Friday, March 13, 2009
Paddington Bear
People used to say 'can you name three famous Belgiums?, with Hercule Poirot being top of the list. Well, we tried with Peruvians when SWMBO and I arrived in Lima, for our onward trip to Cusco. The most famous Peruvian spectacled bear and Tupac, the last of the Inka kings came to mind, but a third failed to pop out.
We arrived at Cusco to get acclimatised to the high altitude for our visit to the magic kingdom of Macchu Pichu, and boy did I need it. I have never felt so wrecked as I did at 10,000 feet.I had no energy, could not get my breath and was basically in the oxygen deprivation zone. Maxine on the other hand revelled in it, real role reversal from sea level in the UK.
We stayed in Cusco for two days, three probably would have helped me, by which time we were all churched out saw masses of Inka gold and silver but still had no idea where the Macchu Pichu hoard went. Hirem Bingham must have had the same feeling.
We then travelled by trail to Aguas Calientes at the foot of Macchu Pichu before taking a bus the final few hundred feet up to the mountain city. We were afforded the luxury of a good guide who helped us to all the major parts of the site in the morning, except the guardhouse. he left us this challenge for the afternoon and while Maxine made it, I fell about 100metres short. it would have been good to walk to the Sun Gate but that would have been another 90 minutes uphill hike and so we thought best to remember the place in a positive light.
The back packers who walk the Inka Trail to arrive at Macchu Pichu do so at the Sun Gate. it must be a fabulous feeling and more than worth the four days of yomping which are involved in getting there.
We arrived at Cusco to get acclimatised to the high altitude for our visit to the magic kingdom of Macchu Pichu, and boy did I need it. I have never felt so wrecked as I did at 10,000 feet.I had no energy, could not get my breath and was basically in the oxygen deprivation zone. Maxine on the other hand revelled in it, real role reversal from sea level in the UK.
We stayed in Cusco for two days, three probably would have helped me, by which time we were all churched out saw masses of Inka gold and silver but still had no idea where the Macchu Pichu hoard went. Hirem Bingham must have had the same feeling.
We then travelled by trail to Aguas Calientes at the foot of Macchu Pichu before taking a bus the final few hundred feet up to the mountain city. We were afforded the luxury of a good guide who helped us to all the major parts of the site in the morning, except the guardhouse. he left us this challenge for the afternoon and while Maxine made it, I fell about 100metres short. it would have been good to walk to the Sun Gate but that would have been another 90 minutes uphill hike and so we thought best to remember the place in a positive light.
The back packers who walk the Inka Trail to arrive at Macchu Pichu do so at the Sun Gate. it must be a fabulous feeling and more than worth the four days of yomping which are involved in getting there.
Labels: aguas calientes, cusco, hiram bingham, inka trail, inkas, macchu pichu, paddington bear, sun gate, tupac
¶ 12:56 AM
