4:30 am wake up so we can have breakfast before meeting the group at 5:15. Ugh. Why do trips always require really early wake up calls??
Anyway we took a bus up to Machu Picchu at 6:00 so we can try to beat the crowds. There is a whole system of buses that transport tourists up and down the steep mountain on a road of about 15 switch-backs. One could walk up this hill, but why? Even I wouldn't do that :)
The park is at an elevation of only 7,000 ft. or something around there, so that's nice. I have many pictures of Machu Picchu that I will post when I get home. MP is the ultimate example of Inca craftsmanship and clever engineering and farming. It was built 500 years ago and abandoned when the Spaniards were conquering the region and it was only discovered by foreigners in 1911, although there were a few families that were living there at the time to live "off the grid" to not have to pay taxes. Our guide from the Lares trek also gave us a tour of MP. He's super knowledgable and has made the whole trip really interesting. After this morning exploring MP with him, we all parted ways. Nick and I are meeting Fernando & Kristen this evening for dinner at their hotel restaurant, then we will go to MP again tomorrow with them.
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