Saulo partied hard last night (after a 4 hour game of soccer while we lounged and chatted), and had a hard time getting going this morning. We knew it would be a long day, but got started about an hour behind schedule (about 6:45). Coca tea and pan, our typical breakfast, were ready long before Saulo got up... I think Enrique had to go back to our tent 3 times to get Saulo up. Once we did get going, the going was quite touch. Llactapata is on top of a ridge and Sahuayaco is on the river at least 2500' below... maybe 4000'. As a joke from the coffee incident yesterday, we kept telling ourselves that we only had 10 minutes to go... 10 minutes passed many many times. The views on the way up were great though. Llactapata was somewhat underwhelming, but the view of Machu Picchu (pronounced peek-choo instead of pea-choo like everybody pronounces it in the US) was spectacular. On a clear day it would be a terrific vantage point. The descent back down to the river was hellacious and challenging, requiring total concentration. The ground (again, despite being the "dry" season) was so wet and the trail so steep that we all slipped, but thankfully never enough to get hurt. Tony's knee gave him terrible pain... all of us were approaching our physical limits. It was ungodly humid and hot. We set a fast pace to get to lunch as fast as humanly possible. Views across the river on the way down were nice, but the bridge to cross the river was sketchy!! I honestly fear somebody will die on that soon.
After crossing the bridge we walked past an enormous waterfall created in part by the electric plant we were near, and a trout hatchery. The electric plant was where we entered the national park, but the park was effectively unsigned. I have to say, that was terribly confusing, and Peru should be ashamed on 2 counts;
- What is this monstrosity of an electric plant doing within a national park boundary containing one of the earth's Wonders of the World?
- What kind of an entrance to a national park goes essentially unidentified?
There were electrical safety signs everywhere but no signs pointing the way to the ruins or indicating park boundary. Totally famished, hot, and exhausted, we ate our final lunch made by Enrique and said our goodbye. We felt much better but were still sore and soaking wet. Personally, I believe I set some kind of sweating record today. My clothes smell awful and my backpack was drenched.
After lunch we walked along a train track for what felt like an eternity... perhaps 7 miles. I would guess today was a 14 mile day... very long. Despite being tired, the views of the river beside us and Machu Picchu above were phenomenal. It truly looked like an Indiana Jones movie; a huge river flowing fast with house and truck sized boulders in it, dense jungle on all sides, and 2000' cliffs on all sides. Machu Picchu is in a truly stunning setting. I'm excited to learn more about the Inkas tomorrow. The signage to indicate our progress was poor at best... a single handwritten sign pointed the way to Aguas Calientes from the train tracks, 6 miles from town. Later we saw "Aguas Calientes --->" scratched into the sand beside the train tracks. (Again, what's up with that, Peru??) I was disappointed.
When we finally made it to our hostel, I was given a room with a faulty lock. At 5:15 it would be fixed in 10 minutes. I waited to shower and at 5:30 went back down to the desk to get an update. "10 minutes." I showered and re-packed my bag. Feeling a ton better, in dry and clean clothes, I rested until 6:45 when we needed to meet for dinner. Saulo was talking to the same man at the desk, who then told us both for the second time that a man would arrive in..... 10 minutes to fix the lock. I nearly lost it. It had already been 90 minutes, and we needed to leave to eat dinner, so I voiced my disappointment in the most cordial Spanish I could muster. I don't know whether "10 minutes" is Peruvian speak for "leave me alone" but I was tired, hungry, and not happy to hear that nonsense again. To make it worse, he claimed there were no vacant rooms I could switch to. Saulo worked it out so I am in a 3 bed room with a nice bathroom and working lock. Major upgrade. This town kind of pisses me off... if the Inkas could see it! Even when walking to dinner with Saulo (an obvious local) and talking to him en route, the 3 of us were constantly bombarded with people shoving menus in our faces and pleading us to eat at their restaurant. 4-for-1 happy hours, discounts, etc. It's a desperate gimmick and frankly pathetic. I don't think these people appreciate the gravity of Machu Picchu... the park managers, the town of Aguas Calientes, maybe the whole country. It's sad. Although I have had a tremendous and eye-opening, fantastic trip, I feel a "what's wrong with Peru" segment coming on. I need to be at breakfast at 5:00am sharp, so that will have to wait. I'm hoping my mood has changed by then.
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