Finale for Trips in South America: Inca Avalanche to Machu Picchu (Peru)

Inca Avalanche (Peru)

This adventure began with a sketchy, shaking encounter with a highly unprofessional AIRPORT taxi driver.  Feel free to ask me about this, but what I'll post on here are the lessons learned:  

1) Sit in the back of the taxi always. (In La Paz, it was of no consequence, but I was not familiar with Peru and should have taken more caution.)

2) ALWAYS have your luggage with you (not in the trunk --even if they offer) in the event you need to exit unexpectedly.

3) Hold your ground. (This was effective in this case, anyway.)

4) Ask locals or friends what the fare should be ahead of time, as online estimates may be off or just incorrect.  I had assumed La Paz rates, but had overshot the actual rate.

So here's the story.  Mike was competing in a bicycle competition called The Inca Avalanche in a village named Ollantaytambo.  He left earlier in the week with other competitors, but I could not take off work, so I left on Friday after work to meet him there.  The flight and the collectivo (similar to a city bus) ride went smoothly, but the distance from the flight to the collectivo was covered via taxi, as I could not walk.  Ultimately, I, and my belongings, got to Mike safely.  I enjoyed seeing him and the other guys race down from the snow-covered, mud-ridden summit to the tropical trail at the finish line.  (Although, someone attempted to steal Mike's iPhone from me as I tried to film the beginning of the race.  Watch your items, people!  Especially if you have blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and no obvious companions--native or foreign... I was never in mortal danger, but the events that started my experience in Peru left me with a sense of apprehension for the rest of the trip.)

After the race, there was a celebration and award ceremony--complete with long-winded speeches and fountain fireworks that gently blazed past those standing on the Redbull canisters and tickled the top and edges of the fabric canopy.

Soraypampa Trek (Peru)

After the bicycle competition, we left Ollantaytambo to meet up with Michael's mother, Mary, and sister, Jennifer, in Cusco, who had flown down to complete a trek to Machu Pichu with us.  To allow them to acclimate to the high altitude, we took a city tour and learned about the Incan empire and visited some historical sites and museums.  We tried fruits, learn about medicinal spices, and inquire about some of the shaman remedies for purchase in the indoor marketplace.  The architecture and landscaping of many ancient sites is stunning and the sacred temples were awe-inspiring.  For example, all holy places were lined with multi-ton rocks so well-formed that no adhesive agent was necessary to keep the rocks in place --only the engineering of the walls was necessary.  

For example:  

After Mary and Jennifer had acclimated, we began a four-day unveiling of the Peruvian Andean Mountain Range.  We rode horses, hiked up cliff-sides, down steep slopes, and across landslides to the humming of insects, singing of birds, and rhythm of our and others' footfalls.

This is a lake that we got to hike to the afternoon before our four-day journey.

A gentleman making fresh coffee for hikers.

At the end of our trek, we reached the city of Aguas Calientes, where we rested before heading up to Machu Pichu.  Back in civilization, we got a chance to rest in a hotel and take much-needed showers before exploring the more touristic aspects of the city.

Machu Pichu (Peru)

      

As a wonder of the ancient world, Machu Pichu's reputation precedes itself.  Regardless, nothing could have prepared me for the magnitude of its simple elegance and distinct cooperation between the design of the city with respect to the nature that surrounded it.  Below I have some photos of the city itself, and of our trek to the Sun Gate, a religious portal that coordinates with the sun temple in the city.

After our tour ended, our guide headed out to catch a train, and we were left with instructions to make our way back to Aguas Calients, and linger in the awesome opportunity to scour the Peruvian Andes and some of the treasures hidden in its folds.

A welcome-statue in Aguas Calientes, featuring an Incan leader, a condor (symbol of power and strength),  a puma (symbol of self-awareness and self-love), and a snake (symbol of transformation and the merging of dueling natures).

*Photo credit to Michael and Jennifer for select photos.