Machu Picchu

In America, Adventure, Peru 2001, Hiking/Trekking On 22/06/2001 One comment

Since the arrival on Machu Picchu was disappointing, a cloudy day, I couldn’t see too much. I decided not to photograph, only feel the place and come back next day to work. I left my camera bag in a looker so I wouldn’t change my mind.

First we did a guided tour with some explanation of the place. The group was divided in English and Spanish tour. I joined the Uruguayans in the Spanish one. The tour was a little vague, since nobody know exactly what was the place, there are only guesses or interpretations. After we walked, rested, laughed and enjoyed the landscape. We were cheering every time the clouds would move a little. The sun could show up any time, after all it was the solstice day. No, the sun didn’t show up.

The next day I walk up early an saw it was a cloudy day. I slept again and only left to Machu Picchu at 9 am. This time the weather was better. I went up the highest point and sat down to wait for the sun. Passed by me some people I knew; some that I met in the trail, other that I met weeks before in other towns. The amount of tourists is big. Every place I went there was someone, it was impossible to be alone. I even tried but I couldn’t. Sometimes I walked far away and pretty soon a tour group would show up. I didn’t understand how some people are able to meditate there. The idea of Machu Picchu being a sacred or mystic place disappears with the amount of tourists. It looks more as the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty. The groups come, take some quick pictures and go with their guide to another place.

I was at the top great part of the day, I liked because it is a place from where one can have an overview and people look so small. It reminded me the maquette I had seen in the museum in Lima. I could also observe the people, in groups or alone. The time passed by, about 3 hours, and the sun didn’t show up. I walked around once more, had a sandwich and came back to the top. It was about 4pm when the sun showed up. I got happy, it created nice shadows to photograph. The number of tourists was smaller, many have to leave to Cuzco in the 4 o’clock train. I waked around to photograph, I didn’t have much time, Machu Picchu closes at 5:30pm. I did my job and left gladly.