I have to say Peru or Machu Picchu was never high on my list of places to visit, but having heard about it enough, seeing the footage, and doing my research...I decided to see what all the hype was about for myself.
Day 1: I arrived in Lima and spent the first day getting settled for a 2-night stay in Mira Flores. A bustling city filled with great scenic views and great coastal waves that surfers from near and far come to take advantage of. And speaking of the coast, Peru has some of the best seafood in the world. More than that, MF is home to one of the world's more interesting museums...(El Museo Larco). The Larco Museum has a great collection of Peruvian artifacts such as pots, ceramics, and jewelry but more than anything, ML is known for its erotic collection.
Day 2: On my day tour of Lima, I was taken up a steep hill, where bicyclists can challenge themselves on this rough mountain terrain. On one of the hills stands a statue of Christ, one of many in Peru but not the most popular or known one. Also, there is the Fish Market and El Parque De Amor to see while driving along the coast. Eventually, I ventured into the city to Plaza San Martin to see some sites and do some shopping. Once the sun went down, I took a ride to the Magic Water Circuit...one of South America's largest water shows that includes lights, lasers, images, and music.
Lima is also known for its many churches, but the Monastery of San Francisco stands out. It doubles as a museum and contains an organized array of skulls and bones more known as Catacombs.
Day 3: I began my journey to Cusco to get to my ultimate destination...Machu Picchu.
Cusco itself is a quaint little town with its history and charm. I was able to take an evening tour of the city which included a trip to the Convent of San Francisco and El Cristo Blanco. After a couple of hours out, I called it a night seeing as though I had a long day ahead of me.
Additional Note: In doing my research and watching other people's vlogs on traveling to Cusco/Machu Picchu, most people warned about the air in Cusco and how you may experience trouble breathing due to the very high altitude. Having made this journey myself now, I can tell you this is no exaggeration. As soon as I walked off the plane I had shortness of breath and a headache. My initial thought was "Am I this out of shape? lol" Nevertheless, I managed to push thru and got to my hotel. Just be aware all of the hotels have oxygen tanks you can ask for. My tour guide that evening did give me an herbal elixir to inhale called Muna which helped out immensely. My headache and shortness of breath did subside by the next day and I was able to continue on my journey.
Day 4: I got myself together to meet my guide at 4 AM in the lobby of the hotel to take me to a meeting point where I gathered with other folks ready to take the journey to Machu Picchu. So, you begin with a 1 hour and 45-minute bus ride that takes you to a train where you ride for another 1 hour and 30 minutes. That may sound daunting but the train ride was relaxing and scenic. There is a mini balcony you can stand out on to take in the views and take pictures.
An hour and a half later, I arrived at the last stop via train...which is basically at the base of the mountain. Once I got out of the train station, I met the tour guide that was going to escort me to and through the Inca Trail. So just when you think you have made it, there is another hurdle to go through lol. Once you exit the train station you go thru gated security and make your way thru a shopping bazaar filled with clothing, trinkets, and so forth. We made our way to the Main Square where you will pass a slew of great restaurants and a few monuments you can take pictures of.
Now, once you get through that, you have to wait in line to get on another bus to take a 45-minute ride to get to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Having endured all of that, I finally arrived along with my guide to the gate and the start of the famous Inca Trail. Remember that it is September 6th, 2021 and we are now in the age of Covid-19. The mandate in Peru is that you have to wear not only 1 but 2 masks wherever you go. So, just imagine hiking up a mountain and trying to breathe with masks on! Security on site did allow us to stop from time to time on the way to the apex to take a break to catch a breath and take pics with our masks off but not for too long. So, after getting up with the roosters, taking several modes of transportation, and hiking up several hundred feet, I finally reached the pinnacle...take a look!
I started my blog by saying that Peru/Machu Picchu was never high on my travel list...but having made the journey myself, I can now say I wish I would have made the trek sooner! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it was a great sense of accomplishment having traveled to and survived 1 of the 7 Wonders of the World!
Machu Picchu view from the top.
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