Machu Picchu

I promised to write an in depth post about Machu Picchu and failed to do so for about three weeks, so because of that, this is a memory clouded with a bit of time, hopefully it is still accurate.

Caitlin and I went to Machu Picchu with a group of six other people from our house. Though there are multiple treks that people can do to get to Machu Picchu, we chose to take the easy way out and toke the bus and train. We left on a Sunday, stayed the night in a cheep hostel before waking up at 4:30 in the morning to take the bus to Machu Picchu. We wanted to get to Machu Picchu as early as possible in order to climb Huayna Picchu (a limit of 200 people are allowed to climb it each day.) We arrived right after the sun had risen. When we first got there, it was difficult to see the ruins because the mountains were covered in fog. It was really magical to watch the fog burn off and watch Machu Picchu sort of appear on the mountain. Caitlin was quite sick and ended up sleeping for the entire day, but I climbed the sun gate, a hike that takes you to see the view of the valley surrounding Machu Picchu. It was a stunning view, but also quite an intense hike because of the altitude. After we returned to the ruins, we explored the stone structures, walked around looking at different view of the ruins, and snapping lots of photos. 

Machu Picchu is one of the seven wonders of the world, and the fact that the Incas built it all by hand without machines is incredible! Personally, I wasn't all that taken with it. I was interested in the history and mystery behind it, but other than that, I didn't think it was all that fabulous. The views were wonderful, and I enjoyed myself quite a bit, but a few hours were enough for me. After climbing the sun gate, I was worn out, and one of our house mates, Taylor, and I took the bus back to Aguas Calientes (the last stop on the road to the ruins) and explored the town, relaxed, and went to the market. The rest of our group climbed Huayna Picchu, and Caitlin continue sleeping. Later that afternoon, we took the train and a taxi back to Cusco.

Over all, Machu Picchu was a really interesting experience! I enjoyed myself quite a bit. Tips for future travelers are: bring your own food (its ridiculously overpriced there), bring mosquito repellent, and wear layers! We thankfully had these tips before hand, but just in case, those of you that didn't know before, now you do!
Cora