It all began while watching and reading Tintin’s Prisoners of the Sun with my son. The Incas portrayed in the late 1940s comic strip were quite distinctive and it caught our curiosity immediately. In the last decade or so there is a flood of people retracing the steps of Hiram Bingham to Machu Pichu. Many of friends even treats it as one of their “bucket list” items. Fearing that it would be overly touristy, I hesitated for many years to visit this place. But then we decided – maybe we should give it a try.
Going to Peru is synonymous to visiting Machu Pichu in a way. One cannot escape that fact, and they are not wrong. The majestic structure that takes mythic dimensions dwarfs anything else around. But as we found, there is much more. A friend of mine in DC who hails from Peru suggested that I deliberately plan my visit to Machu Pichu towards the very end our trip and that’s what we did. So our trip was designed to build up the anticipation and curiosity that culminated in on the penultimate day of our trip to Machu Pichu. The train ride that picked us from the hotel station (btw, it was very cool to have a train station in the resort), the glass windows on the train roof, the snow capped mountains lining up the horizon, and the final bus ride winding up the hills to Machu Pichu were all part of this unforgettable experience. People say seeing is believing. In our case it was quite the opposite. I had no doubt that Machu Pichu would be a grand place from the hundreds of “I was there” pictures, documentaries and YouTube videos. But when I saw it and was there – I was in absolute disbelief. How could a 15th century community that did not have any written word or the concept of a wheel build a city like this. The Incas built Machu Pichu in the 15th century and abandoned about 480 odd years ago. Just to put things in perspective, in India in the late 15th century, the Portuguese have just arrived. Lodhi dynasty was ruling the Delhi Sultanate, about to be ceded to the Mughal siege. Eton and Kings College Cambridge were already formed in the UK. But for the rest, America was the new world yet to be born and brought into the fold of the old country. Life in this part of world was disconnected from all the so called familiar advances elsewhere. But evidently, people in this part of Peru were self contained. They have built their own norms of living, organizing, and cultivating the human spirit.
Up until we went to Machu Pichu, it was mostly a relaxing holiday in Sacred Valley. I have to admit; I have been to many beautiful valleys but there is none I could recall that combines pristine beauty, fresh food and air, and the warmth and friendliness of the people – all in one. It was an unparalleled experience. Nature and people in harmony. Everyday waking up to the greenery of our surroundings. Eating fresh food grown in the farm nearby, relaxing in the nature and then watching the evening moon sink behind the mountains. Taking a trip to the local salt mines was an eye opener. Spending an afternoon with the local Quechua community. Getting invited to their homes and finding joy in a simple meal of potatoes and corn. Understanding not a single word but feeling the openness of their home and hospitality. It was humanity in its pure form, the sort that I have only seen showered to the hosts of scripted travel channel shows.
These pictures will remain with me very dearly. Not because they are of a very beautiful place. But because of the stories that reside with me and my family. The backstory and the smell and freshness of the air will jog our memories from this wonderful holiday.