May 13- Second Macchu Picchu Hike

We did a longer hike today: 3.5 miles, 400-foot elevation gain.  Bel gave us a choice between two hikes and this was the longer one.  We all agreed on that one.  This was a really good group- friendly, curious, easygoing and we pretty much agreed on everything.  We saw the other side of the mountain and between the two days we covered about 80% of Macchu Picchu.  It was a beautiful morning.  It rained last night and if it had been rainy this morning I would have been tempted to cancel.  I don’t do well when cold and wet.

That very thin trail starting about 1/3 of the way up on the left side is the Inca Bridge.  No, we did NOT walk it.

It's just hard to stop taking pictures!

And sometimes it's the random occurrences that really make the trip.  My sneakers (the only pair I'd brought) started to separate at the toe- a definite tripping hazard.  Our guide knew where to find this man who repaired both- scraping away the old adhesive, putting in new, clamping it for 10 minutes and then applying heat.  He charged me $2.50 and the guide kept up a conversation with him about his work, translating for me.  I'll bet those sneakers will stay together forever.

Below, contemporary sculptures in various areas of the town representing Inca figures.

My favorite- Pachamama, the Earth Mother.

After all the hiking I took a short nap- and then went out again because it was too darn nice to stay in!  I bought a T-shirt (which I never do) and a refrigerator magnet.  Problem is, the main streets are hills so walking uphill is inevitable.  Lots of people outside restaurants telling me about their food and women offering massages.  This is legitimate; the guide recommended a place nearby and one guy in the group went for a massage and a facial and said they were great.  I’ve had massages- nice but not life-changing.  My muscles and joints aren’t bothering me at all- a pleasant surprise.

It was so good to have two days to explore Macchu Picchu.  

This has been a magnificent trip so far and I haven’t seen the Galapagos!