If you do not do the trail to Machu Picchu your only option in a short span of time is a train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is a small town also knows as El Pueblo de Macchu Picchu. This town is beautiful , nestled in the valley of huge sacred mountains and next to a river full of minerals which are famous for the hot springs. The greens are realllly green and the blue is in contrast very blue.
The town is also ridiculously expensive. Everything is 4-5 times the amount it should be. We also found that not allot was very authentic here. This town has developed and grown like allot of places near popular tourist sites... off of tourism. Our experience here reminded us of our role. These people were probably farmers, or atleast subsisting in some way off the land untill it became impossible for them to compete with corporations.
The train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes you see sooo many families living practically a few feet from the train tracks. Some of the children and even family members come out to wave at the people on this overpriced train ride while they live in adobe huts and thier cattle are having to be pushed and harassed by dogs so they wont end up getting run over. I found this very sad.
When you go to Macchu Picchu please be aware that you are supporting a business that is not just helping a few of the Andean Indians that can proffit off of you, but you are also playing a role in the business of displacment.
Macchu Picchu was breathtaking.... a dream of dreams... a place I could never grasp and still cant grasp even though I have seen it. Yet I see hords of tourists ( the controlled maximum at 400 a day) walking around leaving thier plastic water bottles and gatorade bottles around like it was thier own city corner. Our hearts dropped when we saw this and we had to pick up the trash to feel better but knowing that there would be soo much more from so many more careless, selfish, ignorant tourists who don´t give a rats ass they are walking on a historical and sacred ground that has lost the fight in so many ways that even in its preservation it is slowly dieing.
The town is also ridiculously expensive. Everything is 4-5 times the amount it should be. We also found that not allot was very authentic here. This town has developed and grown like allot of places near popular tourist sites... off of tourism. Our experience here reminded us of our role. These people were probably farmers, or atleast subsisting in some way off the land untill it became impossible for them to compete with corporations.
The train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes you see sooo many families living practically a few feet from the train tracks. Some of the children and even family members come out to wave at the people on this overpriced train ride while they live in adobe huts and thier cattle are having to be pushed and harassed by dogs so they wont end up getting run over. I found this very sad.
When you go to Macchu Picchu please be aware that you are supporting a business that is not just helping a few of the Andean Indians that can proffit off of you, but you are also playing a role in the business of displacment.
Macchu Picchu was breathtaking.... a dream of dreams... a place I could never grasp and still cant grasp even though I have seen it. Yet I see hords of tourists ( the controlled maximum at 400 a day) walking around leaving thier plastic water bottles and gatorade bottles around like it was thier own city corner. Our hearts dropped when we saw this and we had to pick up the trash to feel better but knowing that there would be soo much more from so many more careless, selfish, ignorant tourists who don´t give a rats ass they are walking on a historical and sacred ground that has lost the fight in so many ways that even in its preservation it is slowly dieing.
1 comment:
You're doing a great job documenting your experiences. It's disgusting how people can visit a foreign land and disrespect it.
Keep up what you're doing, and continue to rase awareness.
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