Machu Picchu - An Old Incan Wonder

At Machu Picchu complex. 

(Peru travel story excerpt. From a new book project "Biyahe -- Travel Stories Around the 7 Continents")

In any travel, we should always define our priority no.1.   This will help in planning itinerary including backup plans or trim-down plans if things go sour.  In our plan – Machu Picchu would be the must-see or must-do site.  Non-negotiable!  Unless the mountain crumbled and Machu-P disappeared forever. 

This ‘mysterious’ Incan abode is on the southeast of Lima, more than 1000 km or 18hrs of drive.  Going there, one can start from Arequipa and either head straight up to Cusco or take a six-hour bus ride to Puno. Cusco is six hours northwest of Puno by bus, or alternatively - hop on the train from Puno to Cusco, an expensive but more scenic alternative.

We stopped by Cusco to see the cathedral, eat a good meal and stroll around.  We stayed for the night and booked a train to our next stop - Aguas Calientes.  This is three hours from Cusco by train then another 20min bus to Machu.   If I was on my own with extra week of time, I’d do the Inca trail hike.  It would be like reliving how the pre-colonial Incans travel from the low lands to their mountain abode.

That night, I was sharing a room with the main camera-man we call Kiko.  For some reasons, he revealed that he has some sort of sleeping disorder, and would sometimes ‘sleep-walk’.  He mentioned that his friends were playing safe when staying with him and kept all knife and blades in their possession.  And that worried me a bit.  Wow, I’d be sleeping with – what could possibly be a serial sleep-walking killer! 

His gentlemanly and friendly demeanor obviously told me that he was a ‘safe guy’.  But as a sleep-walker?  I joked that I need to keep a watchful eye.  But I wasn’t joking.

Leaving very early next day, I tried to sleep ahead.  Quite a shallow one.  My heightened awareness was not allowing me a good, deep sleep.  While ‘sleeping’, I could hear him singing quietly, packing and zipping bags for the next day, going in and out of the bathroom. He soon went to bed and I relaxed, presumably I fell asleep properly.   Only to wake up again an hour after, hearing him getting up to go to toilet.  Except that he didn’t popoo but took a freakin’ bath!  In the middle of the freakin’ night!  What the hell was going on?!  I couldn’t sleep and imagined of a midnight sleep-walking murderer about to attack me.

I pretended to sleep with eyes almost closed, but this time facing the sleep-walker’s bed.  For someone sleeping, it seemed weird that he can do many things in detail like folding a piece of clothing, or hymning on some familiar Pinoy song.  I half-decided that he was in fact awake and would not murder me just yet.  Half-worrying, I dozed off to sleep. 

Over breakfast, I was telling this story to the crew and they just laughed.  Kiko ‘denied’ that he was sleep-bathing and was aware of it the whole time! I half-believed him when he identified the title of the familiar tune that he was silently singing.  Fine.

We rode the bus to Aguas Calientes – which literally means hot water due to its thermal baths.  Aguas is a small town nestled between mountains.  At over 2000m/ 6600ft – the climate is naturally cool and refreshing.   It could have been a much quieter, anonymous village with little tourists, had it not been a gateway to Machu Picchu. I was surprised how the place was transformed into a lively, commercial tourist place complete with shops, accommodations and restaurants.  And hundreds of tourists eager to tick off their Machu Picchu bucket item!  In some ways, I envied the tourists staying for the night.  That should have been more pleasant than enduring my night with a possible murdering sleep-walker (I’m joking).  I like the vibe of Aguas – reminded me of small tourist places like Sabang of Mindoro, or even Namche Bazaar of Nepal.   So, staying for the night for a good dinner and a couple of drinks, and to see the place in a dark cold night could have been another memorable experience.

Machu Picchu is some 8km further but public ride is available.  With more time, I’d prefer to walk all the way but with a crew and with their heavy equipment – moving with vehicle became our lazy option.  From the bus stop, it was an easy and short walk to the site proper so we eagerly headed up, excited to see one of the seven wonders!  I tried to walk fast alongside other tourists, and when signs of the big structure started to loom in the distance, I felt the same kiddie excitement that I always feel when seeing a special place for the first time!  Broad smiles of wonder and contentment started to reveal itself.  But there was a funny pause…

Kiko, presumably wide awake - ran fast ahead of me, by the last hill which would reveal the grand Machu Picchu scene where the usual postcard pictures are taken.  There he set up his tripod and camera wanting to capture my ‘dramatic wow reaction’ typical of someone seeing an amazing view for the first time. 

Seeing him, I quickly tried to mentally compose my ‘wow sound bite’ and be ready before I reach his spot.  As I walked up, suddenly in my 3 o’clock – I spotted a big llama standing by the cliff’s edge and silently chewing grass.  My eyes glowed in wonder, seeing a llama for the first time!  Being a natural animal lover - I was sort of hypnotized in awe, approached the llama, and found myself talking to it as if it was a familiar pet.  It may not be as cute as a little puppy – but perhaps there was something in its eyes’ glow or even ‘aura’ that made it looked adorable.  As the magical human-meets-llama encounter happened – Kiko straightened up, scratching his head in disappointment and complained – “Eh inuna mo pa yang llama kesa sa Machu Picchu!”  Seeing his face, I laughed out loud with a tinge of guilt.  Hey, the llama could all die out, and Machu-P may stay there for another century…  

 

A friendly Llama near a dangerous cliff around Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was luckily not discovered by the conquistadores and was kept like a secret by the Incans.  Colonizers typically destroy things to erase traces of old religion, language or culture.  I was not even aware of Philippines’ Alibata language and scripts until I was already a working adult, thanks to the dead friars and conquistadores who did an expat work in the archipelago as colonizers some 400 years ago.

Machu Picchu was built in the middle of nowhere.  Like Pinoys going to Baguio on hot summer days, it is generally believed that Machu was like a place of retreat, a place to relax - to avoid the hustle and bustle of lowland life.  At over 7000 feet, the climate is generally nice and cool.  When it was discovered by westerners in 1911, it was all but abandoned (except perhaps for a couple of farmer-families that were living there).  Today, it stood the test of time and remained to be a grand remnant and proof of the Incan wonder.

The site was a huge complex with residential blocks, agricultural spaces and the majestic central structure on top of the hill.  It is a big wonder how the Incans lifted the ton-weighted stones, curved them to fit the big walls or pillars, and arrange them to be what would eventually be one of man’s greatest architectural achievement.   The Egyptian pyramids are for sure a greater wonder, but rolling five tons of solid rock on an almost flat Egyptian desert was perhaps more manageable, than heavy-lifting huge blocks of stones over hills and mountains!   The Incans built this site with no wheels, iron tools or mortars – and would remain as one of the best engineering marvels.  Whether deliberate or not, the construction was also earthquake-proof as the walls are said to ‘dance’ while the ground is shaking – and will fall back in their original position.

One couldn’t help but imagine how the original residents lived here.  Climbing stone steps everyday didn’t sound like an easy thing to do nowadays.  More so if those were on the side of a steep cliff.  More unthinkable if one was carrying a sack-full of corn or whatever goodies they bring up from the lowlands.  And more so during a treacherous rainy season.  The combination of a cool climate and the freshest of the mountain air may be a big lure, but the day-to-day tasks were perhaps challenging.  We don’t know exactly why it was abandoned several centuries ago – but it is easy to see and understand that living a cozy life far away from your main supply area has its major challenges.

Still, the beauty and wonder stands today complete with a scenic mountain backdrop. To the south is the taller peak of Huayna Picchu which could also be hiked offering spectacular views of Machu Picchu, the long trails below and mountains all around.   This became the iconic mountain backdrop and somehow ‘completes the picture’ - and perhaps without it, Machu Picchu would simply look like a jigsaw puzzle of rocks on top of a hill.

The only thing that threatens this site, along with many archeological sites around the world – is the influx of tourists.  ‘Carrying capacity’ has been an issue and has gone through a very long debate, but we know that beautiful attractions always have consequences.  So much more if commercialized and abused for revenue.

We move around videoing every possible scenes, sites and good angles.  There were moments that I just silently admired the site while wearing an indelible smile in my face – those smooth old stones, the spectacular view from above, the layout and architecture and generally the giant great work of art.  Although the site was only alive with tourists today, perhaps in another unseen dimension – its ‘deads’ were still silently walking the stone steps and mingling about, maybe the community was still performing their harvest ceremony and still worshiping the Sun… Perhaps in another invisible world – Machu Picchu was still alive and living its days of glory.

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