Peru Day 9-Machu Picchu!!

Today is the day!! We got up at the butt crack of dawn and went down for breakfast. The hotel opted not to make eggs for anyone as they felt they were too busy. I politely chucked a wobbly and eggs appeared.

We hit the train station and walked around looking at the awesomeness that is a train station. We were so engrossed in the beauty (and assisting one of the staff with a very heavy bag) that C and I didn't even notice the train coming down the tracks he was on! He jumped out of the way and the slowly moving train rolled safely past.

Once on the train we sat in awe of the scenery as it went by both through the windows beside us, but also through the windows in the ceiling.

It was absolutely breathtaking. The musical stylings were delightful.  At one point we were on the train listening to the instrumental version of My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. What more could you ask for?

Once off the train it's a frightening bus ride up the mountain. I can see why the Spanish didn't find Machu Picchu! It's basically 800 sharp s-bends up the side of a mountain on a dirt road. Mercy.

For people who choose to hike rather than take the train it is a 4 day, 3 night trek. Our official reason for not doing it is that C is too young. Our actual reason for not doing it is that we do not want to.

The place is amazing and here are our photos but I'm sure Google will serve you much better than our camera phones

The boys continually marvelled at the obvious intelligence and ingenuity of the Incan people. They can't understand why the Spanish wiped them out and tried to convert them. We tried our best to explain the mindset behind colonialism to them. It's tough for them to wrap their heads around it all.

The aqueducts that the Inca installed in the 1400s still work today. It's incredible. If he lived in 1450 C would absolutely have helped to install those!!

On our way out we got our official Machu Picchu stamps in our passports next to our Peru stamps! This is all of the boy's first of the seven wonders and my second.

In the evening we headed to the local hot baths. We especially enjoyed the translation on this sign: