MADISON TOWNSHIP — There’s really only one thing that intrigued me about South America, Machu Picchu.
The 15th-century city carved into a cliff at about 8,000 feet in the Andes Mountains is an Incan treasure located about 50 miles northwest of Cuzco in Peru. I’m sure you’ve seen the intriguing, spectacular photos, they were my only connection to the spot — until earlier this month.
But that was enough to entice me. The conjecture about the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans has always fascinated me, and the breathtaking scene of Machu Picchu was enough to make my bucket list.
So, when the chance arrived, via a trip with Madison’s Spanish students thanks to my wife Laura and her colleague Krista Ferini, I jumped at the chance. Laura and I took along our two children as part of the student group, and Krista brought her twins, too. In total we had a group of 16 on a 9-day, whirlwind tour of Peru.
For me, Machu Picchu was the highlight. The site was built as a sort of vacation destination for Pachucuti, an Incan emperor sometime around 1450. Contrary to popular opinion, the 400 or so upper-crust that lived there generally descended to the site, as they lived even higher in the Andes and traveled along the stunning Inca Trail to arrive at this scenic hideaway.
The site was abandoned around 1532, near the time of the Spanish conquest. Just this year information surfaced that Machu Picchu was probably called Huayna Picchu by the Inca, as it exists on the smaller peak of the same name.
Today the site is maintained by at least 50 workers each day, who manicure the grounds with lawnmowers (tucked out of site by the time tourists arrive) and even use toothbrushes to polish the rocks and keep the algae at bay.
When COVID closed the site, about 70 Andrea bears had free run of the place and the bamboo that grows freely in the jungle. But the return of the tourists sent them scurrying back into the forests. The tour guide who led us on the hike to the summit noted he had seen three condors at Machu Picchu in his 13-year experience. Alas, we didn’t get to see that majestic site, but it was hardly a disappointment.
The entire trip was really an educational adventure, and I’ll let others explain it who are far better qualified to do so:
Laura Phillips
Madison Spanish students have just returned from a once in a lifetime trip to Peru. These world travelers did an outstanding job navigating through a new country, a new culture, in a different language … and some had never been on a plane before!
These pictures are just a taste of the many beautiful places and experiences taken in on the trip. The students traveled to the country’s capital, Lima, to experience the more metropolitan side of Peru. In Lima, they visited museums featuring ancient Incan pottery and textiles and took a full tour of the city learning about the many things it has to offer.
They then continued on to Cuzco and the Sacred Valley to view beautiful cathedrals, a variety of ancients Incan ruins and try out their skills at bartering with the locals in the Pisac market place. Needless to say, the students excelled in this area and stuffed their suitcases with many treasures of reminders of their trip!
Next the students boarded a train to travel to world famous Machu Picchu to catch its breathtaking beauty in person, an event that many people worldwide can only dream of. From Machu Picchu to Puno, the students boated across Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the World, to the Uros Islands.
These islands are man-made floating islands created from reeds and are inhabited by peoples who continue to live the traditional life of their ancestors. The students visited many noteworthy sights but the best experience was seeing them flourish in a new environment.
From passing through customs, trying out new foods such as guinea pig and alpaca, bartering in marketplaces, dealing with high altitude and the physical issues it can bring, these students excelled. I couldn’t be prouder of our world-travelers. Ram Pride!
Krista Ferini
Lima Day 1: museums of pottery, gold and textiles and amazing food all day (and last night) I have most on my camera and will try to load to my phone, and will need to do some editing if I have time. We don’t stop for anything which is good!
I’m way behind on photos because I used a camera. But today we reached our highest altitude of 16,500 feet on the bus and saw herds of alpacas and vicuñas. We saw a chinchilla yesterday at breakfast.
The alpacas blend into the landscape but there were hundreds of them and we are on a bus today is our last full day in Perú and we are traveling back to Lima with 6 hours on a bus and then a flight we have to leave for airport about 3:30 a.m. and should get to Cleveland about 10:30ish tomorrow.
I asked a few students if they we were ready to come home and they said no, they like seeing all the new places. I hope they keep seeing the world and I want to hear all about it. #1 reason I teach a foreign language.
