Here is a rehash from a blog I wrote about 4 years ago. Peru is still one of the best places we’ve visited and our trip to Machu Picchu is one we’ll always cherish. Now on to the blog…

The alarm went off at 4:30 AM. Alarm clocks are not something usually associated with vacations. But this was no ordinary vacation. We were not there to lie around on the bed, lounge by the pool, sip cocktails or relax at a spa. A quick shower and couple of bites later, we gathered our belongings and found ourselves racing down a narrow crooked street towards the bus station. The empty, quiet street showed no signs of the night’s frenzy. A faint memory of a busy street filled with locals wooing tourists to their restaurants drifted by.   Five minutes later, we were in a packed bus that provided some much needed relief from the cold. I held my breath in anticipation as the bus began its ascent through the dark, winding road.

As the bus drew closer to the summit, dawn broke bathing the surroundings in a soft, warm glow. We chanced upon some hikers on the final leg of their 2 hour walk to the top. The bus soon came to an abrupt stop and we clambered out of the bus to make our way to the entrance. One step over the threshold and I was transported back in time. May be not to the 1400s, but definitely to a time back where I had fewer worries. I felt all my troubles melt away as a child like excitement crept into me. The scene that greeted us after a quick, steep climb left me speechless.  There I was about 8,000 ft above sea level, staring into 600 year old ruins amidst lush green mountains. A chill ran through my spine. I am still not sure if it was because of the cold wind or the sight that lay ahead of me.

They say the Incans built their cities on top of mountains as they believed that the higher they were, the closer they were to god. I definitely felt a peace and calm that I had never felt anywhere else before. The place felt divine. A pleasant tourist guide agreed to walk us around and rambled on about the different structures and their significance. He probably read it from books written by people who made educated guesses. How close they were to the truth, no one knows! But I didn’t care. All I could feel was envy for the people that lived there a long time ago. The people who woke up every morning to a breathtaking landscape, breathed fresh air and ate fresh produce grown in their humongous backyard. A sudden blinding light brought me back to reality. I looked in the direction as I saw a speck of gold steadily rise behind the mountain. The mighty sun spread its warmth around and suddenly everything around changed to a more vivid color.

A 3 day old baby llama frolicked about in the grass. Somehow it made me believe that there were people still living there.  I marveled at the architecture and was thrilled at the thought of feeling objects touched by the Incas a long while back. After a tour of the ruins, we took a strenuous 2 hour hike to the top of Wayna Picchu. From high above, surrounded by tall mountains, we could see the zigzagging road that brought us to the top, the ruins of Machu Picchu and most of all, the blanket of trees that covered the unexplored part of the ruins. We were told that archaeologists were working to uncover those ruins and the work would take another 10 years to complete. I made a quick mental note for our next visit. We felt a sense of accomplishment upon heading back down.

We spent the next few hours walking around, sitting inside dwellings and even sleeping on stone benches. I felt like I belonged there. Alas, it was time to leave.  As I stepped out of the time portal, I knew our first wedding anniversary would remain etched in our minds forever. The bus took us back down where we boarded a train to Cusco. The train snaked its way through the twilight glow. There is something about mountains that makes me feel humble. I felt humbled that day and I felt good about it. Mother Nature has a way of filling your soul with joy. A faint smile crossed my lips as I nodded off to sleep.