Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu

The jungle was great and I loved northern Peru, but my friends await me in Lima.  I aboard a 32 hour bus ride back to the central coast.  Surprisingly not as bad as it sounds although it includes a return trip on the death ride.  I'm sore, I smell and I have been living off bread for a day and a half.  My Peruvian friend Grecia and her mother greet me at the bus station, and Grecia and I head to a bar to meet my other favorite Peruvians who I met while working on Mt. Hood.  A great introduction to the city and the week ahead.  I am on a mission to get a Brazilian visa so numerous visits to the embassy finally proves to be successful! I am officially welcome to enter Brazil!!

Grecia and I also visit the town of Baranca a few hours north of Lima for her cousins' wedding or matrimonia.  I was definitely the only gringa in attendance and understood almost nothing at the ceremony, but a great experience nontheless.  We race back to Lima for a friend's going away party as she will be attending school in Portland for the next few years. Buen viaje and see you soon!

Lima is big. Too big for my taste. I need a smaller city that I can freely walk in and not have to catch two or more busses to get anywhere.  Loved my time, but the constant chaos is stressful and I need out.  Onto Cusco, which is the town close to Machu Picchu.  I meet a Peruvian woman on the bus and we attempt conversation.  I am impressed with how much I am improving and the fact that some sort of conversation is even possible.  Altitude sickness has hit me for about the third time now.  Not unbearable, but not pleasant.  Marlena offers her family's home to me, but I have booked a hostel stay and am ready to meet some travelers.  After the bus ride, I accompany her at her home for some lunch and mate de coca tea (good for altitude sickness).  I meet her parents and siblings, and later her brother escorts me to my hostel.  A great welcome into the city.

Cusco is beautiful and swarming with tourists.  The gringo to Peruvian ratio is getting dangerously equal , or so it appears.  Regardless, a nice walkable city and I start meeting fellow travelers from allover with all different travel plans.  One night out dancing is shockingly fun and one of the few bar nights on my trip thus far.  I rarely drink or go out at night thus far.  Its not cheap, can be dangerous and I have little to no desire.  Maturity, laziness or intelligent?  Not sure, but Im ok with it:)

A few days later, I head to Machu Picchu with a crew of travelers.  We take a scenic 5 hour drive there and then walk for 2-3 hours along the railroad tracks to Aquas Calientes, the closest town to MP and unreachable by road.  Beautiful town and even more breathtaking landscape around us. Still in shock at where I am. Dinner and prep for the early morning ahead. 

We arrive at Machu Picchu and meet our guide at around 6:30am.  A couple hour guided tour gave some really great info and I finally learn a little about the Inkas!  After the tour, we are on our own to wander this massive place.  You see pictures, but really can't grasp how amazing it actually is.  I am so impressed with it all and spend the entire day wandering, studying spanish on the ruins and climbing nearby Wayna Picchu.  This is the mountain viewable in the background of the famous pictures.  Quite intimidating upon first sight.  It is straight up, but I trudge on.  Turns out to not be that bad and the view from the top is worth every steep step.  I meet a man from India at the top due to my camera malfunction.  He turns out to be a yoga teacher who travels the world and teaches groups and workshops specializing in high altitude yoga.  We exchange info and I may have found my next travel destination....India and the Himalayas!

A few more hours and I bid farewell to this amazing place. Back to Aquas Calientes for a few hours of wandering and catching a night train back to Cusco.  A great time in this town, but I must keep moving.  Next stop- Puno and Lake Titicaca!