Day 8 - Machu Picchu
Monday, September 29
We were up and out early to catch the first (6:00am!) bus up the mountain for the 45 minute ride up the switchbacks to the ruins.
We spent over three hours at the ruins. The most current theories suggest that Machu Picchu served as a royal estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti and as a major religious center.
Temple of the Condor - see the wings rising up, and the head and the beak set in the ground?
After Machu Picchu we took the switchbacks back down to Aguas Calientes where we had some free time (shopping!) and then lunch before boarding the train for the 1 hr. 45 min. journey to Ollantaytambo.
Then a 2 1/2 hour drive from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco. We were all quite tired from the long day, but the scenery was stunning as the sun was lowering herself in the sky. (Perhaps she had had a long day as well!)
We arrived in Cusco, with just enough time to check into our Airbnb Casa, and get to our restaurant for our farewell dinner at Morena.
The next day - Tuesday, September 30 - we had a few hours for shopping before we had to be at the airport to fly home.
Now that we’ve been home nearly a month, with time to reflect on our time on the trail and in this beautiful country, I’m over flowing with gratitude for good health, good friends, the hospitality and kindness of everyone we met along the way, and the many lessons learned as we were stretched and challenged in body, mind and spirit.
We did it!
But wait….there’s more! Mike made a video slide show which you can watch here. You’ll see a lot of the same photos, plus many more!