Machu Picchu

Rhett is home from his very memorable trip up into the mountains to Cusco and Machu Picchu. As I mentioned before the altitude in Cusco is nearly 11,000 ft and that is no good for little buns in the oven (and a really good way to meet your baby early) so the kids and I stayed behind at home in Lima while Rhett went to see one of the seven wonders of the world. He was there for several days studing high altitude medicine and doing rounds at the hospital in Cusco. Here is a view of the city of Cusco . . .

Machu Picchu is actually at a lower elevation than Cusco. It is a pretty good distance away via bus and train so at 3:30 AM they boarded a small taxi bus that took them to a train station where they headed down to Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail is actually closed during the month of February which turned out working to their advantage since it meant a lot less backpackers trying to get one of the few hundred spots available each day to get in. They hiked up to the top of the mountain (sorry don't know the name but I'll try to find out and revise it later) and had a beautiful vantage point down onto the ruins. This is what they saw as the clouds broke from where they were waiting . . .


That peak behind Rhett is what they climbed earlier and from where the other pictures were taken looking down onto the ruins. Obviously this was no trip for me pregnant or the kids at all so it was a good thing we stayed behind. Rhett is planning a return trip when he and the kids can hike the Inca Trail together (I wasn't mentioned in his future plans - perhaps I'll just meet them there and skip the whole hiking part :)

He said it was beautiful and amazing . . . obviously. A very cool place that a lot of people want to go and never get to so for that he is very thankful. It was good to see that little adventurous spark back in his eyes from days gone by. I know it can be tough for guys to be in a mundane rut of work and home and they (at least my husband) really needs to get out and stretch his wings outside with a little adventure every once and a while. He has a little lighter step this week and I'm happy to see him so refreshed.