Day 4 and 5
Cusco to Aguas Calientes and Beyond
A BIG DREAM AND A LITTLE NIGHTMARE
Ok....I'll start with day 4 in Cusco. After a wonderful morning and lunch we got together with a friendly couple from Cleveland and a charming gay couple from New York to hire a driver for a tour of the city and the ruins in the hills. All was going along fine until the rain started up in the ruins above the city.
First it rained....then it poured. But, being troopers, we bought plastic ponchos from the local hawkers and continued on. Then the cold set in. Wet, bone chilling cold that touches your head to your toes. Bryce started to cry and being more than a little unhappy myself, I took him back to the van to wait......then it got bad.
Bryce started to complain of a severe headach and nausea. Having done plenty of reading, I immediately began to panic about altitude sickness. It did not help that a local photographer who has also found shelter in our van panicked as well. He ran off to find Rich and the guide and off we all went to 'THE DOCTOR'. We pulled up to a house where they sold Llama goods....but the guide assured me there was a good "witch doctor" here.....WITCH DOCTOR! This is my four year old. However, Bryce was crying and Rich was reminding me they have raised perfectly lovely children in Peru for thousands of years...so with an open mind I gave Bryce over to Peruvian medicine. They gave him a bit of coca resin coated in sugar to make the children like it and then they brought out a bottle of fermented leaves of some sort and had him inhale them over and over. I was so worried...but after five minutes Bryce announced "Mamma...I'm all better" Then they gave Rich and I coca tea to calm our nerves!
Wet and freezing we went back to the hotel and fell asleep before 8pm!
Day 5,
Today I fulfilled a lifelong dream. Today my little family hiked Machu Picchu! It was amazing. Nothing like I expected. There is no temple in the sky....it is a city. A city with neighborhoods and buildings, passageways, and irrigation systems. It is breathtaking and magical and everything one could hope for.
Note to all of us educated by the American systems....it was not built by the Incas....Actually Incas were Kings and there were only `12 of them. The people are Quechas...maybe spelled wrong, and they built this amazing wonder of an ancient city.
To get there we first took an enchantching train ride down the mountain from Cusco and then a hair raising, cliff hugging bus ride up to the site itself. The idea of ridding the bus again tomorrow chills my soul...but my new mantra is "The only thing I fear more than dying...is not living". I know...it makes a good T shirt, but it kept me calm as our muddy bus weaved its way up the mountain side on a one way passage with two way traffic!
I'll tell more tomorrow. Today I am exhausted.
Carrie's weather report, much warmer here! About 70 degrees....but it rains EVERYDAY. So bring the right gear to get wet! Some of those people coming off the Inca Trail looked pretty worse for wear. Some were being carried and all were very muddy and wet. However, they all claim it was the best four days of their lives!
Everyone else...where are my comments!!!!! We need to know the world has not forgotten us already!
Love You all.
P.S. click on that black spot from Day 3 and you will see a photo. We are still working on making them work and will have more when we can sort it.
Cusco to Aguas Calientes and Beyond
A BIG DREAM AND A LITTLE NIGHTMARE
Ok....I'll start with day 4 in Cusco. After a wonderful morning and lunch we got together with a friendly couple from Cleveland and a charming gay couple from New York to hire a driver for a tour of the city and the ruins in the hills. All was going along fine until the rain started up in the ruins above the city.
First it rained....then it poured. But, being troopers, we bought plastic ponchos from the local hawkers and continued on. Then the cold set in. Wet, bone chilling cold that touches your head to your toes. Bryce started to cry and being more than a little unhappy myself, I took him back to the van to wait......then it got bad.
Bryce started to complain of a severe headach and nausea. Having done plenty of reading, I immediately began to panic about altitude sickness. It did not help that a local photographer who has also found shelter in our van panicked as well. He ran off to find Rich and the guide and off we all went to 'THE DOCTOR'. We pulled up to a house where they sold Llama goods....but the guide assured me there was a good "witch doctor" here.....WITCH DOCTOR! This is my four year old. However, Bryce was crying and Rich was reminding me they have raised perfectly lovely children in Peru for thousands of years...so with an open mind I gave Bryce over to Peruvian medicine. They gave him a bit of coca resin coated in sugar to make the children like it and then they brought out a bottle of fermented leaves of some sort and had him inhale them over and over. I was so worried...but after five minutes Bryce announced "Mamma...I'm all better" Then they gave Rich and I coca tea to calm our nerves!
Wet and freezing we went back to the hotel and fell asleep before 8pm!
Day 5,
Today I fulfilled a lifelong dream. Today my little family hiked Machu Picchu! It was amazing. Nothing like I expected. There is no temple in the sky....it is a city. A city with neighborhoods and buildings, passageways, and irrigation systems. It is breathtaking and magical and everything one could hope for.
Note to all of us educated by the American systems....it was not built by the Incas....Actually Incas were Kings and there were only `12 of them. The people are Quechas...maybe spelled wrong, and they built this amazing wonder of an ancient city.
To get there we first took an enchantching train ride down the mountain from Cusco and then a hair raising, cliff hugging bus ride up to the site itself. The idea of ridding the bus again tomorrow chills my soul...but my new mantra is "The only thing I fear more than dying...is not living". I know...it makes a good T shirt, but it kept me calm as our muddy bus weaved its way up the mountain side on a one way passage with two way traffic!
I'll tell more tomorrow. Today I am exhausted.
Carrie's weather report, much warmer here! About 70 degrees....but it rains EVERYDAY. So bring the right gear to get wet! Some of those people coming off the Inca Trail looked pretty worse for wear. Some were being carried and all were very muddy and wet. However, they all claim it was the best four days of their lives!
Everyone else...where are my comments!!!!! We need to know the world has not forgotten us already!
Love You all.
P.S. click on that black spot from Day 3 and you will see a photo. We are still working on making them work and will have more when we can sort it.
posted by The Herald Family at 1:13 PM
4 Comments:
JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH!!!!!!! Wow, All I can say is think about the mexican pony rides! Is that not the best story and pictures from our trip, yet in the moment as the children jumped on the rusted trampoline a top a cliff and hopped onto the horses with the mexican cowboys riding off to the river, how we needed dos cervesas! LIVE LIVE LIVE!!! I always say, this aint no dress rehearsal, I wish I had half your courage! BTW - We need to talk itinerary! Airfair to RIO.... like freakin doubbled over the weekend, you were right I should have just bookrd the tix last week! So, I will pull the kids form school, lets just figure out a great place to meet, maybe your birthday? Where will you be. Love you, miss you, but most of all SO *%$&@*ING PROUD OF YOU! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXO H
Day 5 and already so many adventures. You guys are packing it in. Love the pics of Bryce..keep sending them. Machu Pichu sounds absolutely amazing. Although the Peruvian medicine sounds a bit sketchy...really doesn't matter as long as you are all well. The bus ride sounds harrowing (I'd compare it to the ride on the Amalfi Coast...but i think this South American bus might have been scarier). Things in the states are good, and it's almost Vote Day (aren't you sad you're missing that...haha).
Can't wait to hear about your day today. Love to you all!
Paula & Dave
Hey Bet,
I just explained to Dad and Mom how to access the blog, so you should hear from them soon.
I have to run to a class on the "Real Estate Economic Forecast". Aren't you glad you're on vacation?! I'll write more a little later today.
Thanks for the weather reports. We bought good studry ponchos - do you think that will work or do you suggest a rain jacket and rain pants? Packing is fun!
Love,
Carrie
It's 60 and raining here in Portland, so I decided to put on my poncho and trot around in the rain for a while as a test for Peru. It seemed to work pretty well.
We read up a little more on the weather situation and it's looking like we're definitely facing some serious rain there. I think that we also decided that the Inca trail will work for us instead of trying to find something more remote. So, keep an eye and ear out for good guides for us. Sounds like a a fun muddy adventure! Hopefully being there in the rainy season will mean a couple less tourists on the trail.
I'm so jealous that you're there already! It sounds like you're having a great adventure. Maybe you should take some of those coca leaves on your next plane ride just in case. :)
All indications point towards you eventually returning to a slighly more Democratically-run USA. Keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow's elections!
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