Tuesday morning, we rose with the roosters, collected our packed breakfasts (sandwiches and fruit), checked out of the hotel, and piled in a van to the train station.
The Peru Rail train was packed with travelers heading to Aguascaliente, which is the jumping off point for visiting Machu Picchu. Tony and I sat at a small table facing a couple who had somewhat lower hygiene standards than ours. Between naps, I marveled at the landscapes zipping by.
Tony said the train ride was a highlight of this trip. “I’ve been lucky enough to see the Great Wall of China, the Roman ruins of Ephesus, the pyramids of Egypt, the hidden city of Petra” he said. “To be honest, the Inca ruins were cool, but the mountains made me really happy.”
Shots out the train window:
I had arranged for someone from our Aguascaliente hotel to meet us at the train station. After some initial confusion, we found him and then looked around for his car. That’s when we realized there were no cars. He led us up a steep hill, over a bridge, up another steep hill, over a ramp, up some steps, up another steep hill, to the tippy top section of town, and then up a flight of stairs at the hostal, Samananchis Machupicchu. Keep in mind that we were not only dragging our luggage but also dragging our altitude-affected bodies, hearts racing and breath coming in raspy gasps.
After checking in, we wandered out for lunch and landed at Mapacho for Peruvian cuisine and craft beer. Actually, their sign said “CRATF beer,” but it was still pretty tasty.
Hordes of sweaty tourists mob Aguascaliente each day. They eat, drink, and maybe sleep here before lining up for blocks to catch a bus up the mountain. The town exists solely to meet the needs of these travelers jonesing for a glimpse of Machu Picchu. People had warned us that it was the kind of place where you want to get in and get out ASAP. To my surprise, the town was touristy but quaint with lots of outdoor sculptures, a colorful artisan market, decent restaurants, friendly people, and even a French bakery (where I had a buttery pain au chocolat and great coffee), not to mention 360-degree views of the Andes.
Quite a few friends were traveling in Peru during this break. We met up with Paul, Traci, and their two kids, for drinks overlooking this courtyard. Although we liked to believe the town was flying a gay pride flag, it turns out it is actually the flag of the Inca empire. I guess that makes more sense.
