There are no shortage of pictures of Machu Picchu. Once you see it, you just can't stop clicking the shutter. It is hard to imagine how this unbelievable site is in the middle of nowhere. I could not imagine what its discoverer must have thought when he stumbled upon it. It was probably a combination of breathtaking (as it is now) and scary. He might have imagined that a secret people were still living there.If you've got any energy left, I suggest taking an extra hour and a half and climbing the mountain behind Machu Picchu, known as Wayna Picchu. It is 350 meters above the city. That's
about 1,100 feet. It doesn't sound like much maybe, but it is basically straight up. At certain points the stairs are more like ladders. There are precipitous drops. You won't feel danger, but you'll find yourself on all fours every once and awhile. It is work. The reward? A spectacular backside, birdseye view of the city that a very small fraction of visitors get to see. The picture at left does not adequately convey the view (and the height).When your tour of Machu Picchu is over, you head for the bus station and make your way down to Aguas Calientes, to sit with your sweaty friends and enjoy some food and drinks. If you didn't shower at Winay Wayna, this will be your first chance to wash your hands with something other than hand sanitizer, and to (yikes!) look in the mirror. Then it's over to the train station for the trek back to Cusco. The train has a sky light, and boy are the seats comfortable!
