Arriving in Lima after eleven p.m., we looked forward to a five-thirty wake up call to go back to the airport and fly to Cusco. Leaving our cruise suitcases at the hotel for transport to the ship (this called for faith), we headed out with a carry-on. So, at this point, we know nothing of Lima except that traffic is horrible at midnight on a Wednesday.
Our guide, Marisol, was naturally concerned about all the geezers handling the altitude at Cusco...over 11,000 feet. Drink water, and drink more water, a little at a time. We all obeyed and the tour company kept the water coming. Most people felt OK upon arrival so we set off touring Cusco, starting with lunch and a look around the main square. Then off to the Sacsayhuaman (say "saxywahman") fortress. Located on a hill overlooking Cusco, the fortress was constructed without mortar like many other Inca structures. Yet the enormous stones, some weighing 200 tons, fit so tightly that not even a blade of grass can slide between them.
And here's one of the local cuties:
Our hotel, the Monasterio, was literally a centuries-old monastery, converted. Interesting, upscale, but not the Ritz. After all, monasteries didn't have picture windows (check out www.belmond.com). Dinner at the hotel included an opera show that precluded conversation, but it was a really great meal, beautifully served. We were so tired we couldn't see straight...by now we'd had about three hours sleep in two days. But next morning we were up, fed with tamales, and off to Machu Picchu.
There is nothing easy about getting there. That was apparently part of the Inca plan. A word about Inca. There are no written records of them until the Spanish arrived in the 1500's. So, given that the native Quechua language and Spanish are very different, we don't even know what Inca means. Inca may have been the king, the area, or the people. Machu Picchu actually describes the mountain peak, so that was probably not the name of the place to the inhabitants. But boy could they build!
Back to the journey. First an hour or so bus ride to the train station, where we caught the elegant Hiram Bingham train to descend to the Aguas Calientes station. On this train, it's brunch, wine, live music, and a slow ride of about four hours. Belmond owns the train, too, so you can see more at the Belmond site.
Arriving in the pueblo below the site, one boards another bus that climbs up the hill on switchbacks. The day began with clouds and a bit of rain, but slowly the day began to clear.
And we were hiking the heights along with the locals.
Fabulous craftsmanship, so old that we're not certain of the date, but amazing engineering. Every wall, window, and door has a slight inward angle, but still it all fits together without a gap in sight. It is thought that the "lean" had to do with earthquake-proofing. Maybe so, because it's all still standing.
OK, the clouds let up and here are the money shots!
After touring, the trip back to Cusco is the same thing in reverse, but we used the faster Vistadome train that only takes about an hour and a half. Still, not back to the hotel until after nine, toting cameras, backpacks, and souvenir water bottles from the Hiram Bingham train. We were pooped, but we had to pack up for another early departure the next day. Thirsty, we decided to drink the water in the souvenir bottles...and it wasn't exactly water...it was Coca Tea. We were saved! Just enough caffeine energy to whip through the luggage before crashing. The next morning we headed back to the airport, flew to Lima (ah, blessed sea level), and headed for the ship.
The luggage was indeed on the ship. First cruise stop, Pisco, Peru. We visited the Paracas National Reserve. Check out the landscape.
From Pisco, we were headed down the west coast of South America to the Tierra Del Fuego.
