A Unesco site and one of the newly titled Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu in Peru, South America is a one-of-a-kind place. A 15th century Inca site (largest empire in pre-Columbian America), it boasts of mysterious ruins and is located in the Cusco region of the Latin American country. It sits majestically upon a hilly ridge above the Sacred Valley through which the Urubamba river flows.
The heritage site hosts only one resort, the booking for which needs to be done months in advance. I was lucky to get myself a room. The best part about staying overnight is the opportunity you get to capture the sunrise and the early morning photographs without too many people cluttering the scene. Owing to the crowds that the place pulls, there are security guards at the site reminding you that it’s time to move forward. So you may not be able to breathe in as much of Machu Picchu as you like. It reminded me of how devotees at temples back home (say, Tirupati) are urged to keep moving to avoid a swarm.
Most of Peru is hilly. While not all of it is at a very high altitude, there are some areas where it crosses 11,000 ft above sea level. High altitude sickness tablets are easily purchasable but coco-leaves and coco-flavoured chocolates are equally popular as local remedies.
Peru has a lot of similarities with Rome, especially the traditional old houses with their cobble-stoned pathways along the frontal manicured lawns and their plaza concepts. A plaza usually contains a church and a beautifully maintained park. In small towns, the main plaza also accommodates a municipal office, bank, currency exchange facilities and a few quality restaurants. So quite a one-stop haunt under the same umbrella!
One has to be physically fit to be able to stroll around on the uneven paths and stairs at Machu Picchu. In fact, reaching Peru is quite tiring a journey itself. From eastern India, it took me 32 hours to reach the capital city Lima — this included 23 hours of flying time and two transits in Delhi and Amsterdam. After reaching there, you ought to give yourself a day to get over the jetlag and readjust your body clock.
As for the weather, it is very unpredictable — you never know when a perfectly sunny day will dramatically change into a gloomy one without hints of clouds or wind. If you’re a vegetarian travelling to Peru, there aren’t too many food options for you. But potato lovers are in luck. They say that potatoes were originally sown and grown in the crop-fields of Peru and a variety of at least 2,000 potato delicacies can be presented on the platters. Seafood is more popular there than beef, pork or chicken, but fortunately most eateries offer a wide variety of salads to begin.
I also tried Pachamanca, a traditional meal served almost exclusively for major celebrations and public festivities, mainly because it takes hours to prepare. A hole is dug in the earth and heated stones are placed inside the ditch. The recipe is a concoction of meats (lamb, pork, chicken, guinea pig), vegetables (potatoes, corn, beans etc) and herbs that are wrapped inside a cloth and then slowly cooked over a simmering, low flame in their natural juices. But Cuy is the most famous delicacy in Peru. It means guinea pig and believe it or not, they serve the whole body — along with the teeth, yes. It is a custom to consume guinea pigs at all social functions or family get-togethers.
If you are in the Latin American belt, it helps to know a bit of Spanish. Although at big hotels, English is comfortably spoken at the reception desk, I had to face a lot of communication problems while interacting with the battery of support staff or while shopping on the streets or negotiating with the cabbies. An English-to-Spanish translator often saved me at such difficult times during the trip.
The local people are warm, hospitable, helpful and strikingly expressive despite their language issues. For instance, one day I was lost on a narrow lane in Cusco and could not find my way out. An old gentleman took the trouble of walking nearly 200 metres with me to show the exact lane as we were unable to communicate verbally. At the end of my 15-day packed itinerary in Peru last month, I felt there was lots left to be discovered and explored. So before bidding a farewell to the place, I promised to make a quick return.
The writer is a photographer perennially in search of newer, more beautiful muses
