MACHU PICCHU IN HIGH HEELS
Machu Picchu In High Heels - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Machu Picchu In High Heels | |||||
| By: Ute Junker, Issue 31 – Winter 2007 | |||||
| (Machu Picchu, Peru) | |||||
| A VISIT TO MACHU PICCHU IS THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME - PARTICULARLY IF THERE’S PLENTY OF CHILLED CHAMPAGNE TO HAND. | |||||
| They say you should start as you mean to go on, which is why my expedition to Machu Picchu starts with a glass of champagne. The epic journey to the Incas’ mysterious mountain sanctuary – through the heart of the Sacred Valley, across ancient Incan battlegrounds, through green fields of barley and dense jungle, and past snowcapped mountain peaks – qualifies as a true trip of a lifetime. It seems somehow more than fitting to have a steady supply of first class champagne on hand the whole way. Not everyone is so lucky, of course. The first European to undertake the journey to Machu Picchu was American historian Hiram Bingham, who discovered the abandoned city in 1911. He travelled by mule train and, without the restorative benefits of nicely-chilled champagne, he apparently felt every arduous step. Asked to pinpoint its location, he terselydescribed it as “the most inaccessible corner of a hard-to-reach section of the central Andes.” His account of the city’s natural defences – “a stupendous canyon with granite rocks, and whose sheer precipes are frequently a thousand feet deep, presenting difficulties which daunt the most ambitious modern mountain climbers” – reveals the weariness of a man who has done it the hard way. Almost a hundred years later, a steady flow of intrepid pilgrims brave blisters, leeches and aching muscles to reach Machu Picchu via the equally-arduous Inca Trail. The Inca Trail may be wrapped in an air of romance but to my mind, it has two serious drawbacks. First, it is a taxing, four-day hike up (and down) countless flights of steps. Second, there’s a decided lack of bubbly beverages along the way. It was the in-transit champagne that decided me in favour of Hiram Bingham Express, but its other benefits quickly became apparent. First, it’s quick: the luxury train does the journey from Cusco in three and a half hours, rather than four days. Second, it’s comfortable: the elegant interiors and impeccable service bring to mind the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. Third, it allows plenty of opportunity to soak up the scenery, glean the finer details of Incan civilisation from one of the onboard guides, and savour the odd four-course meal. Your journey starts on the platform of Poroy Station outside Cusco, where you’re handed your first glass of champagne while being entertained by a colourful troupe of traditional dancers. Then it’s time to board the stately blue train, and the adventure starts to unfold. One of the reasons I love travelling by train is that it’s like watching a movie in your own private cinema. This particular movie, (it quickly becomes clear), has been filmed by an Oscar-winning cinematographer. Spectacular landscapes unfold as we travel downhill through the Pampa de Anta, a sweeping plain nestled under a patchwork quilt of quinoa, corn, potato and bean fields. The tranquillity of the plateau belies its bloody history as an ancient battlefield. This is where the great Inca Pachacutec reputedly defeated the rival Chanca tribe in battle, launching the Incan golden age. Our journey takes us past massive Incan farming terraces and through a deep gorge carved by the tumultuous Pomatales River as it tumbles downhill to meet the sacred Urubamba River. The valley is scattered with Incan ruins, including those at Ollantaytambo, a popular daytrip from Cusco. From here, the train travels through the Urubamba Gorge, where high walls of vegetation rise above the train, and where the tops of the cloud forest scrape the sky. The perfect place to view these changing landscapes is from the observation car, a glass-domed carriage where you can drink in the scenery while the band plays and a friendly barman keeps the drinks flowing. Even the serving of a threecourse brunch doesn’t interrupt the show: the elegant dining car’s large picture windows allow you to absorb the scenery while savouring delights including a tender minute roast of alpaca loin, served with an elderberry compote; a wonderfully light cannelloni of Swiss chard and Andean cheese; and a delectable dessert of caramelised baby banana pompenette, served with white chocolate and ginger sorbet. I’ve only just wiped the last trace of white chocolate from my lip when I find we’ve arrived at our final destination, the town of Aguas Calientes, which lies below the towering peaks that conceal Machu Picchu. From here, coaches ferry us up the steep switchback road to the citadel. The train’s leisurely pace means we arrive after the early-morning crowds have left, giving us the opportunity to explore the sacred city in peace. No other ancient city has a location that can compare with this. Perched on a narrow ridge surrounded by great cloudpiercing snowy peaks, Machu Picchu offers extraordinary views into the dense jungle valley that plunges thousands of feet down to the silver river. The sacred city itself, reserved for nobles and priests, boasts a selection of impressive temples, mausoleums and palaces to explore. The biggest surprise at Machu Picchu however, is the one I find just outside the gates. Until now, I’d thought the ultimate luxury was catching the Hiram Bingham to Machu Picchu. Now I find I’m wrong. The ultimate luxury is catching the Hiram Bingham to Machu Picchu, then staying at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. Located just minutes from the entrance to the complex, this intimate, 31-room hotel offers the ultimate way to experience Machu Picchu. From here, you can admire the ruins by moonlight, or watch the sun rise over the citadel. Its garden features an impressive selection of some of the 300 orchid species native to the area. Guests can also enjoy a number of hikes through the stunning mountain landscape leading to the Sun Gate, the Temple of the Moon, or down to the thermal baths at Aguas Calientes. If that sounds too energetic, you can just soak up the view from the grounds instead – the panoramic view rooms in particular offer picture-postcard aspects. I’ll have to save that experience for next time. However, I still have another delight in store – the return trip to Cusco. After our arduous exploration of the ruins, we’re greeted back onboard with a well-deserved Pisco sour. As the train wends its way back to Cusco, we work our way through a leisurely four-course dinner, which includes pumpkin cream soup with star anise and crayfish, and salmon trout fillet with caviar and green asparagus in a champagne sauce. Just what an intrepid explorer needs after a day spent amid the ancient stones. However you choose to travel to Machu Picchu, your journey will either start or finish at Cusco, the Andean capital that is a melting pot of Spanish colonial and Incan influences. The best way to experience this unique melange is to book in at the luxurious Hotel Monasterio, a 16th-century Spanish seminary erected on the site of an Incan palace. Built around a series of tranquil courtyards, the heritage-listed building retains an impressive number of original features, including double storeyed colonnaded arches, massive stone walls, and imposing doors. Its central location on the Plazoleta Nazarenas means all of Cusco’s major attractions are within easy reach: indeed, some of those attractions are within the hotel itself. The magnificent Chapel of San Antonio Abad, with its startling gold altar, ornately carved wooden pulpit, and detailed illustrations of the temptation of St Anthony, is one of the most elaborate shrines in town. The hotel is also home to an impressive array of original colonial paintings (guided tours can be organised). Luxe List Hiram Bingham Express: A return trip from Poroy to Machu Picchu starts from US$535, www.orient-express.com, hirambinghamreservations@ perurail.com. Bookings: +51 84 238 722 ext 318, 319 or 320 Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge: Prices for 2007 start from US$715 for a patio room, to US$1165 for a suite, www.orient-express.com, | |||||
| res-mapi@peruorientexpress.com.pe. Details: + 51 1 610 4000. Hotel Monasterio: Calle Palacios 136, Plazoleta Nazarenas, Cusco, Peru Prices for 2007 start from US$470 for a deluxe room, to US $1240 for a royal suite, www.orient-express.com, | |||||
| info@peruorientexpress.com.pe. Details: + 51 1 610 4000.. | |||||
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