Cuzco and Machu Picchu

After Puno we continued our way to Cuzco and the Sacred Valley.... We took a bus which was stopping at some of the little villages in the Sacred Valley.

Unfortunately I (Stefien) got food poisoining in Puno, and didn't feel well for almost 5 days, without eating and staying for the most time inside the hotel.

Carlos enjoyed the bus trip and got to see a Inca village and some beautiful church. Around 5pm last monday we arrived to Cuzco. We were booked into hotel "Los Ninos" which is a 2 star hotel in Cuzco owned by a dutch lady and all the money is used to help the street children (have a look at the website) On our last day we took a tour in and around the hotel/foundation and it is incredible what she does for the Peruvian community!

We had a quick walk at Plaza das Armas and then I went straight to bed because I felt worse and worse. Tuesday wasn't any better and wednesday morning the doctor came and did some tests to exclude that I had anything major. He also subscribed me some medicines. All this time I had spent in our room (which was luckely private and very nice)

Carlos during this time, took very good care of me and did some sightseeing in Cuzco.

For Thursday we had booked a tour by train to Machu Picchu, we were picked up at 6,30 am to go to the trainstation and at 6,50 the train was leaving. It was taking nearly 4 hrs to get to Aguas Calientes (village before Machu Picchu where the train stops) but the views were amazing.

In Aguas Calientes we had to take a bus to get up the mountain, which took another half an hour. I was still not feeling great, but as we travelled all the way to see this I didn't want to miss it.

Machu Picchu (Quechua: Machu Pikchu, "Old Peak"; ) is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,400 meters (7,875 ft) above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is 80 km (50 mi) northwest of Cuzco and through which the Urubamba River flows. The river is a partially navigable headwater of the Amazon River. Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", Machu Picchu is one of the most familiar symbols of the Inca Empire.

Once we got inside the view of this "world wonder" (which was only revealed to the world in 1911 by Hiram Bingham) was amazing, imagining that this was build so many years ago without todays technologies, and it survived quit some earthquakes!! We had a guided tour of 2 hrs included which Carlos completed, but I was to tired and just enjoyed the amazing views (and feel sick :-)) Once Carlos finished the tour we returned to Aguas Calientes and took the train back to Cuzco.

The last day in Cuzco was Carlos birthday, finally I felt a bit better and we went for a walk in the centre. Which is beautiful, the architecture of some churches is amazing. In the afternoon we just stayed around the hostel as we left the next day early to fly back to Brazil, Salvador de Bahia, where we are at the moment.

Ah, please don´t confuse the flag on the picture on the left :) It is simply the Inca´s flag which represents the rainbow, sacrate for them, nothing else. Don´t be bad ;)

The trip and with that the posts are almost coming to an end, but we hope you enjoyed following our adventures through the blog?

Ate ja :-)