Aguas Calientes is the last stop on the long road to Machu Picchu. Only a near-vertical hairpin dust road stands between the town and the Inca ruin, which is towering somewhere overhead, high above the clouds. Recently renamed Machu Picchu Pueblo, it is a very picturesque town with character and Inca tradition in abundance.
Incan fridge magnets in the craft market at Aguas Calientes, Peru
We had arrived into the station aboard an Inca Rail service, which had taken us on a scenic journey through the Urubamba River Valley. The first five minutes in Aguas Calientes are a bit of a fluster. Transitioning from dreamily weaving through dramatic scenery, to the crowded platforms of the little train station comes as a shock. You arrive along with several hundred other travelers, and immediately meet the same numbers standing in line, waiting to make the return journey. Add to this the unloading of all of the towns supplies, a few dozen canvassing travel reps and a maze of stalls selling crafts and souvenirs, and the result is quite the bottle-necked bazar. Thankfully it wasn’t long until we saw a young woman holding up a card with our names on it, and so we happily trudged off, tracing her steps through the crowd.
Hand made jewelry in the craft market at Aguas Calientes, Peru
After walking through what seemed like the worlds largest, and most tightly packed craft market, we emerged onto the streets of the little town. We crossed a metal foot bridge, which spans a ravine, containing a crystal clear stream which was in full flood. We would later discover that a great secret lay further up the ravine. A rain shower passed over. The locals popped up umbrellas; obviously as accustomed to regular showers as this visiting Irishman. Turning right at the other side of the bridge, we joined a narrow street, and started climbing. There are no gentle gradients here. If you are going uphill, then it will be steep!
Shelter from the rain at Aguas Calientes
It came as a great relief when we checked in to our hotel and got to leave our bags down and go freshen up. And then, it was off to explore. Our first port of call was The Rasta Bar, where the upstairs floor did its best to convince us that it was actually a slide and not a restaurant floor. Maybe the earth moves here, Im not sure. Anyway, it was great preparation for getting around this quaint and sloping town. A quick lunch and several games of Jenga later (the town seems to have a fascination with Jenga), we were rolling downhill once again to the hotel.
On the hotel manager’s recommendation, we made a visit to to the town’s famous thermal spa, which is a short walk up into the ravine. I would imagine that Aguas Calientes may not be very pleasant for those with restricted mobility. The streets are very steep and narrow, and there are no taxi’s that I saw. We walked uphill, until the street gave way to a lovely path which followed the course of the ravine. After a couple of hundred yards, we arrived at the thermal spas which give the town its name (Aguas Calientes – ‘Hot Waters’ in Spanish).
The mountain stream at Aguas Clients
Thermal Spa high in the Andes
It is a magnificent experience to step into one of 3 hot outdoor pools, in a jungle ravine, high up in the Andes. There are people from all over the world here, just chilling out. You can order cocktails from the spa. This was exactly what I needed after 2 long days on the road from Arequipa! I laid back, and watched through the verdant overhead jungle vegetation, as the sky darkened towards nightfall. It was bliss. After being a little stressed with the busy train station and the crowded fuss on the platform, I was happy to have had this opportunity to relax and get back to myself. Something as simple as a busy train station may have been enough to trigger a lowering of tolerance, a lack of patience or a lack of awareness. That is all it can take. I was really happy to have this spa experience, which I used to get myself back on track.
Central plaza at Aguas Calientes, Peru
The spa had perked me up, restoring my energy, so afterwards we walked down towards the little central plaza near the train station. By chance we hooked up with other members of the wedding party who we had last seen on the snow-bound bus trip from Arequipa, and they led us to a bar where the remainder of the party were having drinks. We then had an impromptu group dinner which was an unexpected treat. Someone suggested having Cuy. I had read about this with both curiosity and trepidation. Pronounced ‘kwee’ it is essentially what we know in Europe as Guinea Pig. I played safe by ordering steak.
Architect-standard Jenga!
I had agreed with fellow traveller Tino, that I would share his Cuy. When it arrived, I had other ideas. The plate was set down and had the animals head and 4 legs dangling over the edges. I am normally open to trying new foods when I travel, but it took me around 20 minutes to accept a fork full. I chewed. But I could not bring myself to swallow. I just couldn’t get the idea of rodents out of my mind. I ran out onto the street and spat it out. A local having a smoke at a bar door laughed and asked: ‘Cuy?’ After I had emptied my mouth I said ‘si’. It probably tastes ok, but it just looks wrong.
Among the wedding after-party were 4 or 5 friends of the bride who had all met at Architecture college. The Jenga started again, this time on a whole different level! It occurred to me that maybe the reason Jenga is so popular here is that everyone is so enthralled by the construction of the ancient city up above us. Tino and another guy from Hawaii, were thankful that I wasn’t going to share the Cuy, and so they proceeded to devour the whole serving. To my horror, the piece de resistence was the animals head, which they shared. Apparently it is a great custom in this part of South America. Architect-standard Jenga kept me distracted, otherwise I may have been sick.
Yes, thats the Cuy head :/
We said our goodbyes and made our way back to our hotels. The others had arrived the previous night, and had therefore seen Machu Picchu already. But I was buzzing with anticipation for the trip the next morning. I found it hard to sleep. The alarm was set for 5am, and I got into that situation where when you think about how little time you have to sleep, you reduce your chances of sleeping. To solve this, I brought myself back to a Wild Atlantic Way experience I had back in Donegal the previous January. Visiting the ocean, or even thinking about a visit, always calms me, and I soon fell asleep, under about 6 Incan blankets. Thankfully, the Cuy did not visit me in my dreams.
At 6am we left our hotel and strolled down the streets towards the station. Busses commence at 6.30am, and I was shocked to see that there was already a long line. As Aguas Calientes began to start its day, we boarded a bus and took what is without doubt the most hair-raising road trip I have ever been on. The distance traveled, as the crow flies, is not far. Probably 2 miles at most. You are basically driving up into the sky, turning around hairpin after hairpin on a bumpy, narrow dust road. The Urubamba river looks smaller and smaller with every turn. I closed my eyes when we met a bus coming down the mountain. It just didn’t look possible to pass by each other on this narrow ledge. We took the inside and the rear view mirror clipped an overhanging branch. My eyes popped open to see the other bus whizzing past ours – both drivers smiling and waving at each other. I was seriously looking forward to getting off this bus. I would advise anyone with a fear of heights, to avoid the window seat while traveling up to Machu Picchu. As nervous as I was, I was still very excited. We rounded one final hairpin, and came to a stop in a tiny bus park. At last! After traveling the long but scenic road from Arequipa, we had finally arrived at Machu Picchu!
The almost vertical hairpin road to Machu Picchu
It was still not yet 7am and already there was a line at the ticket office/security check. But we had arrived! I took a deep breath and took a moment to myself, to ensure that I would enjoy every minute of this visit. I knew that a great adventure lay ahead. Passing through the entrance, the first sunbeams of the rising sun lit up the world famous ruins. It was a sight that made ever mile of the arduous journey worthwhile. Yes, even the hairpin road part. The peace and beauty is almost tangible up here in the Andes. The picture cover of my childhood South America encyclopedia had come to life.