Day 20 - The Big Drop

After a very nice breakfast in Cusco, we headed East up the mountains to get over the Andes and begin our descent to the Amazon basin.

I have mentioned this before and today I was reminded again of the intensity of starting a new day, on your motorcycle, on a beautiful day, in foreign lands, into the unknown.  The wonder of what the day will bring. The intensity of having all your senses focused on what is happening right then and there. 

Moments like this makes you think about all that has taken place in the universe to make this day possible ... infinite number of coincidences ... is it evolution? destiny? Or something else? In any case, here we are, however we got here.

It is also interesting to see how elevations, mountains, glaciers, snow, rivers, vegetation, clouds, air, water all interact to create unique, logical, and predictable ecosystems.  Today, we rode through some amazing terrain again.  

We saw people living at all elevations, even all the way up at 15,000 ft. As humanity continues to grow, it is inevitable that we will populate every corner of this earth and the impact on the environment will be significant.

However, as we moved from rocky peaks with no vegetation to the thick jungle of the Amazon, I cannot help but feel that we earth will be OK.  Our planet has the ability and wisdom to rebalance itself.

Puerto Maldonado is one of Peru's gateway to the Amazon.  A relatively large town, hot and humid, very tropical, on the banks of the Rio Madre de Dios, a major tributary to the Amazon river.  A stark contrast from where we were this morning in Cusco.

Tomorrow, we head to the Peru-Brazil border.

Ready to leave Cusco with my new guardian angel - Maria

Our first stop, a Sunday market in a village up in the mountains

A lively scene

On our way to the top of the Andes again

Wow!

Before starting our descent

Our lunch stop at 15,000 ft.

Life is good and Maria is still there

Always good to see Alpacas in the wild

That is were we are going to begin our descent to the Amazon basin

On our way down to the Amazon basin

More green, more water, more clouds as we make our way down

I found a machete to be ready for the jungle - it is hot down here!

A quick stop it feels like the ocean should be nearby - very tropical

A sad scene - slash and burn plots everywhere, smoke/haze in the sky from the burning, trees and jungle replaced by grass and cattle

Puerto Maldonado - the view the Rio Madre de Dios, a major tributary to the Amazon river, from my room at the lodge 

We all made it - exhausted - a long long day - having a drink at the lodge

A view of a park in Puerto Maldonado from our restaurant for dinner

Day 19 - History, Colors, and People

Today was a non-riding day to regroup and get everything ready for the Amazon. We got back to Cusco from Ollantaytambo in the morning and proceeded to check on the motorcycles, get laundry done, check on emails and work stuff, and roam the city's many sites, narrow streets, markets, churches, and plazas.

Cusco is a great place to meet people from all walks of life ... met Maximo who sang a Quechua song for us ... met security guards at the Cathedral and learned about the treasures inside ... met shop keepers, artisans, artists ... visited the book fair on the Plaza de San Francisco ... went to the massive San Pedro produce market to see the real action that feeds this amazing city ... and even ended up at the Mercado Paraiso for black market goods like electronics and phones.  

The highlight was a visit to the Cusco Cathedral.  One of the most impressive churches I have seen.  Massive, full of art, paintings, gold, silver, wood work ... a testament to the center of power Cusco was back in colonial days.

Just thinking about the awe that people from around this area felt when centuries ago they entered the building and saw what was inside, gives me mixed emotions ... on the good side, faith, comfort, happiness ... on the other side, control, abuse, and exploitation.   

This city is definitely a melting pot of local and international people ... lots of colors, markets, vendors, nice stores and art galleries, and very good restaurants.  The day was beautiful and sunny ... and all was good with the world.

Tomorrow, we ride up to 17,000 ft. to finally get over the Andes to head back down to the Amazon basin, jungle, and river.  The second phase of this journey begins tomorrow.

The view this morning from my room in Ollantaytambo with an Inca structure on the mountain in front

Stop lights in town

Back in magnificent Cusco - the Plaza de Armas

The famous Peruvian wood balconies

My new friend Maximo singing in Quechua with his Charango

The impressive, bold, over the top cathedral in Cusco

The Cathedral

The Cathedral - massive heights and columns

The Cathedral - gold and silver everywhere

The Cathedral in motion

A side pedestrian street in Cusco

The produce market in Cusco

People from all over the world here

An Inca wall with its perfectly fitted stones

Laundry the day before we hit the Amazon

A nice group dinner at Pachapapa in Cusco

Day 18 - The Hidden City of Machu Picchu

Today, we boarded the train to Machu Picchu at 7am for the 44km ride from Ollantaytambo.  A nice train station with a nice train and a very well organized operation.  Apparently, they feed 4,000-5,000 visitors everyday to Machu Picchu from here.

The ride down to Machu Picchu follows the deep canyons carved by the Urabamba river.  Inca ruins all around, majestic mountains, and a beautiful setting all around.  The vegetation changes into greener foliage the closer we got to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of the mountain where Machu Picchu is.

There, we had to get in line to get on buses to be taken up the mountain to the actual archaeological zone.  They have 25 buses constantly running bringing people up and down.  Once at the entrance of Machu Picchu, we climbed for while up some steep steps until ... a view of Machu Picchu down below in all its glory.  

I wonder what makes humans be awed by something ... it seems that nature at its fullest is always involved ... and an overwhelming feeling of admiration of all the creators of the spectacular and sublime thing we are seeing.  

I was here with the family 20 years ago when the site was more open and free.  With these many people visiting everyday, the whole site is more controlled ... 50+ rangers posted everywhere, predefined walking circuits for people to follow ... it is noticeable that preservation is a priority now.  

Just sitting around for long periods of time to admire the views fills the soul with joy. 

After the bus ride down the mountain to Aguas Calientes, we had lunch on the balcony of a restaurant overlooking the main area of town.  Amazing Causa with Ceviche. Peruvian cuisine at its best.  After the train ride back to Ollantaytambo, we went to the Plaza de Armas for a coffee and to see the town below us go about their daily lives.

Dinner was special because of Eva Maria, our waitress.  She was 17 years old with a little brother named Cristian, studying Psychology at the University in Cusco, and living with her mother in Ollantaytambo because her parents were separated ... she made our dinner very special and a lot of fun. 

Tomorrow, we head to Cusco to check on our motorcycles and to get ready for our trip down the other side of the Andes into the Amazon basin on Sunday.

Our train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu

Arriving in Aguas Calientes

Boarding the buses to ride up the mountain to Machu Picchu

The surrounding views at the base of Machu Picchu

Our first view of Machu Picchu by the Puerta del Sol

Another view of an amazing site

Walking the streets of Machu Picchu with the Huayna Picchu in the background

Inside the city

Another perspective of a magical place

The view from the balcony at our lunch place in Aguas Calientes

People from all over the world waiting for the train to head back to Ollantaytambo

Boarding the train in Aguas Calientes

The view from our coffee shop in Ollantaytambo with another political demonstration going by

Eva Maria, our waitress for dinner, and the gang of three she picked for a picture