Pisac & Terror on the highway
After our mad dash through the Pisac Market we decided to relax for a while and try Pisco Sours at a little café. Everyone felt the need for a bit of the local booze and it’s our first time trying Pisco Sours. We were a little disappointed because we didn’t have time for any serious shopping, but still felt a sense of victory for having made it to Pisac at all.
When it is good and dark and everything in and near market had sh
ut down, we rendezvoused with our driver for the drive back to Ollanta. We were tired, and mellow after our drinks and possibly hungry, as the empanada stand was closed when we arrived. Our driver assured us the road should be clear and we made good progress with only the occasional stop to remove rocks still littered across the highway. We were about half-way to Urubamba when we see a girl running toward our taxi. We couldn’t really make out what she was doing until she is close enough to be illuminated by the car’s headlights. We could now tell she was yelling and waving her arms, but it is not until we could see the expression on her face that anyone realized what she was saying. Roughly, “Turn around! They are coming!” (She was yelling in Spanish so I’ve taken some liberties with the translation.) The effect was instantaneous. Our driver slamed on the breaks, does a 180 across the yellow divider line and starts speeding back toward Pisac. The three of us in the back seat (me, Laurel and Steph) looked out the back window and saw a mob of Peruvians running toward the taxi, throwing rocks with torches waving above their heads. While this does help explain the burning tires we noticed as we got closer to the village, it was not very reassuring.
Once we’d left the mob and the torches behind us our driver speculated that the mob was made up of protesters who had too much to drink during the strike. (This turns out to be true, the next morning we hear that there was one village where the men got so drunk that after the strike was called off they continued to menace everyone driving on the highway.) His solution to our little dilemma (a drunken, angry mob was blocking the road from Pisac to Ollanta where we were staying) is the same short cut, back way, rutted rocky trail we bounced along this afternoon. Except worse, because it was dark and I wasn’t sure our little Toyota taxi still had a “brights” setting for the headlights. We were fairly freaked out and after we’d driven a ways on our “short cut” we noticed headlights behind us and our driver says, ever so casually, that the road was often used by car-jackers because the road’s so narrow it is easy to block a car or van carrying tourist and rob them. We had no choice but to go forward (there is NO way to turn around) and now instead of watching for rogue cattle we are looking for muggers.
Luckily, we made it back safe and sound. The only thing we did see were some boys playing soccer and a van full of frightened looking tourists. We had a late night snack in Ollanta and walk back to El Albergue to snuggle under our alpaca blankets until morning.
12/31/2007
Day 5: Machu Picchu & Aguas Calientes
We pretty much roll out of bed and onto the train, with a brief stop for breakfast. Our Bed & Breakfast was right next to the train station so we hang around the lobby until we hear the train. I take the time to fill up my water bottle from the filtered water reserve tank at El Albergue. I figured it would be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying bottle after bottle of water.
The ride to Machu Picchu from Ollanta was beautiful, it’s a bright sunny day and I leaned out the window to take photos of the river as we pass by. Unfortunately, my camera battery died after this shot, so none of the MP photos from our first day were taken by me. (A hand for Steph for the great selection of MP day 1 photos.)
Our hostel in Aguas Calientes was called, Gringo Bill’s. We were pretty sure our room assignments were based on the amount of luggage we had. Laurel and Steph’s
noticeably larger set of luggage, got a room on the first floor, while Mike and I trudged up a series of oddly constructed stairways to our fifth floor room [Hey! I object! Steph was the one with the extra bag. --Laurel]. That said, the hike up the stairs was worth it. Our room had a built in heater, TV, telephone, in room outlets and a bathtub! We only used the heater but I have to say the 5th floor bathroom at Gringo Bill’s, was bigger than the one I have now.
Once we’ve settled in at Gringo Bill’s we head out to Machu Picchu. We caught the last bus of the day and decided to walk back so we wouldn’t have to rush to make the last bus down. We wend through the terraces of the agricultural sector in search of the caretakers hut or maybe the upper cemetery. I’m pretty sure we intended to start at the outskirts of 
MP and hike our way to the center of the city. Thanks to the crappy maps we had (and that includes the official MP park map) we got lost. We really did study the maps but they didn’t help. We kept going higher and 
walking 
farther away from Huayna Picchu. We passed what may have been the funerary rock, (now a new age sacred rock) some ruins and a number of workers doing trail maintenance while listening to the World Cup.
Intipunko (The Sun Gate)
The trail was well marked so even though we had no idea where we were going, we kept walking. We made it to the top, the photo on the left is the Sun Gate. It’s that little dip at the top. If you look at the original photo on flickr you can almost see the gates. It’s
pretty crowded when we arrive and a tour group was arriving from the other side of the mountain. Turns out we have hiked to Intipunko (The Sun Gate), the last stop on the Inca Trail before you enter Machu Picchu. If you hike the Inca Trail, about 5 days, (rather than um, taking a train, for a couple of hours) this is where the guides abandon you. Just kidding, it’s when you realize that after five days of hiking and camping you are more interested in
a shower than touring Machu Picchu. Still not you? How about that at 60+ you are in way better shape then those three youngish people panting on the ledge despite only hiking a couple of hours from MP to Intipunko [Notice, however, that I am the only one who looks like death warmed over. --Laurel].
After a substantial break of panting, drinking water and eating our emergency chocolate rations, we began the descent. Steph took lots of pictures of the walk down the mountain (maybe an excuse to take many breaks?) including one of the rickety banister near the top, through shady leafy areas and during our many rest stops.
The Descent
This photo may be of us hiking from the base of Machu Picchu park down to Aguas Calientes. The Moon guidebook recommended the walk, a 20 minute downhill hike. And yes, if we were in training for a marathon, maybe it would have taken 20 minutes, or if we were 10 or 11 year old Peruvian boys who can skip their way down, it may have only taken fifteen minutes. But we are neither. We are the youngish people panting on the ledge of Intipunko. It took at least an hour (with numerous rest breaks, sadly sans chocolate) to get to the bottom and then another thirty minutes to walk to town. I’m guessing we were a tad bit cranky. It was 
probably my idea with Mike chiming in. Laurel likely tried to convince us to take the bus, but twenty more minutes really did seem doable. I felt jazzed at the end of the hike down from Intipunko and of course we had only bought one-way bus tickets. An extra twenty minutes really doesn’t seem like a lot when you are getting on a bus after having been on a train all morning. [I cannot believe Steph took a picture of the bus!!! It sure came in handy for this journal, but it does make me laugh. -- Laurel]
Pizza!
We do make it safely back and head out for dinner (no time for a bath, a shower will have to do.) All the guidebooks
agree that Aguas Calientes is not the place to experiment with the local cuisine. It is the town you are most likely to get food poisoning in. So we eat PIZZA! This is after all the 
town with a calle de pizza. We find the recommended Inka Wasi restaurant and eat pizza. Mike and Steph tried the river trout pizza, while Laurel and I stick with the basics. We also have more Pisco Sours,
listen to the local folk music and Steph and Laurel order the most fabulous hot chocolate ever.
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updated: 1/2/2008
