Peru: Machu Picchu

Of course, no trip to Peru is complete without a visit to Machu Picchu. So with only a couple days left, we took an enjoyable plane ride over the Andes Mountains, headed for a side trip to the classic Inca ruins.

Listening to an audio book, we learned that the ancient city was rediscovered on July 24, 1911, and we would be visiting on that day (106 years later)! Also, FUN FACT! My dad’s name is Andy, and we would be in the Andes Mountains, in the Osh Kosh region, and I used to wear Osh Kosh when I was young, and I love corny little verbal connections like these.  

Perfect clouds and a short flight from Lima to Cusco, capital of the Incas.

Planes and then trains. The luxurious Inca Rail where they served cookies and drinks. We didn’t have the option to take the crowded, local train.

Riverside views.

The line to get an early morning bus up to Machu Picchu.  Felt like Disneyland.

As you can see, the line for the early bus to Machu Picchu was ridiculous, so we went with the cheaper afternoon bus. There were kitchy things for sale everywhere in Cusco

While in town, we kept noticing what resembled LGBTQ pride flags and thought it was cool that the city was so open-minded and progressive and liberal, only OOPS, they’re totally not, and it’s actually the flag for the city of Cusco. Our bad, carry on, Cusco. (But seriously, look how similar they are.)

So anyway, we hopped on a bus in the afternoon and took it all the way to the top. We chose to take a private, guided tour for Machu Picchu to get a more intimate experience.

You know how sometimes you finally see a place in person and it’s kind of disappointing? Not the case here. The views from the top are breathtaking, and exactly as they appear online.

Machu Picchu.

Photobombing Machu Picchu.

No caption necessa–oh crap this is a caption.

Black & white cuz I’m artsy.

So steep! Hard living and hard life out here.

Pretty surreal landscape to set up your temple.

Inkalicious.

12 sided stone was a 12 out of 10. Would definitely  recommend

Once you get in to get a closer look at Machu Picchu it becomes even more impressive. See those stones right there? Nothing is holding them together! They have no mortar, they are just perfectly fitted. And they had no machines to smooth them out.

Our private guide told us that the higher your status within the community, the larger and smoother the stones that made up the foundation of your home would be. The craftsmanship is still incredibly impressive today, some 500+ years later.

After getting our fill of the views and soaking it all in, we decided to walk back down rather than take the bus.  It was a mad rush to make it before dark.

Ok, one more…

We ate some delicious alpha steak for dinner back in Cusco.  

In the morning, it was time for us to depart, the road was blocked because of a protest. They actually put rocks in the road so people couldn’t pass. Turns out the protest was for teachers who wanted to be paid more–same story all over the world!

We met some helpful Peruvians who walked us across the protest lines and picked up a taxi on the other side to take to the airport for our flight back to Lima.

Teachers protest with rocks in the road to block traffic.

Police in riot gear.

Machu Picchu was a real commitment to even get to, out of our way for sure, but I’m glad we went.  It was cool and classic, just not quite on the level of our camping misadventures.  I like iconic sites and I’m grateful to have visited this one — the first of the Seven Wonders of the “New” (or “Old”) World that I have ever seen.

Bucket List Checker,
‘mi