The PICCHU of MACHU

So, this leg of the trip was pretty awesome and included a few tears from Natalie as visiting Machu Picchu was a childhood dream. 

First, we caught a train outside of Cusco early in the morning of the 10th.  There are three different trains: backpacker, vista dome, and Hiram Bingham.  Guess which on we were on (just in case you can't guess, it was the backpacker and the cheapest).  The vista dome comes by its name honestly and is supposed to include a ceiling full of windows to view the terrain on the way to Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu.  The Hiram Bingham (as seen on Anthony Bourdain) comes complete with a 6 course meal, servant with white gloves, white table cloths, and a price tag of over 700 big ones.  The backpacker is supposed to be neither of these...but somehow we got the vista dome anyway!!

Bobby is getting pretty pumped about our 4 hour trip up to Aguas Calientes on Perurail, especially because of the free upgrade.

In lieu of the luxuries of the Hiram Bingham train, we got an Argentinian man who sat next to us and talked the entire four hours.  But the train was fun and the view was spectacular: snow capped mountains, rushing waters, small farm communities, and sherpa's carrying the luggage of foreigners on the Inca trail. 

The view out of the vistadome (windows on the roof of train car)

Bobby kept giving this guy thumbs up; Bobby thinks it made his day considering he was about to carry all that gearfor tourists hiking the trail.  These guys carry all the equipment, food, and clothing for the trek and have to rush ahead of the hikers to prepare camp.

While stopped, Bobby made a bunch of funny faces at this little guy.  Little guy obviously enjoyed them.

Next, we arrived in Aguas Calientes.  It is hard to describe a town like this, who exists only because of the travelers to Machu Picchu, but the terrain was really cool (see pic below!).  At first we were thrilled as the restaurants seemed to hold promises of Mexican food.  We have been craving Tex Mex since we landed in South America, but it seems we will have to wait until Texas in October. Our hopes were quickly destroyed as our food arrived smothered in the strange tasting Andean cheese and missing the unhealthy Tex Mex influences.

Nat trying to figure her way around AC. Incase you were wondering, we have a theme going with Natalie and maps.

Nat looking down the tracks at the next train pulling in and all the restaurants surrounding the tracks.

This was too damn funny to pass up taking a picture of.  This guy was wondering the streets of AC with a cup of jello that he was attempting to eat, however he was doing a better job of wearing it.

However, the restaurants were helpful.  We did gain valuable insight from other customers about our plan of attack the following morning on Machu Picchu.

You have to be one of the first 400 people at the gates in the morning in order to hike the mountain in the back called Wayna Picchu.  The gates to the park open at 6, the buses start the 20 minute ascent at 5:30, and a gate at the bottom of the hill next to the river allows hiker to begin their 45 min. arduous climb at 5.  All advice given pointed to the hiking being the best way to ensure one of the 400 spots.  We were in!!

The next day we woke up at 2:50. Although the gate opens at 5, the line behind the gate for hikers begins early in the morning.  We arrived to the gate at 3:15 behind about 20 people.  By the time 4:50 rolled around and the nice guards let us hikers through a bit early, there was a mass of people behind the gates.

We passed through the gates a bit before 5 and started our hike.  We decided it would be each man for himself and whoever got up first would save a spot for the other.  Bobby was out of the gate fast leaving Natalie in the dust, but Natalie passed Bobby about 5 mins in (victory!!).  The trail is literally old rocky steps for a solid 45 minutes and the pressure is intense to get to the top quick.   Add in elevation and this hike was a lung-buster to be sure. Natalie got up a bit before Bobby and got a clutch spot in line way before the buses (sadly, in the midst of all that competition, there weren't 400 hikers so as long as you got up before the buses, you were fine...but I guess it is human nature to care where you end). 

Both happy to have made it to the top of all those steps-well worth it.

The mountains around Machu Picchu are too tall to actually see the sun rise, but we were still able to catch all the sunrise colors!

Then we entered Machu Picchu.   To describe this, it may be best to post a bunch of pics...otherwise this excerpt will sound like: "and then there were ruins."

First view of the ruins; Nat was like a kid in a candy store.

The amazing view from the top of Wayna Picchu looking down at MP.  The zig zag path in the left of the picture is the road that the buses take people to the front gate of MP if they decide not to hike. 

Nat chilling with our new friend we met at MP, Jonah.

Nat again trying to figure out where MP is.

These step are a great representation of the hike up Wayna Picchu.  At this point Bobby had to rest every 20-30 steps because  hislegs were blown from the earlier hike at 5am to the entrance of MP.

These guys were everywhere and were not scared about grazing in the middle of a nice picnic.

The high mountain in the background is Wayna Picchu that we hiked once in the park to get the best views of MP.  Even though that hike sucked we would definitely recommend it to anyone traveling to MP.