Cusco/Lima - Day 2



12/19/2023



Behind the hotel, taken from inside
Monasterio Hotel



Another view



The plaza in the hotel



A view of hotel and houses on hill in background



View in square around hotel
Built 1678 to 1699



Capilla de San Juan Antonio Abad on left.
www.turismoperuano.com/antigua-iglesia-y-seminario-de-san-antonio-abad-cusco



Museum of Pre-Colombian Art



Monasterio Hotel, where flags are



12/19/2023



Hotel Monasterio, a Belmond Hotel
Built on an Inca site, Amaru Qhala Palace



Entrance to hotel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmond_Hotel_Monasterio




Inside hotel
Built between 1592 and 1692



We are back on the move



We are now going to the train station



Train will take us to end of line, where we will transfer to a bus.





Another view of train
Hiram Bingham Train



Train starts at this station, ends at Aguas Caliente.



We are sitting in dining car.
We will be served lunch (going to Machu Picchu)
and dinner (return trip).



Another view of dining car.
Linda (?) on left. My seat is on the right.



12/19/2023



My table. The guide, Miguel, also sat at the table.



View of countryside



Another view of countryside



From the last car



A second view from the last car



Have no idea what this is.



Those white dots are actually cabins for hikers. Taken from inside train.



Cool looking, right?



12/19/2023



Urubamba River



Farm next to river



Snow capped hill.



Another view of snow on hill.



Flowers in area by train station: Hibiscus



Another flower: Hibiscus



View as the bus climbed the winding road



Another view from bus



Ticket to enter Machu Picchu
Passport information was needed.
Pre-printed and given to us on train.





12/19/2023





The route of trails 1 and 2.
We took trail on left (Alto largo - high and long)



The other two trails, low.



Plaque in area



Another view of area



12/19/2023



Where we got off from the bus



A view of area on the way up



Clouds covering a mountain in the area



One of the many walkways to the site.
There were many stairs we had to climb.
A lot of climbing.



Entering Machu Picchu.



Another view



Machu Picchu - Enjoy the photos





More of Machu Picchu





The beauty of Machu Picchu continues





A view of area below



River



Signs



And the trek continues



We continued to be amazed





We took it all in!!





Area to left of site.



There were terraces on the mountain ahead of us.
But how were they able to build so high up??



How could they build so high??





Another view of the terraces on hill facing us.
How?



Jorge in Machu Picchu. At 72, I made it!! No oxygen needed!!!
Thanks to a fellow passenger for taking this photo!!



A view like no other
The highest peek in photo also has terraces.



Another view



It appears to be an enormous complex community





Incredible or what?



It can't get better than this!!



A walkway



And the tour continues





There were visitors to the site all over the place!



Workers making sure rocks do not fall apart



Do you see the two chinchillas?
Were these rocks which they used to built?



View of a walkway



The incredible Machu Picchu





Could this be a way to capture sun during special times?



Incredible terraces. Farming plus a way to hold up structures and get water off the mountain.



The Spaniards found many sites and destroyed them but not this one.
But what happened to the Incas?



The clouds began to roll in. Thunder. Lightening.
We were told to be careful with our cell phones.



We're heading to the exit





More of terraces



A llama



A few llamas. It appears they live on the site,
natural lawn mowers



Just beautiful



Tour of the incredible site is winding down





A llama



We are slowly walking to the exit



A little of everything.
I am very happy to have made this trip!! It was enjoyable
and amazing.





Postcard. Foto: Orlando Sueldo Pallardel. Derechos reservados.



12/19/2023



At the restaurant, we had finger food and drinks



And then the rain started



Walking back to bus



Area around the bus stop
(Somewhat blurry but you get the idea!)



The river



A bridge to cross river



Vendors on my way to the train



The train. While waiting for train, we were offered drinks. After train ride, we got on a van to return to hotel



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January 11, 2025 - el 11 de enero de 2025



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