Camino Inca (Dos)

We are pointing to the elevation marker at the top of the first pass which we've just reached: 4215 meters or 13,828.74 feet.


There are many strange and unusual sites up here, but


the six intrepid travelers from around the world are ready for them, though.

This is one of several Inca outposts along the way which were used by the communication runners. These relaying, pony-express like forefathers of our porters could deliver important messages to Machu Pichu in a matter of several hours across the distance which will take us several days to traverse.

Walking here and looking around convinced me I had never seen any landscapes similar to these in my life. Sorry to ruin the view with my presence in the picture, so feel free to crop me out.


After hiking essentially non-stop for the whole day, one of the greatly anticipated treats each night (along with sleep) was a gourmet meal

prepared by Oscar, our propane camp stove chef extra-ordinaire, pictured here in his super hero costume.

Now, after sleeping in the snowy summits we begin our descent into the steamy, tropical jungle removing our layers of clothing as we go like so many snakes shedding their skins.

Snow flurries may change to warm showers, but nothing delays the massive load bearing porters from their sprint along the Inca trail. They must reach the next campsite hours ahead of us in order to set up our tents and have another delicious meal waiting for our arrival. We eat and then drop dead tired asleep listening to them cleaning up and laughing about how weak we seem. We seem that way because compared to them we are.

Unless you are truely exhausted, you have no idea how wonderful this site is and I mean the tents with air mattresses and sleeping bags not the beautiful mountain ranges behind them. This day we hiked 12 hours to make up for being one day short of our original plan.

Then, the next morning we got up at 4 AM and raced up and down giant stone steps in the dark wearing headlamps in order to get to the Sun Gate before dawn and be able to watch the morning break on Machu Pichu.

Before entering the sacred city we all made a wish in the traditional way by each placing a coca leaf under a rock on the Sun God's stone altar.

Nobody was saying it was easy or that they weren't tired, as a matter of fact nobody was saying much of anything. We just looked at each other with smiling eyes and lips silently congratulating one another for a job well done.

We were on top of the world in God's house,

Machu Pichu -

home of the Celestine Prophecy,

visiting a lost time.

A place without a beginning or an end

without an up or a down...

an all-powerful site that just is

and, for a time, we are all there.

Then, we went our separate ways back to Ireland, Portugal and Ecuador as that same sun the Incas worshipped set on the beach of Lima, Peru the following evening.

Camino Inca (Uno)

One of the major "to do" items on our Bucket List was to stand in the Gateway to the Sun at dawn and look down on Machu Pichu. Here we are with couples from Ireland and Portugal on our way to scratch that off the list.


We paid for a four day hike on the Inca Trail, but when we got to Cusco a two day general strike was announced and there was not going to be any way to get to our jumping off point on time. We visited a shaman, who bore a disturbing physical resemblance to my desceased father. Inca Ernie rubbed and spit essential oils on us, waved condor feathers over our heads while shaking a snake's rattle and, as we chewed coca leaves together, it was jointly decided we could and would do the 4 day hike in 3. This made the 6 porters, 1 cook and 2 guides very happy.



So, at 3AM the next morning, instead of the previously scheduled 6AM, we took off to go up the Sacred Valley and over two mountain passes. First, there would be a freezing night and then a descent into tropical jungle. Finally, another ascent to Machu Pichu, the Inca civizilation's mecca.


There are still peoples who live in the small towns along this route after thousands of years. This is their highway and these beasts of burden are their 18 wheelers hauling in and out everything they need or want for their daily continuous existence up here high in the Andes.


It all seemed so easy in the beginning. La-La-La, this will be a lark.

Then, it began to get colder

and steeper.

The 8 hour hike turned into a 10 hour one and

I became less reluctant to pose for pictures.

However, none of our discomforts seemed to leave much of an impression on the porters as they merrily skipped up the mountain with hundreds of pounds on their backs and recycled tires for sandals on their feet.

Every little summit we reached was celebrated with the enthusiam of having just topped Everest.

Looking back on it now, I realize it wasn't the final destination I remember lovingly....................... it was the journey

and the companionship.

So many thousands of feet, for so many thousands of years had bore down on and worn down these same stones we were bearing and wearing down on that each and every step made that realization more impressionable and concrete.

Nonetheless, the bearers laughed, whistled and chirpped like mountain songbirds as if all this were nothing extraordinary at all. Quite the opposite in fact, today was just like any other day at the factory. Punch in, run up the mountain, maybe have a few giggles and punch out. No bigge!

For us though, it was as if we were looking through a window into an entirely different world and with each step we could feel it was getting closer to the time when we would have to crawl all the way into an ancient past leaving our modern present far behind.

What goes down must come up

There are swimming pools and then there are swimming pools when you REALLY need one.


Our love shack may not look like much, but we slept like babies.


Of course, before retiring Joella had to go down to the river right behind us and take some of her famous "Rock Shots..."


"Rocks Talking..."


and "Rocks not rolling..."


Before the crack of dawn the next morning we were already up, up and away...


Even lizards know that shade is a good thing.


Nine of us started, but only seven walked out. The two missing ones rode burros up, however, we all arrived about the same time. They slept a little longer and missed the photo op.


Then, we jumped in the van and went even higher up to where nobody lives.


4900 meters is over 16,000 feet which is where we went for our MiraVista crossing the pass.


If it wasn't swinging so wildly from hot to cold, I would have thought I was walking on the moon.


Of course, there are always some creatures who think the worst is the best and wouldn't have it any other way.


But, after a long ride and a good night's sleep we awoke in the ancient civizilation of Cusco.


The very old home of the Inca.


The middle-aged home of the Spanish Conquistadors.


As well as, the modern home of those trying to straddle the two races and


the jovens who reject and tag it all with a smile.


Later, Blog followers...