We enjoyed the Hobbit Houses. We soaked in the solar hot tub with Emma and Harry. We ate popcorn. A big, wonderful dinner. Hot showers. And we got to charge up all the things. As we walked here along the road, we saw similar dwellings on the other side of the river, but they looked unused. As it happens, the landslide/flood took out the access bridge to them, and Alpaca decided to rebuild on this side of the river. The others are no longer accessible. We also noticed an Inca trail on the other side. Due to rock slide dangers, it too is not accessible and has been blocked by the locals for safety. That’s too bad, it looks like it could be a nice path. But the dirt road is fine and has little traffic. This is a dynamic place.
In about three miles we’ll be leaving the river road and start a four mile climb to Llactapata. This will give us our first glimpse of Machu Picchu. I’m really diggin’ the way we are sneaking up on it. As you’ll see, rather than a bus ride from Aguas Calientes straight up to it, we are destined to meander around it for days, with tantalizing glimpses along the way.
Until this point, the porters have been able to use either the pack horses (on Salkantay) or vehicles to haul the gear. They’ll get a ride to the “Camino Inka”, but at that point they’ll have to shoulder everything for the next two days. If we had it to do over again, we would have certainly lightened their load a few pounds.
After the Spanish conquest, the llama was quickly replaced by horse and mule because of their ability to carry much heavier loads. Unfortunately, the heavier loads and metal horseshoes cause damage to the trail and have made it rough going for bare feet.
But here, we get to walk a good bit of original Inca footpath, and it does not disappoint.
We stop for lunch at a small coffee farm. While the rest of our new family is fixing lunch, we follow the owner into the farm to have a go at picking beans. Two types of plants, one taller with smaller beans, one shorter with larger beans. It’s guys against the girls and that’s three to two!
But then the owner steps in and makes it three on three. And of course she’s already picked more than all three of us combined. We work the depulper to get the beans ready for drying. And then we try our hand at open-fire roasting and grinding. The final product reminds me of Turkish coffee, thick and strong!
After another massive meal, we continue our climb. It’s quite a bit warmer today and we’re on the sunny side. The views are stupendous and it’s a beautiful day! And it’s a good thing we have plenty of time because it’s a hard pull to the top! The lower altitude certainly helps.
Family! Slowly! Slowly!
Sergio is always watching after his family. Patricia says, “If I go any slower, I’ll be crawling!” And the last mile is the steepest. But boy, what a nice grade. The Inca were trail masters too! And I’m loving it. I feel like a condor!
It’s a sense of accomplishment when you look down and realize that you’ve climbed from the river below, just today!
And so far it is a good day, a great day at that. But here in Middle Earth there’s always seems to be something magical and mysterious and unexpected.
We make the gap at Llactapata and start our descent to camp through the forest. We break out of the trees and we are at what could best be described as an Incan armory. A large building that housed weapons for the warriors for quick access. As we come around the corner of the building, we’re facing due east, and there is Machu Picchu. It’s an indescribable view and brings one to tears. We relax and soak it in, the light is fading and changing rapidly.
Sergio takes some time to bring out an ornate tobacco pipe. It depicts the Inca trinity of condor, snake, and puma. It’s a time of silence and reflection as Sergio says a few words and blows the smoke across each of us in turn.
What a day indeed!
Machu Picchu is the saddle in the distance between the two sharp peaks.
David took this shot. He’s standing at the back of one of the rooms of the armory. The stone trench at my feet runs due east….pointing right to Machu Picchu.
So cool.
About the title of this post…
It has been another very full day. Ah, but the stars will be out soon. I’m disappointed to learn that the Southern Cross has already set, it was on my bucket list! But the Milky Way is so bright!
My best picture doesn’t do it justice.
I’ve come back outside to gawk. I’m laying in the grass with my little tripod and phone camera snapping pictures.
I flip on my red headlamp to preserve my night vision and not wake the neighbors. As I come up to the line of identical tents with my dim light, the starry shadows play a trick on me. (Or could it be my mountain giddiness?) I come up to our tent and find the zipper pull. But that’s not where I remember leaving it. Oh well. I start to open the door.
“Is that you Jeff! Are you outside?”
Wow, that sounds like Harry! I’ve got the wrong tent!
“I’m sorry!”
I knew Harry and Emma were in the tent next to us, so I move down one to ours and find the zipper.
Emma yells out, “Jeff!”
Yikes! “I’m so sorry, I apologize!”
Apparently the first tent was Sergio’s! And I thought it was Harry! I mean, it’s an honest mistake. Quechuan and Australian accents sound soooooo much alike, right?
Okay, I’ve found Harry and Emma, so we’re next.
Ya know, I really didn’t know where David’s tent was…
“Jeff! What are you doing?!”
Are you kidding me? I’ve literally hit every tent. Everyone is awake now and we’re all laughing.
“Well, since you are all awake, you might as well get out and look at the stars!”
I didn’t sleep much that night. It wasn’t bad. In fact, it was quite pleasant. I just lay there and let the experiences of the last few days just roll around in my head. Sweet dreams.
Besides, thanks to Emma, we all got to sleep in, all the way past 6am!