Stairway to heaven

To start off our trip toMP, we had an early start and uncomfortable train ride (though I expect the journey was even more uncomfortable for Hiram Bingham) and arrived in Aguas Calientes which is much nicer than we expected (LP wrong again).

It was a lovely day and in the afternoon, having organised our tickets to MP the following day
(MP is a huge commercial enterprise and they can - and do - charge whatever they like for train, bus, trekking and entry fees, knowing full well that the demand is there and people will pay) we thought we´d climb Putucusi mountain on the outskirts of AC. Sounds easy doesn´t it? No kidding, the path went UP A CLIFF FACE and into the clouds. At times the incline can´t have been much less than 80 degrees and for many of the sections we had to climb up rickety wooden ladders, one of which had over 100 steps! The going was very heavy and hard work but the higher we climbed the more spectacular were the views. Frankly, I´m amazed that we all made it (especially me - Bruce was extremely surprised to see me when I appeared on the top!) but we did know the reward that was waiting for us at the summit: a stunning view across the valley to MP. Our first view of it and had we not already been breathless, it would surely have taken our breath away. As it was, I cried, just overcome to think that after all the planning and dreaming about seeing it, there it was just over there. It looked so beautiful and peaceful, such a stunning and spectacular location and so near (as the crow flies - I was envying the crow) and yet so remote and difficult to access, perched on and spilling down the mountainside.

The next day we got up - in pouring rain, natch - to catch the 5.30am bus up. Although the weather was a bit disappointing (you might even say it was inca-venient) we still saw everything and got tons of photos and in fact the way that the clouds kept on parting to reveal those amazing surrounding mountains and then closing in and hiding them again just added to the drama. But I did feel for the trekkers who had endured 4 days of walking in the rain only to finally arrive and not be able to see anything! at least we saw it in sunshine the day before. We spent about 7 hours exploring the ruins,which are more extensive than I had thought and in incredibly good shape - it´s a shame there are no inca builders around now,they certainly knew their stuff! Just two questions kept going through my mind: how and why?? some of those stones are just immense, how could they possibly get them up there and what was it all about anyway? the mystery surrounding it all of course just adding to the appeal.

We were all pretty stiff and sore from our climb the day before so I´m afraid we didn´t climb up to the Sun Gate nor Wayne (as we called Huayna Picchu), also the path up to Wayne would have been very slippery. Even walking around the site was quite hard at times as I was so stiff from the day before, those incas certainly loved their staircases!

And so in the evening we made our way back to Cuzco. The excitement was not yet over for the day for it was time to find out the boys´ UAI results (we got the HSC results the night before in Aguas Calientes but they make you want another day to find out the UAI). I´m pleased to say that they both got the results that they need to do what they want at Uni (Sam a BA at Newcastle, Ben a B. International studies in Sydney) , so´it´s all good and they are both relieved and happy. As am I!

We now have the rest of the day in Cuzco and the plan is to finsih the christmas shopping. Peru is wonderful and exhilerating and challenging but the constant interruptions of people wanting to sell us stuff is starting to wear a bit thin. In 5 minutes on the Plaza de Armas this morning we could have bought jewelry, ceramics, cigarettes, paintings, postcards, bananas, t-shirts, llama finger puppets, a charango (sort of ukelele), had our shoes shined, booked a tour to MP, had a massage, or donated to a deaf woman´s charity and into a old man´s hat. The shopping is fantastic but you don´t´get a chance to do anything more than glance before the real hard sell begins. It was much easier (and a fair bit cheaper) in Bolivia and Paraguay where they just left us alone to browse. Though we did have to do a mercy dash to the Aguas Calientes market to buy Ben a belt yesterday because his jeans were actually falling down to his knees - I know we´ve all lost weight on this trip but I feel bad because Sam and Ben really have nothing to lose!

Tomorrow we fly to Lima and then on to England for Christmas and New Year with Mum and Dad.

Ciao for now.

J
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