Machu Picchu

So I went on the most touristy of tourist trips a few days ago. We got on a train in Cuzco that took us through absurdly beautiful mountains, fields, and rain forests, and ultimately to the town of Aguas Calientes, or Machu Picchu Pueblo. It is a real shit hole. As soon as we got off the train we were herded into a labyrinthine artisan’s market like so many cattle. Being there solely to cater to the huge numbers of tourists who pass through, the town consists of a sprawling jumble of shoddily constructed buildings, tacky gringo restaurants, and of course endless packs of hucksters trying to get a buck out of any foreigner who walks by. Cuzco itself is much the same in the last respect, but has many other redeeming qualities. In any case, the bastardization that is Aguas Calientes didn’t even begin to put a damper on the absurdly beautiful surroundings. There are emerald mountains towering up all around it which are adorned by ever changing patterns of cloud stream. Wild orchids and bromeliads sprout up everywhere.

The next morning we began the hike up to Machu Picchu. It was a very steep 2.5 kilometers or so, but of course very rewarding. At the very beginning of the walk, I saw a long and bushy striped tail disappear into the foliage on one side of the path. There were (Cattleya?) orchids everywhere. Epiphytic plants perched on almost every tree. At times it seemed there were multiple layers of them… the depth of life was amazing.

The experience of Machu Picchu itself is difficult or impossible to sum up. I think because of the extent to which it is built up in people’s minds. How can you re-describe one of the wonders of the world? How can you experience it the way it is “supposed” to be experienced? I think in the end, the things that affected me most were the things that always affect me. The seemingly endless mountains, the clouds. At one point we got out of the crowd and sat on one of the grassy slopes to the side of the ruins proper. I think my favorite part of the day was sitting there against the stone looking down into the valley below. The most impressive thing about Machu Picchu itself was the wonderful system of water channels. We saw these in all their glory, channeling the rainwater down into a series of pools. Also very impressive were the very large rabbit/squirrel/chinchillas (Viscachas) who seemed to have adapted well to the area. They sat on the walls eating blades of grass and eyed us suspiciously.

So. I don’t know what Machu Picchu’s function was, and I don’t know why everyone feels the need to theorize. All I need it to be is a beautiful place on top of beautiful mountains.

The train ride back to Cuzco the next day was an eventful one. At one point it stopped on the tracks and all the lights went out for around 40 minutes. No one seemed to know what was going on, and being somewhat neurotic, I tried to prepare myself mentally to deal with bandits. Being stuck in a dark box in Peru is not very enjoyable. The problem turned out to be a malfunctioning locomotive rather than people with firearms, or whatever other imaginative menace I could come up with.

We have been in Cuzco ever since, and are going to take a bus to Arequipa tonight.