The train rides to and from Machu Picchu

 

The train station from Cusco to Machu Picchu is located 30 minutes outside of Cusco. We took a taxi early in the morning, after spending the previous night re-arranging our bags. The train only takes carry on size luggage, so we left our big bags at the hostel and headed out to the train station. The cab ride took us through Cusco...through the the less touristy areas. It was garbage day and there were piles of garbage and packs on dogs on the garbage piles...it was disturbing to see. Mateo spoke about it some on a video in an earlier post. 

We arrived at the station with plenty of time. The station was beautiful. And the train company, Peru Rail, runs an efficient ship, or train, I suppose. The employees were all sharply dressed in their red uniforms and there seemed to be a sense of luxury adn pride in the station adn emanating from the employees. 

We are dressed here for Cusco early morning - chilly. 

 The train cars were beautiful, with full dining service. We passed into the outskirts of the country and we able to take it all in because of the windows in the walls and ceiling. The boys remarked it was lovely, but no wifi. 

 We passed several historic sites and interesting places on our trip, the speaker would come on and explain some of them. We were heading out of the mountains and would drop more than 2000 feet in elevation before we reached Machu Picchu.

These structures are the Sky Hotels located 300 hundred of feet up a cliff. The only way to get there is to climb the mountain to stay the night. 

During our train ride we also saw hikers on the Inca trail...so glad we could just wave at them as we sped by. 

The country side is full of long-gone-by-Inca sites. Here are some terraces left over from Inca days. 

We eventually made it to the Cloud forest region closer to Machu Picchu. The ride was comfortable and beautiful. It took roughly three hours to get to our destination. 

On our way back to Cusco, we left at 5PM and so were in the dark most of the ride back. The Peru Rail staff kept us entertained with folklore and a fashion show. The fashion show had the staff model Alpaca fashions...that were lovely. We only bought a few things....

We reached Cusco by 8:30PM, and took a taxi back to the hostel. While searching for a taxi driver, we learned that a woman had been hit by a car (the second accident we knew of today) and lost her leg. Not nice.  Another reminder that here in this place one has to be aware of his environment...and know his place in it...

One more sleep until we head to the airport to fly to Puerto Maldonado and then onward to the Rainforest.