May 4, 2017-Marvelous, magical Machu Picchu; El Indio Feliz

Today will be our first day at Machu Picchu site!  Since our plan was to visit later in the morning we have a nice lay in.  The beds were super comfortable and I woke up feeling really rested.  Because of some previous research we are dressed with lightweight long pants, a lightweight, wicking long sleeve shirt over a T shirt.  Hiking boots to navigate uneven steps.  In our back pack we have our collapsible trekking/hiking poles that I bought for this trip, sunscreen, insect repellant, hats for the sun, 2 throw away when you're done with them rain ponchos, 2 bottles of water, printed out map of MP, our bus tickets, MP entrance tickets, passports, my small video camera, my point & shoot camera, my Canon SLR camera, and extra batteries.  Looking back I would have packed another small backpack in our luggage to divide up our gear.  It would have made each pack so much lighter than having all that stuff in one.  Kudos to my husband who carried that backpack for me!  Breakfast at this hotel is so much better than the Wyndham Airport Hotel in Lima.  Fresh fruit, cereals, juices, pastries, coffee, teas, sliced meats, cheeses.  In warming dishes were sausages, french toast, scrambled eggs, potatoes.  I still would have liked an egg station where you could order eggs the way you wanted but......

Breakfast

Juices, fresh fruit, cereals.

Pastries and rolls

Tea

Coffee, hot water

Potatoes, sausage

Scrambled eggs, french toast 

Banana bread, olives

Sliced meats, cheeses

Lots of fresh fruit

We walked the short distance to town where we saw all the green Consettur buses lined up.  I had bought our bus tickets for this first day on line as well as our MP entrance tickets so all we had to do was stand in line to board the bus that would take us up to MP site.  Unfortunately my husband and I were last to board our bus so we didn't get seats together.  Tip:  sit on the right side of the bus going up if you want to see the scenery and/or take pictures of the MP signs along the road.  We get to MP around 11:00 AM.  The day was very bright & sunny & hot!  We applied sunscreen and the insect repellant.  There are nice, clean toilets if you need them for 1 sole pp and there was toilet paper-at least in the women's restroom.  There was a small gift shop, folks selling post cards & books on MP, lots of guides with official tags.  A guide approached us and said $35 USD for 2 hours.  I thought that was a good price but she meant $35 each.  I declined (I had done tons of research on the site before arriving in Peru) and she dropped the price to $50 USD total.  We opted not to have a guide but be aware that if you decide to get a guide you can negotiate the cost.  Entering the site was super easy.  All we did was show our passports and our entry tickets.  Note that you cannot buy entrance tickets for MP on site.  They must be purchased on line or at certain offices in Cusco or AC.  Bus tickets can be bought on line or in the town of AC.  At the time of our trip you could re-enter MP 3 times and stay all day if you wanted.  There were no specific times of visiting.

Buses to Machu Picchu site lined up and ready to go

                           Line moves fast



                                                     Bus ticket for May 4, 2017

Entrance was not very crowded



Entrance ticket for Machu Picchu on May 4, 2017

                                                                                                                                                                       Machu Picchu.  A fusion of manmade and natural beauty.  Genius of Inca architecture built most likely by Pachacutec in the mid 15th century.  Maybe as a winter retreat.  Officially one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.  Terraces, gardens, temples, staircases, and aqueducts all have a purpose.          The layout pays homage to the sun, moon, water, and earth. 

Map that I brought with me

 Our plan:  Decided to concentrate on the left side of the site today and do the right side tomorrow.  First we see lots of signs as we are walking and then we come out into the opening for our first view of MP.  It takes your breath away just to see it in person and not as a picture.  I just can't describe that feeling!  It was magical, spiritual.  There are signs that point to the Sun Gate, Caretaker's Hut, etc.  We decided to explore the Caretaker's Hut/Guardian's House first.  Warning:  there are a LOT of steps at MP and with that sun blazing down I needed to take a lot of rest breaks.  Very few places with shade.  Not only did I drink all my water, I was splashing it on my face/neck.  Those collapsible walking poles I had bought for us were worth their weight in gold.  The steps are sometimes far apart from each other and very uneven.  We saw lots of younger people with walking sticks which surprised me as I thought they were only allowed if you were older or had a disability.  Take your time.  Soak everything in.  We were fine with the altitude but saw so many young people huffing and puffing.  One guy was in such a hurry he slipped but luckily was able to catch himself before falling!  I really believe I enjoyed my experience more by taking my time.  I took some video but not as much as I'd thought.  Hundreds and hundreds of pictures as everywhere you turn is a sight you want to capture in some way.  MP was breathtaking and all I had hoped it would be.  Marvelous!!  Well, except for all the steps!  We got up to the Caretaker's Hut and the view from there looked a lot like all the pictures I had seen.  The Caretaker's Hut was built with one of the 4 walls left completely open to aid in ventilation.  From the hut we can see the Ceremonial Rock-exact purpose unknown.  It is a large white granite rock with 3 steps and flat on top.  We relaxed and took it all in.  

Sign dedicated to discovery of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham in 1911

Taking in the views

So pretty

Lots of signs to read

Heading up to the Caretaker's Hut/Guardhouse

More signs

Marvelous!

Ceremonial Stone

Caretaker's Hut

The large grassy square divides the city into 3 areas.  To the left are the Royal and Sacred areas probably for the Inca emperor, his family, and his court and to the right is the Secular area where the workers lived and below this look out is the Agricultural area.  Walked through the Main/City Gate.  We saw the quarries.  Such huge rocks.  The agricultural terraces.  These face the sun year round and were used to grow multiple crops.  Research of samples from the terraces show that the Inca planted pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, peppers...... Sacred Square.  The  routes are marked with arrows and they are one way.  We saw llamas on some steps and in the grassy Main Square.  Temple of the Three Windows.  The Main Temple.  Intihuatana.  The amazing walls built with such precision and no mortar.  It is almost 5:00 PM and I'm tired so we walk along the Artisans Wall going in the direction of the Guards' Quarters to the exit.  As we exit I see the table and get our passports stamped with the MP stamp.  It has been a great day.  Not too crowded at any time during our several hours here.  With no line we easily get a bus going back down to the town and have seats together!

Quarry area and agricultural terraces

Amazing walls 

Temple of the Three Windows

The Main Temple

Main Temple

Another fabulous wall

Agricultural terraces

Intihuatana

Main Square

Llamas

Agricultural terraces and part of the Artisans Wall

In town I see the Cosettur ticket booth with a few people in line.  I decide to buy our bus tickets for tomorrow.  Cost $24 pp cash, no credit card fee.  You can pay by credit card but there is a nominal fee attached to the purchase.  Walking back to our hotel I bought some postcards to send to family and friends.  We freshen up, change our clothes and head out back to town for dinner.  El Indio Feliz.  We didn't have a reservation and it was crowded.  Waited at the bar maybe 10-15 minutes.  The couple at the table next to us recommend the mango chicken.  They were in Peru with their 2 young sons and were from Edmonton, Canada.  They were catching the late train back to Ollantaytambo tonight.  Based on Odile's recommendation I ordered the mango chicken and it was delicious.  My husband had the pepper chicken which he said was good but that mine was better.  With our entrees we got a dish of risotto, 2 dishes of homemade chips, 2 dishes of stewed tomato/sweet potato cake/green beans.  We also got a basket of house made bread which was tasty.  Beer and coke.  Cost of this yummy meal was 140 soles.  You can pay for the dinner with a credit card but there's no place to add a tip to it and the service was great.  I asked our server about this and was told if you decide to leave a tip the servers prefer you leave cash.  That's what we did.  We take our time walking back to our hotel.  It's a nice evening and we're in no rush.  Tomorrow we have MP entrance tickets that include the 7-8 AM time slot to climb Huayna Picchu.  We haven't decided if we will do it as today has not been so easy with all the steps and uneven ground.  I guess we'll play it by ear and see how we feel tomorrow.

In town

Consettur ticket booth

Interesting statue

AC town at night

Sign points the way

Quirky restaurant

Restaurant bar

Menu

Menu
 

Menu

Homemade chips, dishes of stewed tomato, sweet potato cake, and green beans

Risotto

Pepper chicken with Ocucaje Pisco sauce

Qillabamba mango chicken

Inside decor

Money from all over

Richard has just noticed the decor next to our table