Peru

The third day was easy and the scenery was supposed to be brilliant but it was fogged in by enormous clouds. The jungle was beautiful though, tropical cloud forest. After we had hiked over the first pass, we went form the desert to green jungle, mist, and clouds. Unfortunately, the clouds stayed around the following morning and when we arrived at the peak of the mountain that overlooks Machu Picchu, called Temple of the Sun, all we saw was white and never got to see the ruins from above. When we got to the botttom the clouds finally lifted and I went to take a picture and…yes, my camera was not working. Can you believe that. I thought Loren was going to have a heart attack. I was able to get it fixed in Cusco the next day, but do not have any pictures of the ruins. Machu Picchu was "discovered" in 1911 by an American and is now called the Lost City of the Incas. Not much is known about the city and what it is used for. It is a beautiful setting, surrounded by green mountains. However, it was just way too touristy which took all the mysteriousness and eerieness out of seeing the ruins. Too many tour buses, people, and hawkers. It was amazing, but not as breathtaking or awe-inspiring as the ruins of Kuelap in the north. They also are renovating the ruins, so they are not really ruins anymore and that gives more a feeling of Disney World than the ancient Incan ruins. I think if I could have walked around alone I would feel different an this is the LOW season. It si absolutely heaving with people in the summer. The Peruvian government makes a killing here and is not doing much to protect the site from too much tourism. They actually want to build a cable car to the site to make it easier for people to see it. It already is the most visited destination in South America! Imagine getting more people to visit here.

It is still a must see. It would be like going to Egypt and not seeing the pyramids. Although we did meet one knucklehead American who stayed in Cusco for five weeks and never went to Machu Picchu…and he was proud of it! Yuck!

Anyway, we made some great friends and spent much time with them after the trail. Cusco is a beautiful city even if it is filled with people trying to get money, from restaurant hawkers, to kids selling postcards, you are just never left alone. But there are some great restaurants and shops and we enjoyed them both.

Loren and I left on Monday morning for Puno with Arthur, a very nice Dutch guy who was traveling the same way as us. We has to say goodbye to Alice and Nick who are heading back to England tomorrow. I will definitely miss them and their smiling faces. They are great and we had a blast traveling around with a group of 7!! The girls are meeting in La Paz on Sunday and then we will all to the jungle in Bolivia. Loren left this morning and I am so sad because I will not see her until June. So, today, just relaxing in La Paz and hanging out with Arthur. Might actually go over to McDonalds right now…yes, I know very cheesy, but I really want a Big Mac and fries. But first, on to Bolivia page for Copacabana and Lake Titicaca!

Peru was absolutely amazing and better than I imagined. I loved every place I visited, never felt unsafe, and experienced a unique culture. The ruins throughout added to the excitement of seeing Peru. I loved it and highly recommend people to come here, but not just to the much-visited south, but also to the beautiful, laid-back north. Hope Bolivia will be as good!

"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is the change that goes on, deep and permanent in the ideas of living."

Miriam Beard