Visiting Machu Picchu, Peru! (Part 11, End of the Journey)

After the Hike, I returned to Cusco. At the time, Ramadan was almost over, and Eid was just around the corner! It was also during the time of the World Cup 2018 (Which I am a huge fan of!) Anyway, the plan was to take the bus to the train station. Then, we would take the train to Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is a well-known stop point for travelers visiting Machu Picchu. It is located very close to Machu Picchu and was full of tourists and local shops selling souvenirs and Artistic things! Personally, my excitement for Machu Picchu escalated fast after I got there! Visiting one of the world’s seven wonders, was one of my main reasons to travel to Peru!

When I arrived at Aguas Calientes, it was late at night (11 PM). Thus, I had few hours to sleep because we were supposed to meet at the bus station at 5 AM. At the bus station, the group was divided into two groups, some were going to Machu Picchu hiking. I preferred to take the bus, which was 10 minutes away, because I was very exhausted to hike again after my previous hike. Surprisingly, when I arrived there, it was already full of visitors and I thought we were early! We got there at 6 AM and the main gate had just opened. (Here is a photo we took few minutes before we took the bus. I was extremely Tired, My face shows it all LOL! *second one from left*)

Watching the sunshine from the top of the mountains was magical! It exceeded my expectations. It was also clear skies that day, which according to our tour guide, was a rare thing to happen at Machu Picchu. Usually, skies are cloudy with some fog, but not that day! It was our lucky day, huh! In addition, seeing the buildings closely and walking between the ancient walls, while listing to the story from the tour guide, was 10 times better than seeing it in photos. For someone like me who loves history, everything was perfect! The location is 10,000 feet above sea level. Therefore, the view of the mountains around me was indescribable! I highly recommend visiting this wonderful place!

Here are some of the photos I captured of this amazing place!

I couldn’t resist but to take a photo of the view with these two love birds!

Here you see in the upper right corner, some parts weren’t completed until this day, and archeologists couldn’t explain the reasons behind that! Also, the tree on the left side was there since the discovery of Machu Picchu, according to the tour guide. When they discovered it in early 1900, the tree was there and they kept it the way it was since.

After my visit to Machu Picchu, I returned to Aguas Calientes to watch World Cup fist match at a local restaurant. It was a disappointment because my national team lost the game! However, it was a great day overall! I went for “gift” shopping right after lunch and celebrated Eid there with some locals before heading back to Cusco on the next day.

Although I was sad to end this short trip, I enjoyed my time when I was in the train. We returned in morning, and I had a pleasant surprise on our way back. It was around 8:30 am when the train stopped after about 15 minutes of the way. They served us hot beverages and we were surrounded by the mountains and the forest. It was a lovely moment, really.

I arrived at Cusco and it was my last day there. It was hard leaving Cusco because it was my favorite city! The amazing people of this city, the “happy people” as I like to call them, taught me that joy and happiness could be hidden in the most unexpected places! I came to Cusco without any expectations except having an open mind to whatever I might see there, and I was never disappointed. The next day was the day I packed my luggage and head to the airport to departure to Lima. After spending almost one month in Peru, I was genuinely upset to leave. don’t get me wrong, I was excited to return to The United States. However, I knew I was going to miss Peru and all the amazing places I visited and the lovely people I met there…