23rd April- Return to Machu Pichu & a fabulous result!
We got up early, for our 6am slot to revisit Machu Pichu, despite being awake half the night with Graeme vomiting. Bless him, he looked dreadful, but was determined not to miss out. We checked out of the hotel & left our bag with them, taking only what we needed. We got the bus up the hill in thick fog and rain. I was so glad we did. Machu Pichu had an eerie quality to it & was so quiet. The steps were slippery underfoot, so we had to be careful walking around the site. There are some handrails, but most of the "barriers" are actually bits of string, so as to not detract from the stunning Inca architecture. Even in bad weather, it is stunning. We climbed up to the very highest point, although couldn't even see the mountains the cloud was so thick. There was an entire flock ( are they a flock???) of llamas sitting on the grass, eating. Every so often, there would be a break in the cloud and we were presented with stunning views again. We climbed up the wooden staircase added recently, to the sun dial, which was really impressive, despite no sun. We continued to walk around the site again, marveling at the design & architecture. Past the temple of the sun and the monument to the Condor - which is part natural stone and part carved. That's the thing with the Incas, they appear to have been completely in harmony with nature, and had respect for the natural world, even paying homage to it. We have so much to learn as a "so- called" modern society.
Back in the little village, we were forced to check back in to our hotel, and pay for a room for the day, as Graeme was pretty ill. I put him to bed, while he slipped Mona tea, the staff brought to the room for him. It is a type of mint and meant to be good for digestion. Then the Newcastle football result messages started - ending in a magnificent 6-1 win over Tottenham. Magic! That certainly helped Graeme feel a lot better. 😁
I headed out into the little town of Machu Pichu Pueblo. A very pretty little town at the foot of the mountains, with a fast flowing river through the middle, with several bridges over, linking the town. There are hot springs you can bathe in for a small fee, and a butterfly house- although I couldn't find that. I wandered through the maze of streets, with restaurants, coffee shops, trinket stalls and into the local farmers market. The array of fresh fruits & vegetables looked wonderful. There has obviously been a big cash injection over the last few years, as a lot of the town looks quite new and there are beautiful rock carvings and statues everywhere- that appear to be by the same artist. There is also quite a lot of building going on, or at least work has been started- there were no signs of anyone actually doing any building work. I stopped off at a chemist, who didn't speak any English, to buy some medication for Graeme. I am sure the pharmacist enjoyed my visual description of what the problem was a little bit too much. In fact, I am sure she understood me far more than she was letting on, but that'll be a story for her to tell her mates down the pub later. I popped back to give Graeme the pills I'd bought & after a while he pulled himself 'round. Whatever bug/ food poisoning had taken 36 hours to shift, but he certainly looked a lot better now & not the sickly grey he had been. We had a little walk around and he even managed having something to eat, which he kept down. It was then time to check out of the hotel again and get the Peru Rail train back to Ollytantambo. The train ride came with fantastic scenery, and a few unexpected treats too. The staff on board told a tale about a celebration in Peru, and then one of them burst out,in traditional costume & mask, to dance, getting some of the passengers up to dance with her. Then another 2 staff did a fashion show, showcasing baby alpaca wool accessories. The male train steward really worked the catwalk & was a joy to watch. It was a little bit of fun & silliness, but I enjoyed it. I was very glad we were picked up once off the train & whisked to our hotel in Cusco, where our luggage was waiting for us. I was exhausted by this point. Tired but happy.
Speak soon,
Caroline
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