Cusco/Machu Picchu
The Cusco/Machu Picchu trip has got to be about the best part of this study abroad trip so far. On Thursday I began my day off early, 3:30 A.M. early. Our flight was not set to depart until 6 A.M. but with little to no traffic it still takes 40 minutes to make it to the airport from Surco. Once arriving at the airport it was as if I was running late being an hour and a half early! I felt as if I were an ant in a colony of thousands trying to make it to my destination going against the flow. Once we arrived in Cusco, I immediately felt the difference in elevation. Although my ears did acclimate to it and popped once I got off the plane, there was now pressure building up in my head. The whole day and the day after I had a constant headache that only seem to let up for short periods of time and then would come rushing back. On the first day of our three-day trip we toured the Cathedrals in Cusco. It was crazy to see how the Spanish used the Incan’s bases they had built for the new buildings were creating.
On our second day, Friday our tour guide took us to various different locations where there were Incan ruins and told us stories at just about every location. It’s impressive to listen to all of the things the Incas were able to accomplish with shear manpower. Some of the places were visited were Pukapukara, Saqsayhuamán (closely pronounced like SexyWoman), Q’enqo, Tambachay, Ollantaytambo, and I think that is all but I might be mistaken.
On the third day we had to be up bright and early. We left the hotel at about 5:15A.M. so we could start our roughly 4 and a half hour trip to Machu Picchu. We went on a bus to a small town where we then jumped on a train to a bus/train station where we hopped on a bus that took us all the way up a side of a mountain to arrive at our destination. One at our destination our tour guide gave us some brief information about Machu Picchu and then led us in. At first sight of the place I was in awe. The buildings all looked in perfect condition and were beautifully made. I would have liked to have been able to climb a mountain that oversaw everything called Wayna Picchu but sadly we did not have the passes and were short of time. I can’t even come to imagine how long it would have taken to build everything. I would have like a little more time to explore everything but all in all it was a great experience. One world wonder down, six left to go.