Everyone flies into Cusco if you plan on going to Machu Picchu. From Cusco, its about 4 days trekking over 45km to get to Machu Picchu (for a resonably fit person). Hee hee, you think 45 km is nothing, not when you are at trekking at altitude :) NO JOKE!!
Cusco is one of the highest city in the world, at 10,800 feet. If you trek to Machu Picchu, the highest part of the trek can reach 13,500 feet. I already took altitude sickness pill when I boarded the plane from Lima to Cusco. The views from the plane really give you an idea of the mountainous terrain ...
Though winter, it can be 60+ farenheit at noon, but at the top of the mountain, you can see that its snow-capped.
Hee hee, on the way to the hotel, the cab driver stopped by his house to give his children some pocket money, so we took a picture in his home town, outside a school :)
YES, at last! Arrived at THE HOTEL in Cusco, called Hotel Monasterio, an Orient Express hotel.
http://www.monasterio.orient-express.com/web/ocus/photo_tour.jsp
We decided to go with them because though we tell you about hte 4-day trek to Machu Picchu, did you actually picture Frank with a backpack panting up the mountain?? Ha ha, not only that actually. Since this whole trip is planned so impromptu, there's no way to book a trek even if you want to. Winter is peak tourist season (because its sunny and no rain), and waiting list to trek the Inca Trail can be around 6 months. Soooooooooo ... we decided to take the new Orient Express train service to Machu Picchu : ) Always wanted to try their supposed "glam" train, so this is the chance! We booked the entire package with them from their Cusco hotel, to the train, to a night stay in the Machu Picchu ruins as well!
Hotel Monasterio is a refurbished Baroque Monastry built in the 17th century. Today, the hotel still keep the style and mood in line with that of the monks who once stayed here. The architecture is pretty amazing, the big stones that are used to build the monsatry, to the giant arches everywhere. The focal point of the whole monastry is the beautiful garden in the courtyard. Between, most o fthe rooms in the hotel have oxygen pumped directly into the room to make it more comfortable for the guests with altitude sickness. The hotel also plays a soothing vocal of monks chanting throughout the day, its actually very relaxing.
The many religious painting in the hotel, from the rooms to the hallways is quite amazing (and I am not a religious person who normally appreciates these).
See my face?? Altitude sickness setting in, though I have taken the "sorojchi" pills. I didn't know what to expect arriving at altitude except know the oxygen is thinner there. I am like "am I going to suffocate?" though I know that cannot be since millions of people visit Cusco every year. Well, you walk slower, because if you walk your normal pace, you will be panting after 10 steps. I climbed two flights of steps to the 2nd floor (about 20 steps) and I was short of breadth already. Hee hee, then as the day goes by, you get a headache, yeah, head hurts. Not so bad that I feel sick, but bad enough that I just do everything slowly, to not exert too much energy. I heard it takes about 2-3 full days to get acclimated. Other than the headache and low energy level, its fine really.
Dining hall ...
You can't see it from the picture below, but the hallways are lined with big beautiful religious pictures. The best thing about the hotel I have to say, is very clearcut, service. Most of the staff know you and address you by your last name when they walk past. Nothing is too much for them, you whimper a little, they are at your side. Service staff attitude is impeccable.
I walked 5 steps outside the hotel foyer, Frank wanted to take a picture of me. Before he managed to snap, an little Inca girl rushed up, stick to my leg and refuse to leave. I moved a way, and she grabs my leg ... I mean, what can I do? Like fight her off in the middle of the street with everyone looking? Ok, no choice, take a picture with her in it, and then she held out her hand. Its out first step out of the hotel, no small change, gave her what is equivalent of US$2. Ok, she's a smart one :P
Shopping is amazing in Cusco. I am not a handicraft person, and I loved it. Not to say they are unbelievably cheap too, almost too good to be true! Sigh, I can see prices doubling and tripling in 5-6 years as tourism swamps this place. Frank bought a lot of old/original Inca tribe weapons they build from wood and stones, extremely interesting. The history in this place is quite a story (you can wiki/google the story on the Inca tribe and the Sacred Valley).
Can't speak their language, just pointed, it tastes like sweet potatoe ice-cream :)
This is the main square in the town of Cusco, Plaza de Armas, very picturesque. I will be honest with you. I was expecting Cusco to be very commercialized since Machu Picchu has become one of the top global tourist spot in the world, everyone seem to know someone who went there, I really didn't expect the whole place to still have an authentic tribal mood to it. Though yes, internet cafes and pizzarias have sprung up around the sqaure.
Stomach growling, finding a restaurant for our first meal.
Hee hee, how can we come here without tasting its one and only delicasy called Cuy??? Yummy, one cute little pet coming up .... guinea pig :)
I don't plan on trying, so Frank ordered half a pet :) Oh forgot to mention appetite is suppressed with the headache and lowe energy level as well ...
Frank said it was not gamey, dark meat, not bad. He thought the skin would be wonderfully crispy, turned out to be chewy instead ...
He forced me to take a picture of the little feet left :(
I stick to cooked grilled fish with garlic sauce :)
Housing for the locals ...
We are there when its the season for harvest. They celebrate the start of harvest season with street parade. They do this twice a year, June for harvest, and December for planting season. Very crowded, we almost got pick-pocketed, damn that guy, he turned around and look at us before he quickly left :(
If you look carefully, you will see the thousands of lights litted in the mountain in the background.
Another Kodak Moment of altitude sickness, look at my face.
Ok, fake a smile for you :)
Checking out ... boo hoo ... drinking my last cup of coca tea at my second home. Coca tea supposedly helps ease altitude sickness as well, so we have been drinking that quite a bit. Uhhhh ... you know cocaine comes from coca tea right?? :P
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