Video produced/edited by Malinda.
Ever wonder what it's like to see Machu Picchu? Let me tell you all about it…. Well, first, let me tell you about our day before Machu Picchu. We ate breakfast on the 7th floor of our hotel building. The view is already amazing on the streets, so imagine it even higher. The view was just beautiful; it felt like I was eating breakfast in a Disney movie. We could also see the line for the bus from the hotel, and it was longggggg.
We hurried to finish breakfast and went down to reserve our spot in line to go to Machu Picchu. The line was basically a mile long, but it moved pretty fast. We were on the bus within 30 minutes. The bus ride was also around 30 minutes, but the beautiful views seen from the windows made it feel like 5. We arrived and started walking to Machu Picchu at around 10:05 a.m. The walk was a lot shorter than expected; it was basically 30 meters long.
Once we got there, Machu Picchu looked amazing. I was in awe of its beauty and the surrounding mountains. I suddenly understood why Machu Picchu was one of the world's seven wonders; it was just a wonder to be there.
We then learned that Machu Picchu was originally made by the Incas but abandoned due to the Spanish War. The Incas left to fight the Spanish, and only women, children, and the elderly remained in Machu Picchu. The remaining inhabitants decided to escape to Vilabama city, and the Spaniards found them and killed everyone there. Machu Picchu was never discovered by the Spanish, which is ironic.
It was then found by a farmer looking for more land in 1902. The farmer reported it to Cusco City, but the city ignored him, so he just moved on. Later, a man named Hiram Bingham from Yale came to Peru in search of the lost Inca city rumored to have gold. He accidentally found Machu Picchu instead in 1911. This led to him going back to America to show his findings and bringing more explorers with him back to Machu Picchu in 1912. Formerly, people credited Hiram Bingham as the sole discoverer of Machu Picchu, but today people credit the original farmer. Machu Picchu also took the Inca over 700 years to build! Overall, the history behind Machu Picchu is incredible.
We got to walk around and see the different temples and building structures all around. The Incas were very smart in the architecture of Machu Picchu. After exploring and learning all about Machu Picchu, we headed back to Pueblo City and ate a good lunch before getting on our train. The train ride to Ollantaytambo was almost 2 hours long.
We quickly hopped on our van to Cusco, and all five of us had such good conversations that the van ride felt short. We talked about everything from sports to school to how we felt about the remaining time in Peru. All of us were not ready to leave, but we all said the same thing: We miss our families. The beauty and unique culture of Peru makes the sound of going back to America dreadful.
Once we arrived, we dropped off our bags and went straight to dinner. Unfortunately, the place was local, so that they didn't have an English menu. Sean Moore and Kristen's phone data was very low so we couldn't use a translator as well. Half of the group just ordered a ham and cheese burger to go with a safer bet. The other half trusted the waiter's recommendation, which turned out to be chicken soup with several fresh veggies.
Both halves said the food was delicious, and we all left the restaurant with no complaints. We then went back to the Airbnb to pack for our long journey to Inquitos City tomorrow, showered, and got ready for bed.
Goodnight!
-Melanie