Carnival followed us to CUSCO

DAY 33

This morning we heard the devastating report about the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan during the night. Unfortunately, as with news service in any country, coverage of the event was solely concerned with the effect the natural disaster would have on their own country. Coastal Peruvians were preparing for a tsunami that would inevitably hit their coast (it didn't), experts discussed hypothetical calculations regarding whether or not Peru would be ready for a tsunami of that magnitude to strike (they weren't), Presidential candidates made statements regarding the crisis, and local phone companies advertised free texting to Japan.

After a 7 hour bus ride to Cusco, we snagged a national newspaper titled "Fin del Mundo!"--"End of the the World!" (Yes, this is, in fact, a national newspaper. Not yellow journalism, a tabloid, or any other type of sensationalism.) Inside the pages, we found the same issue--it was entirely Peruvian-based. Knowing the same amount as we did earlier in the morning, we checked into our hostel quite uninformed.

Due to Cusco being the primary stomping ground for the hundreds of travelers to Machu Picchu and our lack of internet access in previous ports, we were provided a fine opportunity to stay in one of the only rooms available in the city--the Master Suite at our hostel of choice. The suite was, of course, a bit pricier than the standard double room or dorm, but it was worth every penny with its panoramic view of the city, jacuzzi, and quirky arrangement of Alice in Wonderland-esque decor. As we had decided to skip one of our proposed destinations, Arequipa, we needed a proper launching point to take care of logistics and relax.

DAYS 34, 35, 37

Laundry, logistics, blah, blah, blah. To counter our accommodation expenses, we stocked up on fresh produce from the nearby marketplace and made most of our own meals in lieu of going out.
Although I was certain Carnival was over, I was wrong. Carnival followed us to Cusco, so we checked out some of the parades, music, and swarms of kids with water balloons and silly string spray cans. Defenseless, we usually returned to our rooms soaked and covered in strands of neon pink.

DAY 36

MACHU PICCHU: We started off the morning with yet another bus driver who thought he was Dale Earnhardt Jr. His eye-widening traverse along steep mountainous switchback roads kept us on our toes and cancelled out our usual requirement of caffeine for the day. Thankfully, the road ended in Ollantantaymbo, a town between Cusco and Aguas Calientes (the last town before Machu Picchu). As there are no paved roads to Aguas Calientes, we were forced to take the expensive British-owned monopoly...I mean, train...to Machu Picchu.

Although we didn't like the price, we thoroughly enjoyed the comfort of the train, the beautiful scenery, and the service aboard. Prior to our two month journey, mom had a certain affinity towards trains as Japan has one of the best train systems in the world. However, upon our most recent uncomfortable train voyages in Bolivia, she has recanted her former love for locomotives. PeruRail, however, resparked her first love. There was a food a beverage service similar to that on an airplane, comfortable seats, and large panoramic windows. We chugged alongside a Class 5+ river with a view of lush green mountains in the background.

After reaching Aguas Calientes, a tiny town at the base of the mountain that hides Machu Picchu, we took a 30 minute bus to the site. I anticipated swarms of tourists covering an otherwise grand site. Having somewhat low expectations of the site (ridiculous, I know... It's Machu Picchu!), I was pleasantly surprised that there were not as many tourist groups as I had imagined, although still a lot.

We took the opposite route as tour groups, which proved to our advantage. I was even able to climb down a set of stairs that led nowhere (there are a lot of these) without seeing a soul for at least 15 minutes. Llamas and a few construction workers worked to maintain the landscape and prevent the heavy stonework from sliding down the slopes of the mountain. The site looks exactly as it does in any picture you might have ever seen of it. The archeological site that sits amongst Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain") and Wayna Picchu ("Young Mountain") is a steeply-sloped, elaborate city complete with an agricultural sector, urban center, and intricate stonework at every turn.

Even after exploring the site to its fullest extent, we still had time before our evening train left. In order to further reduce our contact with tour groups, we decided to walk back down to Aguas Calientes instead of taking the bus. The vista from every point during our walk was complete with a view of lush green mountains that stood at gaping heights and the sound of the roaring muddy river below. The walk gave us the chance to get a detailed look of the surrounding area and its wildlife. Wildflowers of every type and color grew everywhere, as the area is moist, yet also open to sunlight. The steeply winding road was interjectedly cut by a steep stone staircase that we were able to break our knees on during our walk down.

Upon reaching Aguas Calientes, we grabbed a quick bite and doggedly commenced our return trip back to Cusco.