A day late, 2.56 soles short

Hello, Deal families. Internet challenges with my Mac have made it hard to communicate frequently, but I am using a shared iPad and able to reach out now. The great news is that we climbed Machu Picchu with 52 students from Deal yesterday. It slowly dawned on me that it legitimately takes 2 days just to get to the base of the mountain. An incredibly early wake up, a bus ride that is supposed to be the train but since the tracks washed out for part of the journey, buses we rode. I told the kids to think of a Metro station closure and catching a shuttle to skip a stop. The bus ride was spectacular - we rose out of Cusco in the early light up to the plateau high over the city. In the distance, and shadowing us for most of the day were the snow-capped Andes - rou, ragged peaks that set the tone for the trip. It as easy to be inspired by these guardians of the Sacred Valley.

From the plateau we plunged by bus into the valley of the Urubamba - the Sacred Valley itself. I hadn't realized how narrow it was. Less Shenandoah Valley and more Yosemite Valley. The peaks were close by and high, with Inca terraces overlooking it all. The further we went the wilder the river became, until the flow was a consistent Class V rapid - for miles and miles. We switched in Ollantaytambo to the actual train, a glass-roofed excursion train that the kids loved. This was for the last two hours of the trip. We had slowly been descending into the jungle, a far cry from the open plains early in the day. The ride was incredibly scenic, with nice service and loud games of cards from all around me. We ground to a halt in Aguas Calientes at the foot of a hidden Machu Picchu. It was still only 12:00 or so.

We threw our luggage in the rooms of a small hotel up the hill and headed for the bus that would take us up to the top. The town was a semi-charming blend of tiny streets, lots of little pizzerias, and a deep commitment to tourism. There must be a lot of weary travelers because the top business in town seemed to be massage. The bus took us up switchbacks to the entrance to Machu Picchu, where we joined a not unreasonable number of tourists. We walked through the gate and into the heart of the site. I am sure my words will not convey how beautiful a site, location, and experience. The stonework was astounding - almost as though the builders had maintained a sense of humor all the way through ("they'll never figure out how we did THIS!"). The warmth of the masons comes through, as well as the intent of the masters to create an aerie, so high above the river but apart. It felt like the wonder of the world it is purported to be.

After too short a visit, we returned to Aguas Calientes and a dinner. The kids still had energy to burn, so they ran off with the tour guides to play soccer on a nearby field, while others wandered up the tiny street. We all slept well deep in the jungle.

This morning, we hopped and made the return journey. Going back was just as interesting, and ended in Ollantaytambo. Here is another fabulous Inca site, with a historical massacre to boot. The challenge of Ollantaytambo was the need to climb 300 steps to see the Temple of the Sun. Twenty miles from Machu Picchu and 20 the other direction from Urubamba, the town was an important stop on the Inca Road. If I was ever afraid of not coming back from Peru in one piece, it was here that I felt it might come to fruition. The walk up just about did me in. The Incas REALLY had no fear of heights. One might ask why the heaviest stone had to be out way up there, but the response would have been sneering disrespect. No bother. Your kids made it fine.

Lunch was in a huge buffet on the way back - perhaps the most filled I have felt in Peru without eating chicken. Back on the bus and heading for Pisac, a cute Inca town with a lively street market. Much of the leftover money was sucked up here, but it was high quality dispensing. Pisac is close to the mountain villages, so the trinkets felt less trinkety. We were on the last leg on the return to Cusco by now. What trip doesn't need a visit to the Alpaca farm? And of course the Alpacas got out of their flimsy stockades, terrifying themselves and the kids all in the pursuit of hay. Lots of screaming and laughs. And the kids were excited, too! Finally, a late night return to our rooms back in Cusco. A couple of our Inca warriors have been sick, unfortunately, but they have managed to get a lot of the trip in anyway.

And tomorrow, a closer look at Cusco and the many splendors of the Inca capital. More, with luck, tomorrow night! And, as the Incas say when putting their kids to sleep, "good night!"