Day 7 — The 4:03p Vistadome to Aguas Calientes

Thursday — April 9

Vidal was already at Hostal Sauce when we showed up after lunch. We still had plenty of time before we had to be at the train station, so we relaxed in the lobby for a while, bringing Vidal up to speed on what we’d been doing while he was taking care of business in Cusco over the past day and a half.

The proprietor’s collection of chullos add color to the lobby of Hostal Sauce.

Around 3:00p, we collected the carry-on bags we were taking with us to Machu Picchu and walked the short distance to the train station. We were thrilled to see a modern, two-car train with big picture windows waiting for passengers. Our bubble was quickly burst — this was the earlier Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes, the town that services Machu Picchu.

Although it departed nearly empty, Perú Rail wouldn’t switch us to the earlier train.

If you don’t count hiking to Machu Picchu as an option, there’s only one way to get there, and that is by train. There are no roads, no flights, no boats — nothing; Perú Rail is the only game in town. (Another company is trying to get authorization to operate trains, but so far, even though the train cars are in place and ready to go, the permits have been tied up in a morass of red tape. I wonder who’s behind that bit of bureaucracy?!?)

There are two categories of train service for tourists — the backpacker and the Vistadome. There’s also the luxurious Hiram Bingham train operated by Orient Express, but the ticket prices are so ridiculously expensive that we didn’t consider it. Once we’d determined that the Vistadome service was the way to go for us, the next decision we had to make was to pick our departure station — Cusco or Ollantaytambo. The ride from Cusco is approximately 4 hours long; partially because of a series of sharp switchbacks that enable the train to negotiate a steep grade coming out of town. Fun perhaps, but when I found out that the ride from Ollantaytambo is about 1½ hours long, the decision was a no-brainer.

Our train pulled into Ollantaytambo Station around 3:30p. The only difference from the earlier train was the smaller windows. Though the cars were obviously older, they were clean and well-maintained. At shortly after 4:03p, train 205 was rolling down the tracks, following the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes. The two cars were filled to the gills with people and luggage (the latter stacked in front of one of the two doors of the train car; no wonder Perú Rail urges passengers to limit their baggage). Mui took some video en route to our destination, but the failing light, combined with the movement of the train, was reason enough to put my camera away after just a couple of clicks of the shutter.

The 4-day trek on the Inca Trail starts once you cross this bridge.

About 30 minutes into the train ride, the attendants came through with an airline-style cart and served a boxed snack with a choice of beverages. As we munched on our snacks, we passed the time making tentative plans for our days at Machu Picchu. Before we knew it, our train was pulling into the station in Aguas Calientes (hot waters — in reference to the hot springs in the area).

The town, which some know by the name of Machu Picchu Pueblo, is not much to speak of. It sprung up for one purpose, and one purpose only — to service the thousands upon thousands of tourists who flock here to visit the ruins of Machu Picchu. Most visitors make the trip in a day, returning to Ollantaytambo or Cusco on the evening trains, or they stay one night … OK, maybe two nights. Our plans called for us to be here four nights (I can hear the collective gasps of the people who’ve been here before us). Our long stay was one of the reasons why we had decided to splurge and stay at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel; the other reason was that this trip was planned as a special birthday celebration.

Upon disembarking the train, we were greeted by staff from the Inkaterra. They collected our bags and led the way to the hotel — about a 10-minute walk through the artisan market, across the bridge, and up a paved path. As soon as we crossed the bridge into the property, it was like we were in a different world — lush green tropical vegetation and colorful orchids; birds chirping in the canopy; sound of soothing water flowing in narrow canals; white-washed casitas (small houses) peeking through the foliage; lanterns on meandering pathways giving off just enough light to see our way. Just beautiful.

Entering the building that houses the front desk, we were welcomed by charming smiles, warm washcloths, and glasses of iced tea. The young woman who took care of checking us in gave us the news that we’d been upgraded to a junior suite — a wonderful surprise. With the paperwork completed, we bid Vidal goodnight and followed our escort to #16 — home away from home for the next four days.

Map of the property.

#16 is a junior suite.

We fell in love with our room as soon as our escort unlocked the heavy wood door and we stepped inside — white washed walls and crisp linens and pillows on the bed; wrought iron headboards and colorful blankets; comfy chairs facing a fireplace waiting to be lit; dark-wood armoire to hold our clothes; pristine en suite facilities with a huge walk-in shower; cotton robes and recycled tire slippers; bathroom amenities, including a small bottle of citronella splash to ward off the inevitable mosquitoes; private courtyard accessible through two French-doors flanking the fireplace; welcome note propped up against a bowl of mixed nuts. Can I say that it was all quite delightful; and so much more than the photographs on the website had prepared me for.

Crisp white linens and colorful blankets and pillows — simple elegance.

A private oasis.

The recyled tire slippers are part of Inkaterra’s eco-conscious efforts.

By the time we were settled into our room, it was time for dinner — early by Latin standards, but we were famished. As we walked out of the room, we turned on the electric heater to break the damp chill. We didn’t get far. The sound of water that we’d attributed to the trickling streams on the property was actually a full-fledged shower. Grabbing the umbrella that was hanging near the door, we headed to the lobby building where we were told we’d find the dining room.

There was no one else in the dining room. We checked in with the maitre d’ so that he could confirm our names against his list (breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate) and were immediately taken to a two-top along the glass-wall overlooking the river below — not that anything was visible in the inky darkness of night.

Every item on the menu looked good, making it difficult to choose an entrada (appetizer) and a plato principale (main course). Not that I need an excuse to order soup, but the chilly nighttime air made it easy for me to start with the soup of the day — cream of corn, in this instance. I followed that with pasta served with oven roasted pomodoro tomatoes simmered in olive oil, garlic, and spices. Mui ordered the purple corn ravioli (filled with dried trout and Urubamba cheese) served in a yellow pepper and almond cream emulsion to start, and finished with the grilled Andean trout fillet served with toasted garlic and chestnut pureé. The food was delicious and we would have been quite satisfied to leave it at that. The small portions, however, left us with enough room to order a dessert each — homemade ice cream with hot fudge sauce for me and a fudge brownie sundae in a delightfully messy presentation for Mui.

Mui can’t help but giggle at the delightfully messy presentation of his brownie sundae.

Our plan for a nighttime stroll was shelved in light of the rain that was continuing to fall. After a slight detour to make reservations for some of the activities offered by the Inkaterra, we returned to our room for an early night in anticipation of our long-awaited visit to the Lost City of the Incas.

Next Up: Day 8 — In the Clouds at Machu Picchu

Day 8 — In the Clouds at Machu Picchu

Friday — April 10

We woke to the pitter-patter of raindrops falling on the skylight in the bathroom. Hoping the weather would clear-up by the time we were ready to head up to Machu Picchu, we went to breakfast. We were seated at the same two-top where we'd eaten dinner the night before, but now we could see the view — steep canyon walls covered in lush greenery; the muddy, churning Urubamba River flowing down the center; Aguas Calientes a little ways downriver.

View from the dining room at the Inkaterra.

Breakfast was set up buffet style and was a veritable feast of pastries, breads, cheeses, breakfast meats, fruits, cereals, and juices. Made-to-order items — such as omelets and quinoa pancakes — were available on request.

The breakfast buffet offers a wide-variety of tasty choices.

We met up with Vidal at 7:00a and walked the short distance into Aguas Calientes. En route, we stopped to buy a couple of cheap plastic ponchos so that we could protect our backpacks from the light rain that was continuing to fall. As I had left my hat in the room, we also picked up a baseball cap to shade my eyes — hoping the sun would be out before long.

Just as there are two ways to get to Aguas Calientes — hike or take the train — there are only two ways to get to the ruins of Machu Picchu — hike or take the shuttle bus. We’d been encouraged to reserve our energy for exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu, so we took the bus up. The queue was short and moved fast — even more so because we had our bus tickets already in hand. Twenty-minutes later, thankfully free of any motion sickness that might have been induced by the sharply zig-zagged road, we were at the entrance to Machu Picchu (which, by the way, means Old Peak — in reference to the sacred mountain it’s located on).

Google Earth image showing the road we traveled to get to Machu Picchu.

Again, with tickets in hand, we had no waiting to contend with, but we did have a short delay when the guards at the entrance spied the tripod attached to Mui's backpack. The website had indicated that rubber-tipped tripods were OK, but the guards begged to differ. Rather than argue, we checked the tripod at the nearby facility and proceeded to make our way up the steps to the ruins.

Our first glimpse of the sanctuary was a “Samantha Brown” moment. What’s that you say? Let me explain. Samantha is the host of a popular travel show on TV. In the episode that was filmed at Machu Picchu, she rounds the corner of the guardhouse, excited to see the fabled site, only to find the whole place socked in by fog. That’s how it was for us as well — though maybe just a tad bit better as we could still see much of the terracing. But Huayna Picchu, the mountain that forms the impressive backdrop to the sanctuary, was definitely not in view.

Our first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

I have to admit to being in a wee bit of a snit during the early part of our long-awaited visit to Machu Picchu. It wasn’t the weather that had me out of sorts; it was the crowds. Yes, yes — I knew to expect crowds, but not only were we there during the “supposed” off-season, but it was still early in the morning and except for a couple of two-car trains that might have already arrived from Ollantaytambo, the trains that would be bringing the hoards of tourists were yet to come. Once I grasped the fact that Machu Picchu was not going to be the quiet, spiritual experience that I had hoped it would be, I got over my funk and set about enjoying the site.

At a spot overlooking the main body of ruins, Vidal gave us an overview of the site and the places we would be visiting when we ventured down the many steps to the bottom. He familiarized us with the theories as to the purpose Machu Picchu served during Inca times. Was it an Andean Shangri-la? Was it a city where the “Virgins of the Sun” lived? Was it a secret refuge to escape the conquistadors? Or, was it a ceremonial center built on the orders of Inca Pachacuteq? Most recent archaeological evidence seems to point to it being a royal estate. The site, built somewhere around the 1460s (a best-guess on the part of archaeologists) was abandoned within 100 years of its construction and remained “lost” to the world until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham, an American historian. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that Bingham re-discovered Machu Picchu since the campesinos (farmers) who guided him to the site would have had to discover it first in order to lead him to it.

As we watch, the fog moves in and out, giving us glimpses of the ruins.

With our brief lesson in history over, we headed down step after step, eventually getting to the main body of ruins where we spent the morning exploring all the nooks and crannies. I’m glad we opted to do a half-day tour with Vidal to kick-start our visit as his commentary helped us to grasp the significance of what we were seeing.

Our meandering walk through the site took us to many of the conjuntos (groups of buildings), amongst them the Principal Temple (unusual because some settling of the foundation has caused damage to the wall); the Intiwatana; the Sacred Rock complex (where we saw the first of several “image rocks” — rocks carved to mimic the shape of distant mountains — in this case, Mount Yanantin); the Temple of the Condor (so named for a stone carving that resembles the white-ruffed head of a condor); the cave under the Temple of the Sun (the temple itself was roped-off for renovations).

The Principal Temple has been damaged due to the settling of the foundation.

Agricultural terraces.
(the thin line just below the clouds on the far left is the portion of the Inca Trail that runs through the sanctuary).

A closer look at the qolqas (storehouses) and the homes of the farmers.

We explored niches and narrow pathways; waited to see if a new-born llama was going to take its first steps (it didn’t — at least not while we were there); studied the construction of the canals and the fountains; walked out to balcony-like structures that afforded expansive views of the landscape; peered through windows; and climbed terraces — all the while making sure we weren’t doing anything to cause the guards to blow their whistles in admonishment.

Erin checks out the view from a balcony.
Mui’s caught peering through a window.

Exploring the narrow alleys. (photo by Vidal)
The stone carving on the ground resembles the head of a condor; hence the name of the temple.

The clouds lift and Huayna Picchu (Young Peak) reveals itself.
(photo by Vidal)

My favorite part of our morning at Machu Picchu was the time we spent at a quiet overlook with a view of Mount Putucusi, one of the sacred mountains in the area. Perched on a ledge, we watched the play of shadows as the clouds drifted through the valley. Far below us, the Urubamba River encircled the mountain, adding a fluid beauty to the scenery. To one side, we had a clear view of the zig-zag road leading up from Aguas Calientes to the sanctuary — having seen it from this angle, I’m even more amazed that we made it up without resorting to motion sickness medication.

Perched on a rock near the ledge we study the landscape.
(photo by Vidal)

Putucusi means “Happy Mountain” in Quechua.

The peace and quiet at this spot was what I had envisioned for our visit to Machu Picchu. We sat there for quite a while, oblivious to the rain that was falling softly. When the drops started to get bigger and fall more rapidly, however, we decided to seek protection before we got soaked.

Next Up: Day 8 — Machu Picchu After the Rain

Day 8 — Machu Picchu After the Rain

Friday — April 10

By the time we approached the gate to exit the sanctuary, the rain was coming down in buckets. After reclaiming the checked tripod, we hastened to find cover. As it was after 12:30p, we decided to kill two birds with one stone and headed to the terrace eatery where we took the last few seats that were still open. The shade umbrella wasn’t really designed to hold off the downpour, but we had enough protection to be able to eat in relative comfort. Though the sandwiches were expensive, eating at the café was still a bargain compared to the $33/person buffet at the nearby Sanctuary Lodge.

Waiting for the rain to end at the café outside the Machu Picchu ruins.
(photo by Vidal)

I don’t think it’s ever taken us so long to eat a couple of sandwiches, but we had an excuse — we were killing time, hoping the deluge would eventually end. By 2:00p, the rain was down to a drizzle and the sky was clearing. Encouraged by the number of people we’d seen taking the shuttle back to Aguas Calientes, we decided to stick around for a while. After seeing Vidal off on the next bus, we packed Mui’s tripod “inside” his backpack and headed back into the ruins. By this time, the rain was over, the sun was out, and it was getting quite steamy. Pulling off to the side on the narrow trail, we packed our plastic ponchos and removed our rain jackets before continuing on to the caretaker’s hut further up the site.

When we reached the hut, the filmy clouds that had been passing through the ruins were gone. The famous “postcard view” of Machu Picchu was finally laid out before us — definitely worth the wait and the cost of the expensive sandwiches.

The view we’d been waiting to see offers a good photo op.
(photo taken by a fellow visitor to Machu Picchu)

The Urubamba River provides perspective for how high up we are from the floor of the valley.
(Huayna Picchu [right] is mostly hidden by clouds, but we have a good view of Uña Picchu [Small Peak])

There were very few people in this area, so rather than return to the main body of ruins, we found a perch on one of the terraces and sat down to enjoy the view from this vantage point. Mui set up his tripod — in full view of a guard who seemed to have no objections — and every once in a while got up to take a few more minutes of video as the passing clouds and changing light conditions altered the mood of the scenery on which we were feasting our eyes. We noted that the trail to the Inca Drawbridge was nearby, but we were not inclined to leave our peaceful spot — of course, knowing that we had three more days to visit the ruins made it easier for us to put off further exploration for the time being.

When raindrops started to fall around 4:00p, we decided to call it a day at Machu Picchu. There was no line to speak of at the bus stop. After purchasing our shuttle tickets for the next day, we boarded the next bus going down.

Modern, well-maintained busses shuttle visitors from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.

Twenty minutes later, we were in town and headed to the Machu Picchu Cultural Center just off the main square to purchase our entrance tickets for next day’s visit to the sanctuary. We would have stayed to wander around town a bit, but the on-and-off rain was “on” again. After browsing the stalls in the covered artisan market, we headed back to the Inkaterra to relax before dinner.

There was a slight chill in the room that we felt all the more because of the humidity. Turning on the electric heaters (we'd asked for a second one to be put in the room) and lighting a fire quickly solved that problem. Our next problem was to figure out how to dry our rain ponchos — in case we needed to use them the next day. Mui came up with an ingenious solution!

They say necessity is the mother of invention.

When we’d checked into the Inkaterra, we’d been told that complimentary pisco sours were served daily in the lobby. We’d been heeding the advice to abstain from liquor while we acclimated to the altitude, but now the time seemed right to try a sip or two of Perú’s “national drink.” (There’s some debate as to whether the drink originated in Perú or Chile. Each nation even has a “National Pisco Sour Day” — in Perú that day is celebrated on the first Saturday of February). The drink is based on a regional brandy — pisco — mixed with lemon or lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and regional bitters. And boy does it pack a punch!!! I’m glad the drink was served in a small glass; might not have stayed awake long enough to enjoy dinner otherwise!!!

(Note to Deb: tell George that I kept my promise to have at least one pisco sour while in Perú; he was right on the money with the recommendation.)

Cheers!

There’s more information about pisco sour here. And if you want a recipe, try this one.

We were a bit later going to the dining room where we found a bigger crowd tonight. Regardless, the service was flawless, and we enjoyed our meal at another two-top next to the glass wall overlooking the canyon. I ordered the crema del dia, which was cream of broccoli — very tasty — and followed it with another entrada in lieu of a main course. The purple corn ravioli, which Mui had said was wonderful last night, was indeed delicious and was just the right portion size. Mui ordered the smoked highland Andean trout, which was served with avocado salad and a citrus broad bean medley, and followed that with the beef tenderloin, served with elderberry sauce, glazed onions, and quinoa soufflé — one word to describe it: excellent. We finished dinner with a dessert called “la béte noir,” which turned out to be a flourless chocolate cake, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a mango emulsion. It was absolutely delicious and lived up to its name, which means "The Black Beast."

Purple Corn Ravioli (filled with dried trout and Urubamba cheese)
served in a yellow pepper and almond cream emulsion.

Beef Tenderloin, served with elderberry sauce, glazed onions, and quinoa soufflé.

La Béte Noir — simply scrumptious.

It was still raining when we left the dining room. Finding a wifi hotspot in the lobby, we checked our email on my laptop rather than going to the hotel’s internet room located in a building adjacent to the rail tracks. Satisfied that all was well with the world, we adjourned to our room to enjoy the fireplace while we downloaded photographs and prepared for a day of hiking at Machu Picchu.

Next Up: Day 9 — Hike with a View

Day 9 — Hike with a View

Saturday — April 11

A sunrise visit to Machu Picchu — that’s how I had hoped to start my birthday celebration (I won’t say which one, but will give you a hint that it includes a “5” and a “0” — wink, wink). Mother Nature had other plans in store for us, however. Waking up to heavy rain, we rolled with the punches and altered our plans. Instead of going up to the ruins on the first shuttle bus, we took our time over breakfast and walked around the Inkaterra property for a bit before heading to the bus stop in a heavy drizzle that we hoped would clear up before long.

We were shocked to see the long line at the bus stop when we arrived around 8:00a. We heaved a heartfelt sigh of relief when we found out that most of the people were (a) in line to buy tickets, and (b) waiting on group members to show up. Whew!!! With our tickets already in hand, we bypassed the queue and got on the next bus going up. By 8:30a, we were inside the ruins, considering our options for the day as we walked up to the caretaker’s hut.

Buy your bus tickets in advance and save time.

When we first started planning our days at Machu Picchu, I had put the Huayna Picchu hike on the list of things to do. Later, I replaced that with a trek on the less-traveled trail on Apu Machu Picchu. Another option was to hike the ridge trail through the sanctuary to Intipunku, the “Gate of the Sun.” Since it was still raining when we reached the caretaker’s hut, we opted for the latter as the easiest and safest hike for the morning.

We model the latest in “chic” rain attire on the trail to Intipunku!

Intipunku was a traffic checkpoint along the Camino Inca. It was used to control entry into Machu Picchu and it was where long-ago visitors caught their first glimpse of the impressive city hidden in the cloud forest. Today’s modern-day trekkers come through this gate to enter the royal estate that is laid far below the trail. While we may not be able to say that we “hiked” the Camino Inca, by going to Intipunku, we can truthfully say that we hiked “on” the Inca Trail. (Those who have done the four-day hike, will appreciate the distinction I am making.)

I can’t say that the trail was strenuous, but it was no walk in the park either. For the most part, there was just a slight up-grade to the trail and it was easy to walk, but there were a few really steep places to add a challenge or two. And of course, there were the ubiquitous “Inca steps” to negotiate along the way.

There were very few people on the trail — a group doing a fast-paced, guided “orchid walk,” (they quickly disappeared into the fog) and a couple of individual hikers intent on getting to the top (perhaps they were daytrippers with limited time at the ruins). Granted, with the entire area socked in by fog, there wasn’t much reason to dally, but we took our time, stopping to “smell the orchids,” so to speak, as we made the most of an experience that we knew we would not be repeating anytime soon.

Orchids are easy to find along the trail to Intipunku.

This is one of the steepest parts of the trail. Can you see me coming up?

For the most part, the people who were coming down as we were going up didn’t look too happy — no views from the top. There were a few, however, who had managed to get a glimpse of the sanctuary in its full glory when the sun broke through for a few minutes. Hoping for an experience similar to theirs, we pressed on to reach the Sun Gate to see a fabulous view of …………………..… nothing!

The sanctuary is completely socked in by fog.

Undaunted, we joined the couple of people sitting around, hoping against hope for the weather to clear. At least it wasn’t raining anymore. We waited, and we waited. People came; people left. A few hardy souls like us persevered. Occasional glimpses of the scenery through cracks in the passing clouds whetted our appetite to see the sanctuary unveiled, so we waited some more.

Occasional peeks at the scenery encourage us to wait for the weather to clear.

All the while, we chatted with the other persistent (some might say “stubborn”) visitors at Intipunku; we checked out the Inca Trail leading up from the other side — an eagle-eyed guard made sure that none of us snuck off down the trail; we studied the birds and the bugs; and I got serenaded by complete strangers who somehow found out that it was my birthday — I wonder who spilled the beans!

Will patience reward Mui with a good video op? We hope so.

Photo op at the point where the Inca Trail arrives at Intipunku.

A rufous-collared sparrow and ….

… a cicada join us in our vigil at Intipunku.

An hour later, our patience and persistence was rewarded with a spectacular view of the sanctuary and the surrounding landscape. Was it worth the wait? ABSOLUTELY!

The view is definitely worth the wait.

A “we were there” photo op from Intipunku
(photo taken by a fellow visitor)

Next Up: Day 9 — Flowers, Llamas, and Ruins

Day 9 — Flowers, Llamas, and Ruins

Saturday — April 11

About an hour of our time at Intipunku was spent waiting for the “fog curtain” to be drawn open. Our thanks to Inti (the Sun God) for answering our prayers and dispersing the fog to reveal the fabulous view of the sanctuary laid out far below us; it really was worth the wait. After enjoying the scenery for another hour or so, we started our downward trek, which took twice as long to accomplish. You can't blame us — the weather was dry and the sun was playing peek-a-boo through the clouds; colorful flowers ranging from giant bromeliads to miniature orchids decorated the trail; and best of all, there was the scenery to distract us on the downhill trek.

Flowers add color to the Intipunku trail.

View of the sanctuary about half-way down the Intipunku trail.

This time, we stopped at the ruins that we’d passed on our way up the trail. The site was initially thought to be a security station at the juncture where the Inca Trail meets up with another trail (discovered in 2002). The presence of a rock carved in-situ has since led archeologists to conclude that the ruins also served as a shrine, making the site more than a mere checkpoint.

View of the checkpoint/shrine on the way down from Intipunku.

I made sure to drop a few crumbs to appease Pachamama while I enjoyed my snack at the shrine.

Eventually, we made it back to the area around the caretaker’s hut where we found a quiet terrace from which to enjoy the view of the area and the ruins. As a culture that revered all things in nature, the Incas could not have picked a better place to honor their deities.

Let your eye follow the stone path to Intipunku, which is located just out of sight in the “v” of the mountains.

A perfect spot from which to revere nature.

It was mid-afternoon when we finally ventured down to the main body of ruins. With the departure time for the Cusco train nearly at hand, most of the visitors were heading towards the exit, making it the perfect time to explore the site. We wandered around for quite a while, studying the Inca architecture that has withstood the test of time; watched lizards sunning themselves on rocks warmed by the sun and vizcachas scrounging for food; listened to the sound of the water trickling down fountains and into channels carved into the rock. Very peaceful!

Won’t you come into my parlor — or perhaps I should say, my ruins.

The spiny whorltail iguana is quite common at Machu Picchu.

The vizcacha is a rodent that belongs to the chinchilla family.

Eventually, we found ourselves in the company of the llamas that call Machu Picchu home. They’d been noticeably absent the day before, perhaps because of the rain. This afternoon, they were out in force, grazing on the grass — we must have caught them at dinnertime.

A llama and the ruins — iconic photo op at Machu Picchu.

The highlight of our llama encounter was the newborn that we’d seen from a distance yesterday. At the time, the guards had roped off the central plaza where the mother had given birth and were trying to encourage the “cria” (baby llama) to take its first steps. Today, the cria was romping about a bit, but it was mostly interested in nursing. Mom was accommodating, stopping frequently to let her newborn nurse as she moved ever-closer to us, giving us some terrific photo ops.

Mom nursing her cria.

The newborn has a healthy curiosity, but doesn’t wander far from mom.

On that note, we started our slow trek to the exit, discussing plans for returning the next day to hike the trail on Apu Machu Picchu. But …..

Next Up: Day 9 — Fate Intervenes