darkness descends. The bus takes us down the mountain and crosses the bridge before it drops us off just outside of town. Dinner tonight is at an Italian restaurant, but my first course is more fusion than pure Italian – avocado and quinoa salad. That makes quinoa x 4, a daily record.

This evening, there’s a light sprinkle of rain but otherwise, the weather is perfect for an after-dinner stroll around the main plaza. Then it’s early to bed because we’re scheduled to return to Machu Picchu early tomorrow morning for a second visit – if the strikers don’t interfere with our plans. 

No one knows if there will be buses from town or if the site will even be open. Just to be on the safe side, I set my alarm for 5am, the time the hotel restaurant opens. I’m sure Walter will be  up all night, checking his sources for the latest information.  

 

At breakfast, the news is good: The government has authorized an increase of 1000 in the number of daily visitors allowed so the strikers have called off their action for today. By 7am, we are in the line for the bus.

 

Early morning is a magical time to climb through the mountains. Sleepy clouds hang low. There are no crowds as we approach the restored caretaker’s hut with its thatched roof. The air is still cool from the night, which makes climbing seem easier. 

 

Our hike this morning takes us even higher than we were yesterday. I stop to observe the alpacas and llamas calmly munching the grass as I take a swig from my water bottle. 

The higher we climb, the more spectacular the views become. I can’t stop taking photos! 

 

With Walter and our guide, we climb up to the observatory. I learned that Incas were accomplished astronomers who used water mirrors to assist them in their observation of the skies - what a great idea! Astronomical knowledge was essential for predicting agricultural cycles. The upright Intihuatana stone was used to show the position of the sun during solstices.

 

On the Sacred Plaza, we admire the impressive stonework of the Temple of the Three Windows. When the winter solstice occurred, the room with the three trapezoidal windows would be filled with the first rays of the sun.

At the Temple of the Condor, I squint at two slabs of rock trying to picture them as the condor’s wings. The carved rock on the ground suggests the condor’s head. 

We marvel at the semi-circular Temple of the Sun, the only round building at Machu Picchu. Our guide points out that the temple’s two trapezoidal tower windows are positioned to capture the first rays of the rising sun on the summer and winter solstices. 

The natural cave under the Temple of the Sun may have been used for ceremonies honoring Pachamama (Mother Earth). It contains what seems to be an altar.

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The buildings in the so-called Royal Sector are characterized by their heavy rock lintels.

 

One of the buildings in this sector was probably used as a residence by important people, such as members of the Inca court and possibly by the emperor himself. It is distinguished by the remains of its sloped roof, which helped with drainage during the rainy season. 

  

The massive Sacred Rock, which is a worked rock, mimics the silhouette of a mountain or mountain range. It was put in place during Inca times. 

 

From where I’m standing, the mountains that surround us certainly seem alive. When Walter leads us to the exit, it’s hard to tear myself away from Machu Picchu. I feel like I’ve been in a dream world. I’ve never stood any place on earth where the confluence of natural and man-made wonders was so overwhelming. 

 

Back in Aguas Calientes, our group heads to Apu Inti, a Peruvian restaurant for lunch. As usual, I choose chicken instead of grilled alpaca.  

 

After lunch, there's time to take a stroll around the main plaza and peek into the church. 

Afterwards, I browse in the sprawling artisans’ handicrafts market. The bright colors of the textiles tempt me but I have to restrain myself from making too many purchases since there’s very little extra room in my luggage. 

  

A leisurely walk inevitably leads to a stop for ice cream. Which shall it be today – lucuma or maracuya? They’re both delicious and hard to find at home. I wrapped up the afternoon with an hour-long nap with the window open so I could hear the sound of the rushing river. 

 

I feel a twinge of sadness as we enjoy our last dinner in Aguas Calientes. 

 

We will be leaving tomorrow morning at 8am, catching the train back to Ollantaytambo and then taking our bus to Cusco. I’m sure there will be plenty to see and learn about in the Inca capital. But it was Machu Picchu that I dreamed of for over half a century. After so many years of anticipation, I’ve finally fulfilled my wish to see it for myself. That brings a sense of accomplishment but it also makes me feel like I’m nearing the end of something. Maybe it’s just part of getting older and acknowledging that my time isn't unlimited and the future isn’t predictable. 

 

In any event, I’m excited about the rest of my adventure in Peru, starting tomorrow with Cusco.