Lonely Planet is this month releasing a guide to what it describes as 'the world's most spectacular routes'.
Great Journeys is a hardback book that lists more than 70 travel itineraries across the globe, ranging from well-known classics such as the trek to Machu Picchu in Peru to the 'hippy trail', which was one of the first trips taken by Lonely Planet founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler.
The expeditions are organised into groups using criteria such as rivers and seas, which covers famous locations like the Nile, Norway's fjords and the Mississippi leading to New Orleans.
Readers can also learn more about overland adventures like the Cairo to Cape Town tour, walking along the Great Wall of China and following the route detailed in Joseph Conrad's story Heart of Darkness, which inspired the movie Apocalypse Now.
The book includes images of the various destinations visited on each journey, as well as practical planning tips and background material.
Machupicchu Magical Travel Agency, Tourist Package in Perú: WEB SITE: http://www.tourmachupicchutravel.com/ Telephone number: +51-84-254571 / +51949755958 (whatsapp)
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Magical Machu Picchu a real mystery
IT STARTED with mysterious, mystical Machu Picchu, high in the Peruvian Andes.
One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the citadel was never found by Spanish conquistadors who were plundering the Incan empire about the time Columbus "discovered" North America.
No one is sure why the Incas abandoned the town, fortified with carefully-hewn granite on top of massive mountains, more than 500 years ago.
All experts know, by broken pottery along its steep trails, is that the inhabitants left in a hurry, taking only what they could carry.
They estimate that Machu Picchu, which could have housed fewer than 1000 people, would have taken tens- of-thousands of workers many decades to build.
"Mystery upon mystery," our guide Camila Alfaro Rodriguez said.
"What you have to understand is that Machu Picchu has a few answers, and a lot of questions."
It has been suggested that the town was an Incan king's private hideaway, but the truth is, and it seems will forever be, shrouded in mystery.
The Incan empire lasted less than 100 years, sustained by almost a dozen other South American civilisations that stretched back 200 years before Christ was born.
Its capital, Cuzco, is higher in the Andes. The impressive city's cobbled streets are dotted with churches, Moorish-influenced townhouses and manicured courtyards, mostly built on top of Incan stonework. It is alive with little stores, street vendors and history.
Cuzco is a tourism centre, from which tens-of-thousands of travellers launch their journeys to Machu Picchu, 112km west, down through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Some visitors take buses or trains to within 42km of the mystical town, to walk for four days in the footsteps of the Incas on part of the famed Inca Trail. Others pile aboard "expeditioner" trains to Aguas Calientes, the little tourist town at the base of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a national park that covers the mountains and slopes around the citadel.
From the town, the citadel is only a 20-minute, exhilarating bus ride around a dozen or so hairpin bends.
But first things first.
In Cuzco, we stayed at the Hotel Monasterio, a former monastery and Catholic university that was built by the Spaniards in 1595.
A few minutes walk from the city's squares, it was converted to a hotel in 1965.
It has more than 100 rooms, no two the same.
Several are "oxygenated" to help guests cope with the altitude.
Each morning, a classical guitarist plays in the garden where guests, if they wish, can take breakfast, including rich coffee grown in the Secret Valley.
Other times, Gregorian chants are softly piped through the cloisters.
In the guest book, Bill and Melinda Gates, who visited in 2008, wrote that this was the most beautiful hotel in which they had ever stayed.
Hotel Monasterio not only has a unique atmosphere, it also has warm, helpful staff.
Like the Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu, the hotel is owned and operated by Orient Express.
Hiram Bingham III was a US academic, explorer and politician credited with unearthing Machu Picchu in 1911.
Bingham, so the story goes, was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones.
The rail trip from Cuzco to Machu Picchu may be only 112km, but it travels through centuries of South American history.
From the outside, only the train's blue-and-gold livery distinguishes it from three other companies that bring thousands of explorers to the area each day. But inside, the carriages' polished timber, parquetry, brass fittings and classy, frosted glass panels with a HB logo tell another story.
The opulent carriages, built in Singapore, were designed by Orient Express and based on the classic 1920s Pullman cars.
The Hiram Bingham, which carries a maximum of 84 passengers each journey, runs only once a day.
And what a run.
The smiling, super-efficient, uniformed staff, and the selection of the best South American wines and cordon-bleu cuisine that they serve (we had alpaca, guinea pig and Chilean steak and trout in two sittings, all delicious) are the backdrop to the main event.
Hiram Bingham passengers have front row seats to the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The railway line winds along next to the magic Urubamba River, which lures whitewater raft paddlers like bees to flowers.
Rich farmland that climbs tier by tier to impossible angles up the mountains is just across the river.
Then the train snakes into narrow valleys framed by mountains that disappear into clouds on both sides.
A little further along, it cuts into tunnels.
Between courses, you can head to the bar car at the rear of the train, through to the open-air observation deck for a quick photo.
But before you know it, you are at Aguas Calientes, and minutes away from the citadel.
Our guide Camila Rodriguez had already introduced herself on the train.
It was warm and fine on top of Machu Picchu.
Camila led 10 of us through, up and down the city, regaling us with tales of
the Inca kings, Spanish invaders intent on "mining" Incan gold, and Incan life, as revealed through hints uncovered by teams of archeologists still digging on the site.
More than four and a half hours later, it was over.
We had organised to stay a night in Aguas Calientes, taking to the citadel the next day, this time by ourselves.
Five hours later, we came down, almost satisfied, and within the hour we were back on the Hiram Bingham.
A quiet drink in the bar car turned into a full-on party, as all the passengers, Inca Piscos in hand, were joined by two bands and most of the staff.
There was even a chorus of Waltzing Matilda before we were called back to the dining cars for a superb meal.
We all rolled back into the bar car for the last half an hour of the trip.
The music and drinks started flowing again and I leaned over and asked a Brazilian girl exactly what we were celebrating.
She shrugged and laughed.
"It's just the South American way," she said.
It made sense on the train.
Almost two months later, it still does.
No one should miss it.
NEW SEVEN WONDERS
Petra (100BC) Jordan
Christ the Redeemer (1931) Brazil
Machu Picchu (1450), Peru
Chichen Itza (600), Mexico
Colosseum (80), Italy
Taj Mahal (1648), India
The Great Wall of China (started about 400BC), China
- New7Wonders Foundation, 2006
ALL ABOARD
The Hiram Bingham train package includes:
The train journey from Cuzco (Poroy) to Machu Picchu and return
Musical entertainment on board
Water, tea, coffee, Cusquena Beer, Pisco Sour and an excellent wine selection
Brunch on out-bound journey; cocktails and dinner on return journey
Transport to and from Machu Picchu
Admission ticket to Machu Picchu sanctuary
Professional Machu Picchu tour guide for every 14 passengers (our group had 10)
Afternoon tea served at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
A stay at Cuzco's Hotel Monasterio can be added.
FIVE REASONS NOT TO WALK THE INCA TRAIL
The trek, known as the Inca Trail, begins in the Secret Valley and ends at Machu Picchu, a four-day walk covering 42km. However, the trail is much longer than this section. It is a web of well-built paths that linked the Inca empire
Altitude sickness can bring the fittest walker to a standstill
Although the walk is rated "moderate", the Incas used steps extensively, and the trail winds high into the mountains. The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it
Machu Picchu is at the end of the walk ... when you need all the fitness you can muster to explore
Unless you have organised an extra day at Machu Picchu at the end of your trek, you could find that you have little time at the citadel (a couple we met walked for four days only to have only two hours at Machu Picchu ... in poor weather)
One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the citadel was never found by Spanish conquistadors who were plundering the Incan empire about the time Columbus "discovered" North America.
No one is sure why the Incas abandoned the town, fortified with carefully-hewn granite on top of massive mountains, more than 500 years ago.
All experts know, by broken pottery along its steep trails, is that the inhabitants left in a hurry, taking only what they could carry.
They estimate that Machu Picchu, which could have housed fewer than 1000 people, would have taken tens- of-thousands of workers many decades to build.
"Mystery upon mystery," our guide Camila Alfaro Rodriguez said.
"What you have to understand is that Machu Picchu has a few answers, and a lot of questions."
It has been suggested that the town was an Incan king's private hideaway, but the truth is, and it seems will forever be, shrouded in mystery.
The Incan empire lasted less than 100 years, sustained by almost a dozen other South American civilisations that stretched back 200 years before Christ was born.
Its capital, Cuzco, is higher in the Andes. The impressive city's cobbled streets are dotted with churches, Moorish-influenced townhouses and manicured courtyards, mostly built on top of Incan stonework. It is alive with little stores, street vendors and history.
Cuzco is a tourism centre, from which tens-of-thousands of travellers launch their journeys to Machu Picchu, 112km west, down through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Some visitors take buses or trains to within 42km of the mystical town, to walk for four days in the footsteps of the Incas on part of the famed Inca Trail. Others pile aboard "expeditioner" trains to Aguas Calientes, the little tourist town at the base of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a national park that covers the mountains and slopes around the citadel.
From the town, the citadel is only a 20-minute, exhilarating bus ride around a dozen or so hairpin bends.
But first things first.
In Cuzco, we stayed at the Hotel Monasterio, a former monastery and Catholic university that was built by the Spaniards in 1595.
A few minutes walk from the city's squares, it was converted to a hotel in 1965.
It has more than 100 rooms, no two the same.
Several are "oxygenated" to help guests cope with the altitude.
Each morning, a classical guitarist plays in the garden where guests, if they wish, can take breakfast, including rich coffee grown in the Secret Valley.
Other times, Gregorian chants are softly piped through the cloisters.
In the guest book, Bill and Melinda Gates, who visited in 2008, wrote that this was the most beautiful hotel in which they had ever stayed.
Hotel Monasterio not only has a unique atmosphere, it also has warm, helpful staff.
Like the Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu, the hotel is owned and operated by Orient Express.
Hiram Bingham III was a US academic, explorer and politician credited with unearthing Machu Picchu in 1911.
Bingham, so the story goes, was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones.
The rail trip from Cuzco to Machu Picchu may be only 112km, but it travels through centuries of South American history.
From the outside, only the train's blue-and-gold livery distinguishes it from three other companies that bring thousands of explorers to the area each day. But inside, the carriages' polished timber, parquetry, brass fittings and classy, frosted glass panels with a HB logo tell another story.
The opulent carriages, built in Singapore, were designed by Orient Express and based on the classic 1920s Pullman cars.
The Hiram Bingham, which carries a maximum of 84 passengers each journey, runs only once a day.
And what a run.
The smiling, super-efficient, uniformed staff, and the selection of the best South American wines and cordon-bleu cuisine that they serve (we had alpaca, guinea pig and Chilean steak and trout in two sittings, all delicious) are the backdrop to the main event.
Hiram Bingham passengers have front row seats to the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The railway line winds along next to the magic Urubamba River, which lures whitewater raft paddlers like bees to flowers.
Rich farmland that climbs tier by tier to impossible angles up the mountains is just across the river.
Then the train snakes into narrow valleys framed by mountains that disappear into clouds on both sides.
A little further along, it cuts into tunnels.
Between courses, you can head to the bar car at the rear of the train, through to the open-air observation deck for a quick photo.
But before you know it, you are at Aguas Calientes, and minutes away from the citadel.
Our guide Camila Rodriguez had already introduced herself on the train.
It was warm and fine on top of Machu Picchu.
Camila led 10 of us through, up and down the city, regaling us with tales of
the Inca kings, Spanish invaders intent on "mining" Incan gold, and Incan life, as revealed through hints uncovered by teams of archeologists still digging on the site.
More than four and a half hours later, it was over.
We had organised to stay a night in Aguas Calientes, taking to the citadel the next day, this time by ourselves.
Five hours later, we came down, almost satisfied, and within the hour we were back on the Hiram Bingham.
A quiet drink in the bar car turned into a full-on party, as all the passengers, Inca Piscos in hand, were joined by two bands and most of the staff.
There was even a chorus of Waltzing Matilda before we were called back to the dining cars for a superb meal.
We all rolled back into the bar car for the last half an hour of the trip.
The music and drinks started flowing again and I leaned over and asked a Brazilian girl exactly what we were celebrating.
She shrugged and laughed.
"It's just the South American way," she said.
It made sense on the train.
Almost two months later, it still does.
No one should miss it.
NEW SEVEN WONDERS
Petra (100BC) Jordan
Christ the Redeemer (1931) Brazil
Machu Picchu (1450), Peru
Chichen Itza (600), Mexico
Colosseum (80), Italy
Taj Mahal (1648), India
The Great Wall of China (started about 400BC), China
- New7Wonders Foundation, 2006
ALL ABOARD
The Hiram Bingham train package includes:
The train journey from Cuzco (Poroy) to Machu Picchu and return
Musical entertainment on board
Water, tea, coffee, Cusquena Beer, Pisco Sour and an excellent wine selection
Brunch on out-bound journey; cocktails and dinner on return journey
Transport to and from Machu Picchu
Admission ticket to Machu Picchu sanctuary
Professional Machu Picchu tour guide for every 14 passengers (our group had 10)
Afternoon tea served at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
A stay at Cuzco's Hotel Monasterio can be added.
FIVE REASONS NOT TO WALK THE INCA TRAIL
The trek, known as the Inca Trail, begins in the Secret Valley and ends at Machu Picchu, a four-day walk covering 42km. However, the trail is much longer than this section. It is a web of well-built paths that linked the Inca empire
Altitude sickness can bring the fittest walker to a standstill
Although the walk is rated "moderate", the Incas used steps extensively, and the trail winds high into the mountains. The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it
Machu Picchu is at the end of the walk ... when you need all the fitness you can muster to explore
Unless you have organised an extra day at Machu Picchu at the end of your trek, you could find that you have little time at the citadel (a couple we met walked for four days only to have only two hours at Machu Picchu ... in poor weather)
Peru’s travel treasures: Machu Piccu and more
If you want to see something truly indescribable, go to Machu Picchu in Peru. One of the seven wonders of the world, Machu Picchu is an Incan city that remained unknown to the Spanish conquistadors and to outsiders in general until it was "discovered" (I use this term loosely because the local people knew of its existence) by Yale professor Hiram Bingham in 1911.
I recommend hiring a tour guide for the experience. I would bet good money that they make up half of what they say as they go along, but that is part of the fun of Machu Picchu. There are so many nooks and crannies and little rooms that can be whatever you want them to be. The guides will also point out the spots where many gather on certain days of the year when the sun hits a certain place and either illuminates the The Intihuatana stone, described in English as "The Hitching Post of the Sun," (on the southern hemisphere's summer soltice) or casts no shadow at all due to the sun being directly above the stone (the spring and fall equinoxes), hence "hitching" the sun. My guide also had a backpack full of fun things that he would pull out to show us along the way. At one point, he offered us some coca leaves (the plant that they make cocaine from) and we politely declined.
There is a lot to see on your own too. There are llamas and alpacas (to be honest I can't tell the difference between them) that wander the premises and graze freely. There are also lots of walking trails to explore — you can actually hike all the way up to Machu Picchu and camp along the way. The journey takes about three days. There is nothing more incredible than standing at the top of the city and looking down; you feel as if you are on top of the world.
But Machu Picchu isn't the only site to see in Peru, far from it in fact. I visited some lovely villages in the Inca Valley, where I ran into some local kids coming home from school while I was exploring. We came across each other in a small field with a lone cow and a pigsty. We chased each other around for awhile until the little girl climbed over the fence into the pigsty. I chose not to follow; it was during moments like this that I really wish I spoke Spanish.
Most people in Peru are very religious, and I was lucky enough to be there during their Easter celebration. Everyone in the town gathered together in a procession carrying a statue of Jesus. There was lively music and lots of joyful celebrations all around. Unlike in America, Peru does not have an Easter Bunny. I asked the women behind the desk at my hotel about this and she gave me a puzzled look. I explained that the Easter bunny was like Santa Clause, except he was a rabbit. Looking back on it, my explanation probably caused more confusion.
Cuzco, the colonial city, is another beautiful sight to see. It also happens to be 10,800 feet above sea level, so to avoid getting altitude sickness you should end your trip there. When Pizarro arrived in 1534, he built Spanish style buildings on top of Incan ones, and, when you expose the foundation of the buildings, you can still see the Incan structures underneath. Incan building methods are very unique because they didn't use any mortar to stick stones together — they carved them so exactly that they fit together like puzzle pieces. Another interesting aspect of all this is that they were able to carve the stones without bronze tools, leading some people to speculate that the Incan structures were actually created by aliens.
Peru is a great place to go to try new foods. I ate guinea pig and alpaca. Guinea pig tastes just like chicken and alpaca is a dark meat which tasted like a weird steak to me. But as always when you travel, be very careful about the food that you eat because it is very easy to get sick. My Dad got really sick from eating an undercooked hamburger. But as long as you can tell that something has been cooked well, don't be afraid to try it!
I recommend hiring a tour guide for the experience. I would bet good money that they make up half of what they say as they go along, but that is part of the fun of Machu Picchu. There are so many nooks and crannies and little rooms that can be whatever you want them to be. The guides will also point out the spots where many gather on certain days of the year when the sun hits a certain place and either illuminates the The Intihuatana stone, described in English as "The Hitching Post of the Sun," (on the southern hemisphere's summer soltice) or casts no shadow at all due to the sun being directly above the stone (the spring and fall equinoxes), hence "hitching" the sun. My guide also had a backpack full of fun things that he would pull out to show us along the way. At one point, he offered us some coca leaves (the plant that they make cocaine from) and we politely declined.
There is a lot to see on your own too. There are llamas and alpacas (to be honest I can't tell the difference between them) that wander the premises and graze freely. There are also lots of walking trails to explore — you can actually hike all the way up to Machu Picchu and camp along the way. The journey takes about three days. There is nothing more incredible than standing at the top of the city and looking down; you feel as if you are on top of the world.
But Machu Picchu isn't the only site to see in Peru, far from it in fact. I visited some lovely villages in the Inca Valley, where I ran into some local kids coming home from school while I was exploring. We came across each other in a small field with a lone cow and a pigsty. We chased each other around for awhile until the little girl climbed over the fence into the pigsty. I chose not to follow; it was during moments like this that I really wish I spoke Spanish.
Most people in Peru are very religious, and I was lucky enough to be there during their Easter celebration. Everyone in the town gathered together in a procession carrying a statue of Jesus. There was lively music and lots of joyful celebrations all around. Unlike in America, Peru does not have an Easter Bunny. I asked the women behind the desk at my hotel about this and she gave me a puzzled look. I explained that the Easter bunny was like Santa Clause, except he was a rabbit. Looking back on it, my explanation probably caused more confusion.
Cuzco, the colonial city, is another beautiful sight to see. It also happens to be 10,800 feet above sea level, so to avoid getting altitude sickness you should end your trip there. When Pizarro arrived in 1534, he built Spanish style buildings on top of Incan ones, and, when you expose the foundation of the buildings, you can still see the Incan structures underneath. Incan building methods are very unique because they didn't use any mortar to stick stones together — they carved them so exactly that they fit together like puzzle pieces. Another interesting aspect of all this is that they were able to carve the stones without bronze tools, leading some people to speculate that the Incan structures were actually created by aliens.
Peru is a great place to go to try new foods. I ate guinea pig and alpaca. Guinea pig tastes just like chicken and alpaca is a dark meat which tasted like a weird steak to me. But as always when you travel, be very careful about the food that you eat because it is very easy to get sick. My Dad got really sick from eating an undercooked hamburger. But as long as you can tell that something has been cooked well, don't be afraid to try it!
Machu Picchu could close for up to 5 months.
Peru’s major tourist attraction, Machu Picchu, could close for 2 to 5 months due to heavy rains.
Oscar Valencia, Mayor of Machu Picchu, said Civil Defense and the National Weather Service had predicted rain would be four times as intense next year.
"There is a danger next year, Machu Picchu is likely to close for 2 to 5 months simply because there was no security work or water defense done,” he said, according to T News Peru.
He said 35 million soles were needed for infrastructure works to cope with the heavy rains, but that the municipality only had a budget of 12 million soles.
Valencia said the municipality was currently negotiating with the government, in hopes of receiving special funds to carry out the necessary infrastructure improvements.
According to Andina, David Ugarte Vega-Centeno, head of Cusco’s Regional Directorate of Culture, said previous administrations had not taken issues like public safety and emergency plans into consideration.
A group of experts from Unesco is expected to travel to Peru in January and February in order to examine the problems Machu Picchu is facing.
Machu Picchu: The Apex Of Tebowing
We're doing our best to ignore it, but the Tebowing meme struggles on, destined to haunt us every few weeks or so. Today, for example, we received this tip from Scott, who writes, "AFTER A 12000 FOOT SUMMIT I HAD TO TEBOW ONCE I COMPLETED MY JOURNEY..." That is somewhat understandable, Scott.
So here he is, Tebowing atop Machu Picchu, one of the most beautiful summits in the world. We considered ignoring it, but it's just a rather nice photo. If you can somehow top this, let us know.
So here he is, Tebowing atop Machu Picchu, one of the most beautiful summits in the world. We considered ignoring it, but it's just a rather nice photo. If you can somehow top this, let us know.
Move over Machu Picchu
Marcahuamachuco, an enigmatic 1,600-year-old archeological complex built from stone in the northern Peruvian Andes, is emerging bit by bit from oblivion and could become a beacon of tourism on the scale of Machu Picchu.
Spread over 590 acres (240 hectares) on a plateau more than 12,000 feet (3,700 meters) high in the mountains, the pre-Incan site embodies all the evils that have befallen Peru's archeological treasures.
Though still full of mysteries - who lived here, and why, is unknown - the complex has been plundered of artifacts that might help unlock its secrets, and has long been subjected to the depredations of nature.
But it's still there, groups of sometimes monumental stone building, massive rounded walls that rise 10 to 15 meters , galleries, a rectangular plaza and dwellings, and an urban religious centre with a sanctuary.
“All of it walled in, a fortress of stone on a plateau to defend against invasion,” said Cristian Vizconde, the government's chief archeologist.
Marcahuamachuco - in Quechua, “the people of the men with hawklike headresses” - has been studied by archeologists since 1900.
Parts of the site are still buried under centuries of accumulated earth, masking its true dimensions.
But its splendor was revealed anew in October 2010 when brush was cleared away as part of a major preservation effort by the government in partnership with the Global Heritage Fund, a non-profit whose mission is to protect endangered world cultural heritage sites.
The fund is providing scientific help to study, preserve and make Marcahuamachuco Ä long overshadowed by the far more celebrated Machu Picchu more than 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away Ä ready for sustainable tourism. The goal is to get it registered as a world heritage site by Unesco.
“It is the most important pre-Inca centre in the Andes, with its own language, culli (which lasted until the 20th century), with its own gods and buildings unlike any seen in Peruvian archeological sites,” he said.
Even so, the complex remains shrouded in mystery.
“We don't know what culture Marcahuamachuco belonged to. We do know that the stone structures, with walls 10 to 15 meters high, were built between 350 and 400 AD but we don't know when its inhabitants arrived or where they came from,” said Vizconde.
Canadians John Topic and Theresa Lange-Topic, who have studied the complex, believe its last inhabitants left around the 13th century and that when the Incas arrived two centuries later they found only shepherds among the ruins.
“It's not known why they went, possibly because of an epidemic, but it's all a mystery that remains to be solved,” said Vizconde.
Archeologists hope to find clues in burial sites found behind thick walls in an area of the complex called the Castle where priests or nobles may have been buried.
“Those places have been sacked but the few human remains that were left will be analysed with the help of GHF,” Vizconde said, adding that another possible cemetery was found recently and could give up more secrets.
Julio Vargas, a GHF expert on archeological structures, said he was impressed by the size of the buildings and the mortar work used to join stones in a way that has endured centuries of rain, wind and abandonment.
“What strikes me is the incredible transparence of the ensemble: it was very open, as if it were a public message, built to impress, to show the power of a dynasty, I would imagine,” said John Hurd, a GHF advisor.
Hurd said the site is so imposing that it could “break the dependence of the tourism industry on Machu Picchu.”
Tourism could bring work and respect for the ancient ruins in an area where more than 300 other archeological sites are endangered by informal gold mining.
Luis Alberto Rebaza, the mayor of Huamachuco province, which has 150,000 people, calls the site's tourism potential “the great opportunity of my people.” - Sapa-AFP
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Magical Machupicchu
IT STARTED with mysterious, mystical Machu Picchu, high in the Peruvian Andes.
One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the citadel was never found by Spanish conquistadors who were plundering the Incan empire about the time Columbus "discovered" North America.
No one is sure why the Incas abandoned the town, fortified with carefully-hewn granite on top of massive mountains, more than 500 years ago.
All experts know, by broken pottery along its steep trails, is that the inhabitants left in a hurry, taking only what they could carry.
They estimate that Machu Picchu, which could have housed fewer than 1000 people, would have taken tens- of-thousands of workers many decades to build.
"Mystery upon mystery," our guide Camila Alfaro Rodriguez said.
"What you have to understand is that Machu Picchu has a few answers, and a lot of questions."
It has been suggested that the town was an Incan king's private hideaway, but the truth is, and it seems will forever be, shrouded in mystery.
The Incan empire lasted less than 100 years, sustained by almost a dozen other South American civilisations that stretched back 200 years before Christ was born.
Its capital, Cuzco, is higher in the Andes. The impressive city's cobbled streets are dotted with churches, Moorish-influenced townhouses and manicured courtyards, mostly built on top of Incan stonework. It is alive with little stores, street vendors and history.
Cuzco is a tourism centre, from which tens-of-thousands of travellers launch their journeys to Machu Picchu, 112km west, down through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Some visitors take buses or trains to within 42km of the mystical town, to walk for four days in the footsteps of the Incas on part of the famed Inca Trail. Others pile aboard "expeditioner" trains to Aguas Calientes, the little tourist town at the base of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a national park that covers the mountains and slopes around the citadel.
From the town, the citadel is only a 20-minute, exhilarating bus ride around a dozen or so hairpin bends.
But first things first.
In Cuzco, we stayed at the Hotel Monasterio, a former monastery and Catholic university that was built by the Spaniards in 1595.
A few minutes walk from the city's squares, it was converted to a hotel in 1965.
It has more than 100 rooms, no two the same.
Several are "oxygenated" to help guests cope with the altitude.
Each morning, a classical guitarist plays in the garden where guests, if they wish, can take breakfast, including rich coffee grown in the Secret Valley.
Other times, Gregorian chants are softly piped through the cloisters.
In the guest book, Bill and Melinda Gates, who visited in 2008, wrote that this was the most beautiful hotel in which they had ever stayed.
Hotel Monasterio not only has a unique atmosphere, it also has warm, helpful staff.
Like the Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu, the hotel is owned and operated by Orient Express.
Hiram Bingham III was a US academic, explorer and politician credited with unearthing Machu Picchu in 1911.
Bingham, so the story goes, was the inspiration for Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones.
The rail trip from Cuzco to Machu Picchu may be only 112km, but it travels through centuries of South American history.
From the outside, only the train's blue-and-gold livery distinguishes it from three other companies that bring thousands of explorers to the area each day. But inside, the carriages' polished timber, parquetry, brass fittings and classy, frosted glass panels with a HB logo tell another story.
The opulent carriages, built in Singapore, were designed by Orient Express and based on the classic 1920s Pullman cars.
The Hiram Bingham, which carries a maximum of 84 passengers each journey, runs only once a day.
And what a run.
The smiling, super-efficient, uniformed staff, and the selection of the best South American wines and cordon-bleu cuisine that they serve (we had alpaca, guinea pig and Chilean steak and trout in two sittings, all delicious) are the backdrop to the main event.
Hiram Bingham passengers have front row seats to the stunning Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The railway line winds along next to the magic Urubamba River, which lures whitewater raft paddlers like bees to flowers.
Rich farmland that climbs tier by tier to impossible angles up the mountains is just across the river.
Then the train snakes into narrow valleys framed by mountains that disappear into clouds on both sides.
A little further along, it cuts into tunnels.
Between courses, you can head to the bar car at the rear of the train, through to the open-air observation deck for a quick photo.
But before you know it, you are at Aguas Calientes, and minutes away from the citadel.
Our guide Camila Rodriguez had already introduced herself on the train.
It was warm and fine on top of Machu Picchu.
Camila led 10 of us through, up and down the city, regaling us with tales of
the Inca kings, Spanish invaders intent on "mining" Incan gold, and Incan life, as revealed through hints uncovered by teams of archeologists still digging on the site.
More than four and a half hours later, it was over.
We had organised to stay a night in Aguas Calientes, taking to the citadel the next day, this time by ourselves.
Five hours later, we came down, almost satisfied, and within the hour we were back on the Hiram Bingham.
A quiet drink in the bar car turned into a full-on party, as all the passengers, Inca Piscos in hand, were joined by two bands and most of the staff.
There was even a chorus of Waltzing Matilda before we were called back to the dining cars for a superb meal.
We all rolled back into the bar car for the last half an hour of the trip.
The music and drinks started flowing again and I leaned over and asked a Brazilian girl exactly what we were celebrating.
She shrugged and laughed.
"It's just the South American way," she said.
It made sense on the train.
Almost two months later, it still does.
No one should miss it.
NEW SEVEN WONDERS
Petra (100BC) Jordan
Christ the Redeemer (1931) Brazil
Machu Picchu (1450), Peru
Chichen Itza (600), Mexico
Colosseum (80), Italy
Taj Mahal (1648), India
The Great Wall of China (started about 400BC), China
- New7Wonders Foundation, 2006
ALL ABOARD
The Hiram Bingham train package includes:
The train journey from Cuzco (Poroy) to Machu Picchu and return
Musical entertainment on board
Water, tea, coffee, Cusquena Beer, Pisco Sour and an excellent wine selection
Brunch on out-bound journey; cocktails and dinner on return journey
Transport to and from Machu Picchu
Admission ticket to Machu Picchu sanctuary
Professional Machu Picchu tour guide for every 14 passengers (our group had 10)
Afternoon tea served at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
A stay at Cuzco's Hotel Monasterio can be added.
FIVE REASONS NOT TO WALK THE INCA TRAIL
The trek, known as the Inca Trail, begins in the Secret Valley and ends at Machu Picchu, a four-day walk covering 42km. However, the trail is much longer than this section. It is a web of well-built paths that linked the Inca empire
Altitude sickness can bring the fittest walker to a standstill
Although the walk is rated "moderate", the Incas used steps extensively, and the trail winds high into the mountains. The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it
Machu Picchu is at the end of the walk ... when you need all the fitness you can muster to explore
Unless you have organised an extra day at Machu Picchu at the end of your trek, you could find that you have little time at the citadel (a couple we met walked for four days only to have only two hours at Machu Picchu ... in poor weather)
You will miss the Orient Express Hiram Bingham train
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