April 1, 2007 (Sun)

I got up at 5:50 to catch a train for Machu Picchu. It was a quiet rainy morning. After having quick breakfast, Ricardo took me to San Pedro Station. At 7:00, the blue diesel locomotive of Peru Rail left for Machu Picchu! The train climbed up the mountain slowly with several switchbacks.
I saw the city of Cuzco far down, and the little houses by the track from my seat by the window. A few people came out from their houses and waved at us...



As we left the city, the landscape had changed into a countryside. Then the train ran beside a river into the mountains . I got myself a smoked-ham sandwich and a coffee in a car. (The price is set for the tourists, so it's a bit expensive as Peruvian standard. However, it's still pretty cheap for someone from Japan, about US$3 for all.) The sandwich was bigger and better than I thought it would be, and soon I got full and happy. :-P

Gradually, the river by the railroad got bigger, and the current got stronger and rougher. From the surface of the mountains, heavy fog was rising into the sky.
We saw some hikers walk on the famous Inka Trail, which leads to the ruin of Machu Picchu. (Actually, I wanted to try the hike, but my schedule didn't fit. Maybe next time... ;-p)

As scheduled, our train arrived at Aguas Calientes Station at 11:55. From there, I walked through the market full of souvenir shops, and hopped on a bus to the ruin. That bus was full of people in a group tour from Japan! What a coincidense! I talked with some of them, and it was my first and only time I spoke Japanese in Peru. :-) Our bus went up the winding mountain road for 25 minutes to get to the entrance of Machu Picchu. We just couldn't believe the ancient city was built up there!

At the entrance of the ruin, I joined a Spanish guide tour, and we all went inside. Everyone was of course very anxious to see the real Machu Picchu with our own eyes finally in front of us! However, what we saw there was all white, super heavy fog!! We couldn't see anything we were expecting to see like the images on TV or magazines... All of us was like "What's happening here?!?!" in a half panic(?!), but our guide told us that it would get cleared later on. We were all relieved to hear that honestly. :-)



We followed our guide through the ruin, and saw the palaces, the plazas, and terraced fields. She was a great guide, and explained the building techniques, philosophy of the Inkas, and etc...to us clearly. (Well, I could only understand 70-80% of what she had said, but it was a good listening practice for me.) Everything we saw was very interesting and mysterious...
About the time the tour was finished, all the dense fog started clearing up. Then, suddenly the whole view of Machu Picchu emerged!! It was just like the images I had seen... No, it was much more impressive than that!!
I got goose bumps...really!! It was worth a more-than-24-hour-trip from Japan. :-)



After leaving the tour, I still had about 1 hour free time. So, I wondered a little bit to the places I didn't go in the tour. I reached to "the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock", and from there I could see the perfect view of Machu Picchu! Everyone around me was also saying "This is the exact view we see on TV or books and magazines!" And the photo shooting party began. ;-P



I left the ruin, and went back to the bus stop at 15:30. As the bus going the same winding road down to the bottom of the mountain, we saw a boy (10-12 years old) in a red traditional costume wave and shout at us. He is one of that famous "Goodbye Boys"! After waving at us, the boy dashed down the stairs to the next corner to do the same thing again, and he kept doing that for 15 minutes or so. Then, finally he got on our bus to collect tips from us. That's how the boys get some extra money on weekends/holidays. I thought he did a good job, so I gave him a tip. :-)

At the station, I still had 40 minutes before the boarding time, so I decided to treat myself with a bottle of Cusquena and a sandwich. The icy cold beer was really good after walking for a long time. :-) Then, at 17:00, the train left Aguas Calientes. I slept all the way to Cuzco. :-) At about 21:00, we arrived at San Pedro Station, and I took a taxi home. I had a quick shower and light dinner, and went straight to bed. It was a long day, but a very nice one!