Thursday....Machu Picchu to Cusco
As the other part of my “poetry at MPSL” I had a meeting at 7 am with a guide. The early start means that it’s before most tourists have arrived. My understanding was that there was going to be a poetry reading, but it didn’t turn out quite like that. The guide showed me places that I didn’t go to yesterday including a site where they found three mummies in 2005. He also told me some myths from the local area. Watching the sunrise (7.22 am) at Machu Picchu is quite breathtaking.
I was told that the visit would be 1 ½ hours but it turned out to be nearly 2 ½ hours not a problem except that it was now 9:20 am and breakfast finished at 9 and I was supposed to be out of my room by 9. Anyway I got special dispensation and had some breakfast and finally vacated my room by 10:30.
I had lunch at 12, eventually wandered back to the dayroom and sorted out computer things. Had the usual problem getting onto the net because the guy told me small letters and meant capitals.
The bus left from the front of Sanctuary Lodge at around 4:20 and when we reached Aguas Calientes we had some time to look at the town (one more craft market and I’ll scream).
I’m sorry to leave Machu Picchu; the stillness of this morning at sunrise, with just the birds singing, was something special. I wonder what it was like all those years ago when the Incas were here……….
The train leaves at 10 to 6. Beforehand there are cold facewashers to refresh our dirty hands and a Pisco sour to refresh the soul. Would I like another Pisco Sour? Of course. And another…of course. Actually they’re served in very small cups, so I’ve probably had the equivalent of one drink. One of the attendants comes by and asks if I would like a taxi from Poroy to Cusco and I say, yes.
I go to the lounge/bar car where the same duo as on the way up, is playing. As we sing Del Shannon’s Runaway, I think of you Judy, and the birthday parties where we danced all afternoon in the dining room, and the wonder of being on the Hiram Bingham between Machu Picchu and Cusco in Peru, with people from many different countries. Yes, I’ll have another Pisco sour, gracias.
There is a nice dinner onboard and suddenly I’m in the taxi on the way back to Cusco and the two day SKI trip is over. I plan to have an early night. Marjolein has been very sick with gastro. I go to bed but have a really bad cough which keeps waking me up. I’ve been staving off a cold for some time, but now the cough is getting really bad.
