Move to Cusco.
And then, we will move to the Cusco area.
Just before Pikillacta.
On the way to Cusco, there is a small ruin near the Pikillacta ruins, so we will visit it.
Pikillacta
We will visit the Pikillacta ruins, which are located on the way to Cusco.
There are many ruins of this level. It's truly impressive, Cusco.
There are many ruins of this level. It's truly impressive, Cusco.
Tipon
Next, we are going to the Tipon ruins.
This is also interesting.
This is also interesting.
Pisac
Next, we go to the Pisac ruins.
This place is also vast. The terraced fields are wonderful.
Now, we are heading towards the town of Cusco.
This place is also vast. The terraced fields are wonderful.
Now, we are heading towards the town of Cusco.
Machu Picchu, return trip: Shuttle bus to the hydroelectric power plant.
I have arrived in Cusco.
From today, I will be going to Machu Picchu on what is called the "Stand by Me" course.
Tomorrow: I will move to the nearest village. 6 hours by bus + 2-3 hours walking along the railway (Stand by Me).
The day after tomorrow: I will visit Machu Picchu.
The day after that: I will return to Cusco by reversing the route of the first day.
For Machu Picchu, tickets cannot be purchased on site and must be purchased in advance.
You can buy tickets in the Machu Picchu village, but I bought the Machu Picchu tickets in Cusco because I didn't want to arrive late and have them closed. The daily limit of 2500 visitors is apparently meaningless, and I was able to obtain them without any problems. There are rumors that the number of visitors probably exceeds 2500 just through pre-booked tours.
If I had known the arrival date, I would have wanted to reserve a ticket for Huayna Picchu mountain in advance, but it seems that Huayna Picchu is not available for a while, even when viewed on the internet. It is booked for about a month.
Well, if I can just see Machu Picchu, that will be enough for now.
The entrance fee is 128 soles, which is about 4200 yen.
The surrounding ruins are 15 soles each, so it is quite expensive.
I have arrived in Cusco.
From today, I will be going to Machu Picchu on what is called the "Stand by Me" course.
Tomorrow: I will move to the nearest village. 6 hours by bus + 2-3 hours walking along the railway (Stand by Me).
The day after tomorrow: I will visit Machu Picchu.
The day after that: I will return to Cusco by reversing the route of the first day.
For Machu Picchu, tickets cannot be purchased on site and must be purchased in advance.
You can buy tickets in the Machu Picchu village, but I bought the Machu Picchu tickets in Cusco because I didn't want to arrive late and have them closed. The daily limit of 2500 visitors is apparently meaningless, and I was able to obtain them without any problems. There are rumors that the number of visitors probably exceeds 2500 just through pre-booked tours.
If I had known the arrival date, I would have wanted to reserve a ticket for Huayna Picchu mountain in advance, but it seems that Huayna Picchu is not available for a while, even when viewed on the internet. It is booked for about a month.
Well, if I can just see Machu Picchu, that will be enough for now.
The entrance fee is 128 soles, which is about 4200 yen.
The surrounding ruins are 15 soles each, so it is quite expensive.
Machu Picchu, return trip: Walking on the railroad tracks.
Stand by Me. Walking on the railroad tracks.
Diesel vehicles are running normally.
The village closest to Machu Picchu has an atmosphere like a hot spring town.
It seems that the first village chief was Japanese. I see.
BGM: Copyright(C) Music Palette
Machu Picchu, return trip: Bus queue & bus travel.
I left the lodging at 5:00 AM, and when I tried to line up for the bus at 5:10 AM, there was already a line about 200 meters long!
The first bus departed at 5:30 AM, and I was able to get on a bus at 6:00 AM. I arrived at 6:30 AM.
I thought it was too early, but it seems it was the best timing.
There's nothing better than waking up early.
The first bus departed at 5:30 AM, and I was able to get on a bus at 6:00 AM. I arrived at 6:30 AM.
I thought it was too early, but it seems it was the best timing.
There's nothing better than waking up early.
Machu Picchu ruins.
A view from a high place leading to the Inca Trail.
Although I'm familiar with this composition from television and blogs, the real thing is a different experience.
It raises my excitement.
In the morning, there is fog, creating a fantastic atmosphere. The scenery when the fog clears is also the best.
It seems you can enjoy the view even without climbing Waynapicchu Mountain. That's enough for me.
The only road that used to connect to Machu Picchu now has a bridge that can be removed.
Now there is a gate in front, and you cannot get close.
The morning sun is dazzling.
It's quite large, so it takes about 3 hours to see.
It's crowded, but since I arrived early and the area is large, it wasn't a big problem.
It might be more crowded in the afternoon after the day-trippers arrive.
I wasn't expecting much, but (perhaps because I wasn't expecting much), I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I've seen comments on other blogs like "It was the same as on TV. It was crowded and not very good," so I thought the TV show might be exaggerating, but I think even people who like ruins can enjoy it enough, regardless of that.
I enjoyed it so much that I didn't mind the crowds.
This was more than I expected.
I'm satisfied.
It's almost the end of my trip in South America.
I could go back to Japan right now.
Although I'm familiar with this composition from television and blogs, the real thing is a different experience.
It raises my excitement.
In the morning, there is fog, creating a fantastic atmosphere. The scenery when the fog clears is also the best.
It seems you can enjoy the view even without climbing Waynapicchu Mountain. That's enough for me.
The only road that used to connect to Machu Picchu now has a bridge that can be removed.Now there is a gate in front, and you cannot get close.
The morning sun is dazzling.
It's quite large, so it takes about 3 hours to see.It's crowded, but since I arrived early and the area is large, it wasn't a big problem.
It might be more crowded in the afternoon after the day-trippers arrive.
I wasn't expecting much, but (perhaps because I wasn't expecting much), I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I've seen comments on other blogs like "It was the same as on TV. It was crowded and not very good," so I thought the TV show might be exaggerating, but I think even people who like ruins can enjoy it enough, regardless of that.
I enjoyed it so much that I didn't mind the crowds.
This was more than I expected.
I'm satisfied.
It's almost the end of my trip in South America.
I could go back to Japan right now.
Machu Picchu vicinity: Botanical Garden.
Machu Picchu Village (Aguas Calientes).
Machu Picchu, return trip: Walking on the tracks.
Chinchero ruins.
Today, I will be touring the ruins in the northern part of Cusco by motorcycle.
First, the Chinchero ruins. It's a peaceful place.
The church is surprisingly old, said to be from the early period of Spanish conquest.
Photography is prohibited inside, and the damage is severe, but there are surprisingly elaborate paintings on the ceiling.
It's worth seeing, but for those who are not interested, it may just seem like an old, dilapidated church.
First, the Chinchero ruins. It's a peaceful place.
The church is surprisingly old, said to be from the early period of Spanish conquest.
Photography is prohibited inside, and the damage is severe, but there are surprisingly elaborate paintings on the ceiling.
It's worth seeing, but for those who are not interested, it may just seem like an old, dilapidated church.
The ruins are located between Chinchero and Moray.
I saw the ruins between Chinchero and Moray from a distance. I didn't go near them. I've forgotten the name.
According to the weather forecast, it seems like it will be raining from Monday for a while, so even though it's a bit rushed, I plan to finish sightseeing by tomorrow and leave Cusco on Sunday.
According to the weather forecast, it seems like it will be raining from Monday for a while, so even though it's a bit rushed, I plan to finish sightseeing by tomorrow and leave Cusco on Sunday.Moray ruins.
Ollantaytambo.
Next is Ollantaytambo.
This is a bustling village that has a railway station to Machu Picchu.
The ruins are surprisingly large.
This is a bustling village that has a railway station to Machu Picchu.
The ruins are surprisingly large.
Tambomachay.
Visited Tambomachay. The sun is starting to set.
Puka Pukara.
We visited Puka Pukara, which is close to Cusco. There are many tour groups here.
Q'enqo
I visited Q'enqo near Cusco just before closing time. It was a close call.
Cusco town center.
The ruins are good, and there are many good people, but I get tired of encountering people who are obsessed with tourist attractions quite frequently. Those people are probably depressed or hysterical, and perhaps they are victims themselves, but it makes me tired.
So, my impression is that Cusco is not a place to stay for a long time.
It's a shame because the ruins are good.
I thought I would be busy because I'm leaving tomorrow, but it might actually be just right.
I can endure the fatigue from being tricked by energetic people in India, but the fatigue from people who are obsessed with tourist attractions and seem depressed is different, so I don't want to interact with them much. I'll retreat before I get infected with depression and hysteria.
It's a shame that this happens in a place that seems like it would be a good place to stay longer.
Thinking about that, the warmth of the Bolivian people was amazing. Compared to that, Cusco feels cold like city people. Also, there are some people who think they can rip off tourists however they want. I guess that's what being obsessed with tourist attractions means.
If I had gone to Cusco first and then to Bolivia, my impression might have been different.
I might not have noticed it if I had gone directly from Japan.
It wasn't like this in other places in Peru besides Cusco.
Or maybe I just had bad luck.
95% of the people are normal, and 5% are a bit off, so maybe I'm worrying too much about this.
So far, Bolivia is the best in South America.
Tomorrow, I will be heading to Lima via Abancay and Nazca.
It will probably take 2 days to reach Nazca and 3-4 days to reach Lima.
I have already seen Nazca, so I will skip it this time. I haven't seen much of Lima yet, so I will be sightseeing there this time.
I was planning to go to Easter Island from Lima, but the tickets for a week from now are expensive, costing about 120,000 yen.
On the other hand, a round-trip ticket from Bogota, my final destination in South America, to Easter Island costs almost the same as the cheapest ticket from Lima, around 80,000 yen. So, I decided to include Easter Island in my schedule a week before leaving South America. I have already secured the tickets. It cost 83,000 yen.
6/27 Bogota -> Lima (via) -> Santiago (via) -> Easter Island
7/3 Easter Island -> Santiago (1 night) -> Bogota (arriving the next day)
7/4 1 night in Bogota
7/6 Midnight: Bogota -> Alaska
So, my impression is that Cusco is not a place to stay for a long time.
It's a shame because the ruins are good.
I thought I would be busy because I'm leaving tomorrow, but it might actually be just right.
I can endure the fatigue from being tricked by energetic people in India, but the fatigue from people who are obsessed with tourist attractions and seem depressed is different, so I don't want to interact with them much. I'll retreat before I get infected with depression and hysteria.
It's a shame that this happens in a place that seems like it would be a good place to stay longer.
Thinking about that, the warmth of the Bolivian people was amazing. Compared to that, Cusco feels cold like city people. Also, there are some people who think they can rip off tourists however they want. I guess that's what being obsessed with tourist attractions means.
If I had gone to Cusco first and then to Bolivia, my impression might have been different.
I might not have noticed it if I had gone directly from Japan.
It wasn't like this in other places in Peru besides Cusco.
Or maybe I just had bad luck.
95% of the people are normal, and 5% are a bit off, so maybe I'm worrying too much about this.
So far, Bolivia is the best in South America.
Tomorrow, I will be heading to Lima via Abancay and Nazca.
It will probably take 2 days to reach Nazca and 3-4 days to reach Lima.
I have already seen Nazca, so I will skip it this time. I haven't seen much of Lima yet, so I will be sightseeing there this time.
I was planning to go to Easter Island from Lima, but the tickets for a week from now are expensive, costing about 120,000 yen.
On the other hand, a round-trip ticket from Bogota, my final destination in South America, to Easter Island costs almost the same as the cheapest ticket from Lima, around 80,000 yen. So, I decided to include Easter Island in my schedule a week before leaving South America. I have already secured the tickets. It cost 83,000 yen.
6/27 Bogota -> Lima (via) -> Santiago (via) -> Easter Island
7/3 Easter Island -> Santiago (1 night) -> Bogota (arriving the next day)
7/4 1 night in Bogota
7/6 Midnight: Bogota -> Alaska
Museum of Pre-Columbian Art.
Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo
