First look at Machu Picchu

We left Ecuador behind and flew to Peru. After a night in the capital Lima, we took the aircraft directly to Cusco, the so-called "capital of the Inca”. Cusco is located in the Andes at 3400m and upon your arrival at our hotel we were served coca tea. This helps very good against headaches and fatigue and is therefore a very good remedy for altitude sickness, since the Coca improves oxygen uptake. Actually, we wanted to take coca tea and sweets from Coca as a souvenir, but we have read, Coca leaves can not be imported to Germany, because that violates the law on drugs.

The old city of Cusco with the many colonial buildings, Churches and the Plaza de Armas has been a good, but is also very touristy. At the Plaza de Armas have us within 15 minutes, more than 10 dealers asked if we pictures, Jewelry, Want to buy hats and other souvenirs. There, one can not definitely “in Ruhe” sitting on a bench and watch the action. In the afternoon we met Florian. Him had we met on Galapagos diving and we wanted to Machu Picchu together and make a trekking tour. We asked in various travel agencies according to, but somehow we had promised nothing of it. Therefore, we decided, to make a few trips on your own and to dispense with a guided tour.
The next day we wanted to do a city tour by bus, but when he tried to drive off, it started to rain and we got quickly out again. We spent the afternoon with the planning for the next days. We inquired after the train to Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu from there to come to. We had never thought, yes that Easter was approaching and it would be very busy over the holidays. So we decided the next morning to Aguas Calientes to drive and also booked the same train tickets. Then we bought more tickets for Machu Pichu and the Montaña and the journey to the "Sacred Valley of the Incas" could begin.

Thursday early in the morning we took a taxi to the bus station in Cusco and then took a collectivo (a kind of shared taxi) Ollantaytambo not, where the Inkazug to Aguas Calientes takes off. After a 2 hour drive through the beautiful Andean landscape with green fields, high mountains, some even with snow on the peaks, Stone houses and Peruvians in their typical clothes we arrived in Ollantaytambo at. We had 2 hours time to look for a guesthouse, so that we could leave our big backpacks here, because it was not allowed so much bring luggage in the train. Ollantaytambo is a beautiful, pleasant town to a height of almost 2800 meters on the river Urubamba. Narrow cobbled streets run through the site and there are many small "Baechle", flowing through the streets. Ollantaytambo is the only preserved city from the Inca period. Most of the buildings, the Inca terraces and the narrow streets still look than the Inca still several hundred years, they built. A really nice place.
We are billeted for the night in the next over Sumac Chaska Hostal and set there until the next evening from our large backpacks. After that, we still provided us with water and Coca candies to be well prepared for the height. Then we walked along the river to the train station and took the train to Aguas Calientes, a small town, the starting point for visiting the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu is situated at 2090m altitude. Passing insanely high and steep mountains we came to one,5 hours on the train in Aguas Calientes. The station went seamlessly into a souvenir market over and we had to wind our way past on the way to the first place in all sorts of souvenir stalls. We found a cheap room in the same Hostal Joe, but the night was for us in the morning to 4:00 Clock again to end. We wanted to be for sunrise at Machu Picchu and therefore already started in the dark at 4:45 clock. The first few minutes led by a dirt road to a bridge in front of our tickets were checked. Besides we also have several other Machu Picchu visitors were on their feet. And then the strenuous climb up steep stone stairs started up ... After the first few levels I thought, “I would have preferred to take the bus ". This effort due to the altitude and the thin air, and the early morning without breakfast, for me was quite a challenge and I quickly began to gasp for breath. Seppel seemed to rise to mind and therefore "split" we are halfway, so it timely to 6:00 Could be clock to the opening of the Inca city at the entrance. As Seppel reached the top, he was lucky and saw Florian, who had already run ahead. Florian stood at the front of the queue and Seppel could force one's way through to him,, so that both were at Machu Picchu among the first tourists and empty photos of yet "” Could make Inca city. I went there on a little slower and came a quarter of an hour and felt pretty exhausted later in 1000 steps up to. Approximately 400 meters I had covered in an hour. At the entrance was now already a long queue, because the first buses with the "lazy" tourists had arrived. Ich stellte mich ganz unauffällig in der Mitte an 😉 Seppel und Florian konnte ich dann aber gleich finden und wir genossen den wunderschönen Blick auf die alte Inkastadt. It is simply inconceivable, how people used to be so created a building. After a few photos we received our first taste well-deserved breakfast (although food is actually forbidden in the entire plant). Then we were on our way to Machu Picchu Montaña: one and a half hours it was 600 meters uphill and everything back on even steeper, high and uneven stairs. I felt pretty hard on the thighs! This time we had it but not in such a hurry and put always take a short break to catch one to. The steps were getting steeper and near the stairs it was hundreds of meters in depth. It was pretty cloudy and you could barely see the surrounding mountains unfortunately. But the higher we came, the more warped the clouds and when we arrived at the summit in 3060m above we had a great view of the Machu Picchu, the Urubamba Valley and the snow-capped mountains. While it hung still clouds in the mountain peaks, but the view was breathtaking. All effort was worth it. After more photos, we rewarded ourselves first with a second breakfast and watched while the play of the clouds, quickly moved along the sky. Unfortunately, they concealed gradually the view of the Machu Picchu. We picked a nice spot and waited, but except for a few short gaps in the clouds of Machu Picchu was unfortunately obscured. So we went on our way back up the steep steps down. Although this did not cost quite as much power as the rise, but with my now rather shaky legs, it was not so easy. Then we went along steep rock slopes to the ancient Inca bridge on a rock wall and watched Machu Pichu of course also from the vicinity of. Between the walls ran a few llamas around, apparently as a "lawn mower” be kept.
The Inca city is one of the 7 Wonders of the World. It was built on 2400m altitude and around it there are quite a few terraces, on which the Incas cultivated fruit and vegetables. When I think of, how people have lived here ... I would like to travel back in time once. The return to Aguas Calientes then took again almost 2 hours and I was glad when we were in the train again and we rest could.

The next day I had quite a soreness in the legs. Since in our guest house noisy building work going on were, it was pretty dirty and we also paid for much, we looked for a new accommodation. From our room at Hostel You Killa we had a nice view of the mountains and the Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo. In the afternoon we took a short hike up the hill to the ancient Inca ruins Pinkuylluna. From there we had a beautiful view of the valley and to Ollantaytambo.
Take a taxi, we made a trip on Sunday to third by the environment Ollantaytambos. Our driver drove us to the Augosto "Salinas", these are huge salt fields and then we looked at the Inca ruins of Moray in. Here the Incas had operated in gigantic circular terraces agriculture. When driving through the valley we could all admire the beautiful scenery, high, snow-capped mountains, green meadows and many fields. The way we met two children with a flock of sheep and a couple of donkeys. You have the same for a few photos posing and then they naturally wanted money from us. If you want to photograph the locals, they usually want some money for it. So we gave them a Peruvian Sol (converted 0,25 Cent) and they were satisfied.
The next two days we did not have as much. We wandered through the streets and saw before many doors a broomstick with a red plastic bag attached to it. We have learned, that is produced in these houses Chicha. This is beer made from corn. Especially in the Plaza de Armas, im Zentrum von Ollantaytambo, we saw many locals in their traditional colorful clothing. Women wear long skirts, colorful sweaters and special hats. The men have to colorful striped ponchos. So we see again and again many blobs of color in the streets. Another special feature is the long, thick, black, braids of women, which are still connected to each other at the end. On such a head of hair can really be jealous.
We were also in a typical Peruvian House. Here quite a lot of guinea pigs were running around freely. On the walls were various, stuffed animals or dried, z.B. Lambs, one Alpakafötus, Trout, Wing, Head and claws of a condor ... It was very interesting to look around the house, because we discovered again and again new and strange things for us. In one corner, even a small altar was constructed, with candles and skulls of deceased relatives.

Peru is also known for the Webkünste. Therefore, we booked for the last day in Ollantaytambo a tour to Patacancha, a small weaving village. Huge Inca terraces, where earlier vegetable plots, put on something along the mountains and we drove on a dirt road in the remote mountain village of 1 hours. Our small group of 5 persons was accompanied by Tessa, our guide. She works at Awamaki, a non-profit organization, supports the weavers and visitors an insight into the culture of the Quechua (of the indigenous population) and allows their weaving tradition in the Andes. Locals Patacancha speak very little Spanish, their native language is Quechua, the language of the Incas. This is completely different than Spanish.
When we arrived Tessa showed us once the different types of wool of alpaca, Llama and sheep and explained the different natural colors. These are from flowers, Bark or small beetles, sitting on cactus, made. A few weavers trundled by and by, and we could see how they were continuously busy to spin with a spindle a woolen thread. It is also quite often see women on the street or in the market, weaving the threads. They always do by the way. It is quite difficult. I tried it though, but it did not work.
The weavers had to all their traditional colorful clothes. In winter, they even carry up to 7 skirts above the other (they never have to trousers!) Your feet are always naked, Although they wear sandals, but no stockings or socks. Tessa told us some interesting things about the life of the weavers and the culture in the mountains, eg there is no telephone in the village and Awamaki informed the weavers on radio when new guests arrive.
The weavers have shown us, how they make the colorful fabrics. This is pretty complicated, and all their patterns tell a story. Together with them, we have also tried once and weaved us a little bracelet. Here, we noticed, talk that the weavers always very quiet and calm, they have almost whispered. Seppels Weberin, Doris, had during weaving all the time wrapped in a colorful cloth bundle on her back. Sometime heard Seppel as started to babble something and saw, that it was Doris's little son. The Peruvians always carry their children, and other things on the back. Unfortunately we could not so well agree with the weavers, because we do not speak Quechua, but a few things we were able to learn. We asked Doris how old she is, because it was quite difficult to estimate the. By the sun and the harsh conditions of the mountains seen many older than they are. Doris was in our age. If you compare how she lives and how we live – that's pretty impressive. We were also in one of the traditional houses look. It ran a lot of guinea pigs around and there was a small cooking area, all very simple. It was very interesting to look into this other world.

Promote wir Ollantaytambo wierder verliessen, we visited there yet the Inca ruins at. Then it was on to Pisac. Again, in the area are high in the mountains Inca ruins and from there we took a hike. A day later we drove back to Cusco. In the evening we saw here are some Easter processions in the city. Since it was the next day quite rainy and cold, we took care of us once again to our blog. In the evening we left the “Heilige Tal der Inka” and made our night bus toward Arequipa.