Off the Sidewalk

The journey from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu is about an hour and a half by train. The narrow guage train passes by sections of the Inca Trail and along the Urubamba River.

Arriving in Aguas Calientes, disembarking passengers are immediately deposited into a marketplace very similar to ones we saw in other towns. Colorful blankets, rugs, backpacks and other woven goods are hanging everywhere. Jewelry, t-shirts, and postcards cover every wall. Seems like the only purpose of the town is to sell stuff to Machu Picchu-bound tourists.

Busses leave about every 30 minutes for Machu Picchu, a 25 minute ride up a steep switchback road. We enjoyed the views as we climbed up the mountain, except when we met another bus coming in the opposite direction. One bus (usually the downward-travelling one) backs up to the very edge of the road, allowing the upward moving bus space to pass but giving passengers a scary view straight down to the valley below.

Here is the steep, winding road up to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is hard to adequately describe. Overwhelming, breathtaking, stunning…these words don´t come close to doing the job. It´s impossible to take a bad photo. And impossible to comprehend how (and why) the place was built in such a remote and inaccessible spot. At the top of jagged Andean peaks, the stone terraces and buildings give few clues about their original purpose but draw you in to explore every stone path, building and stairway. I will never forget the experience of just sitting on a stone bench and gazing across the acres of this marvelous Incan gem.

The llamas seem to enjoy the view too.

You don’t stroll through Machu Picchu. Everything is a hike. My legs were killing me after exploring for two days.