Last Week in South America
I left La Paz after my pancake breakfast at the Adventure Brew Hostel and made my way to the bus station. My “direct” bus to Cusco was late (Bolivian time) and I had to switch seats as someone was in mine, but I was soon on my way to Peru. I went through immigration in Bolivia, and then walked across a bridge to Peru and completed customs there. The terrain in Peru was very similar to Bolivia, though it did get a bit greener closer to Cusco. We stopped to let some passengers off in Puno, and then went straight to Cusco. Arrived at 9:00ish, went to the Flying Dog Hostel and after a semihot shower fell asleep. The next morning I walked to the hotel my mom and I were going to stay at to meet her. It was amazing with both our hectic travel itineraries, that everything worked out and we met up without any problems. Cusco was both similar and different to Cocha. It has many plazas and cafes and restaurants like Cocha, but it is also filled with tourists and people wanting to sell to tourists. You cannot take a stroll in Plaza de Armas without 10 people coming up to you offering post cards, finger puppets, scarves, your photo with a baby llama or a grown llama or something else. We went to Jack’s cafe (recommended by Sarah and many others who have been to Cusco) for lunch, delicious. It is very western, but good food is good food. Wednesday we took a car and then a train to Agua Calientes. The train ride is beautiful; it is along a river in between mountains. Agua Calientes was a town that was practically built up for tourists. It consists of hotels and restaurants and stores, but is cute nonetheless.
Thursday we got up at 4:30 to to go to Machu Pichhu. we took the bus up the mountain (you can also walk), and after many lines at the bottom and top, got into the site. It was an amazing experience. Since we were there so early the fog was still lifting and it was very mystical and magical. You felt the history and spirit of the place, as though it was alive. We learned about the architecture and building styles, the agricultural system and temples. By 10am it started to get crowded, and as we had been there for hours we decided to head down. It was hard leaving, as it is a place so famous in pictures and even more powerful in person. I still wonder who was crazy enough to decide to build a city in the mountains ( the incans felt the mountains brought them closer to the gods) as they had to bring all the stones up the hills, and water and the rest, but crazy or not, it is still cool.
Crossing into Peru
Cathedral in Plaza de Armas, Cusco
Sacred Valley
Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu in the early morning
Machu Picchu
Flat at Machu Picchu
MP
Flat enjoying the ruins
Postcard perfect
Recycling in Aguas Calientes
I am now sitting in the Lima airport waiting to board my flight home to LA via Miami. I have 5 days at home and then roadtrippin’ it back to AR. I have only seen a glimpse of what South America has to offer these past 3 months, but it has been amazing and I can’t wait to return.
