The ruined city is shrouded in wet fog. Magical places Peru. A tiny path leads to an extremely steap staircase. Above it gets lost in the fog. The mountain that overlook Macchu Pichu. A view into three valleys and up to distant horizons. Like on drugs or in deep meditation. Experience of infinity. Happiness. Fairytale place in mountains of fog. Exhausting, but every step is worth it.
This place is unique. It is very high on a plateau, surrounded by valleys and mountain peaks. I can imagine how the Incas continued their lives, while the Spaniards around them destroyed everything.
Adventurous journey
The journey is more than adventurous. The majestic view of a snow-capped peak – like the Kailash in the Andes. A tiny farm in a desert of stones. A narrow path carved into the rock, the wall on the left and nothing on the right. The road stops. In a tiny metal construction – I think later of a cigar box – we are pulled by a rope over a deep canyon. Along the river to a railway station. Aguas Calientes – somewhere surreal – our base camp.
Shortly after 4 a.m. It’s raining. Everything is in milky dense fog. Dark shadows of sugar-hat-like mountains.
The ruined city is still in the fog. As I look around, I discover some birds. Are these hummingbirds – green iridescent? Magical places Peru.
Magical Places Peru – A mountain still above Machu Picchu
I climb the mountain that is high above Machu Picchu. From a plateau, a narrow path goes down at first, almost back into the valley, into a completely different climate zone – rather tropical. It is exhausting and I only see dense milky fog. I am at the limit of my strength and I am working hard to climb – uphill. In Cusco, I had headaches and a strange feeling in my stomach. That still has an effect.
The vegetation changes from jungle to fewer and fewer plants until only grasses and herbs grow on the edge. The steps look different. Above, I hear distant voices. Don’t give up.
Finally, I am on a small natural platform. I made it. The view and feeling are great. Parts of mountains occasionally appear from the fog.
Then I realize that I’m not at the top yet. It goes further. I crawl through a slip in the rock and out again on the other side.
There is a tiny stony path that merges into an extremely high staircase. Steps in the shape and size of shoe boxes. They lead steeply upwards and get lost in the fog. As if the staircase never wants to end.
I climb and climb. Upstairs you can see terraces and a very lonely little stone building, the lookout for someone who could warn of uninvited guests, with a view into three valleys and up to distant horizons.
Magical Places Peru – The Great Goal
And still no end. I climb on a ladder. Here is finally the highest place and there stand and sit and smoke those who have made it.
I breathe deeply, the eyes get wet. It’s wonderful. This is heaven. The sun comes a little bit. Through the fog I see mountains. There are valleys and mountains all around. The view overwhelming. I’m high – like on drugs – or in deep meditation.
Experience of infinity. Happiness – bliss.
I wake up. My body is at the end. Wouldn’t be good to fall here and at the same time I don’t care.
I can’t enjoy the peak for a long time. Time is limited. The beginning of the descent is like a celestial ladder.
Down in the ruined city, the atmosphere is completely transformed. I climb there to the highest point again, the house of the guardian. Here, too, the view is magnificent, the view of mountains and a second valley system. The situation is really stunning. Fairytale place in mountains of fog. At the end of my performance. Magical places Peru.
