Once in a lifetime ...

Admittedly, I was a little overwhelmed by my trip to Machu Picchu (or is it Machupicchu? -- some of the locals insist it's one word).  First, there was an 11-hour, overnight bus ride from Arequipa to Cusco. Then you immediately jump into a cab to catch a mini-van that takes you on a 90-minute ride to Ollantaytambo. From there, it's a 90-minute train ride along the Urubamba River to the village of Machu Picchu. Finally, you catch a bus for a 15-minute ride up to The Lost City. A little bit of a whirlwind, but necessary since I'm on a schedule and budget. It was raining pretty steadily the entire way, and the rain didn't let up when I toured Machu Picchu. I opted to go solo (no guide), and as a result, I would probably like to make another trip. I checked maps and had a good idea of where to go and what to see, but a slight detour can lead to some serious and strenuous up-and-down climbing and wandering. My fitness is fine, and the sheer adrenalin rush of seeing Michu Picchu took care of any fatigue from the travel and lack of sleep. (The next day I was a mess.) The setting for Machu Picchu really is awe-inspiring. It's over 7,000 feet up, and you're walking among the clouds and seeing scenery like no other. And knowing you're wandering one of the seven wonders of the world, it's difficult to describe the sensation. The ruins of Machu Picchu aren't that expansive, really, but I spent about four hours looking at the temples, the houses, the plumbing (which is really cool), the agricultural terraces, and, of course, the stunning scenery. I won't bore you with any history lessons: First, I admit I don't know all the history, and second, you can just go look that stuff up on the Internet. I will say, however, that pictures and books are no match for the incredible experience of being there and walking among the ruins (duh!). At first I thought one trip was enough, but upon reflection, I definitely will return to Machu Picchu if I come back to teach in Arequipa. My computer is working at Peruvian speed these days, but I'll try to upload as many pictures as possible. The next day I wandered Cusco, which is an up-and-down experience on a couple of levels. Every street seems to go straight up, and walking is quite the workout. (Again, no guide.) Plus, Cusco sits at 11,200 feet. Luckily I brought altitude pills and drank coca tea. The center of the city has a beautiful Plaza de Armas like Arequipa, and it is understandably very touristy. There's more pizza parlors in Cusco than in Little Italy. Prices are geared to the gringo, and naturally there's no shortage of gringos. The vibe is hippie meets hipster meets hustler. You can't sit in the plaza without being hounded, and I mean hounded, by kids and adults wanting to shine your shoes, sell you a trinket or a pack of Inca cigarettes, or size you up to steal your stuff. I understand it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Supposedly, hard sell is illegal in the plaza, but no one pays attention. I'll take Arequipa any day. There are many other ruins in the area, and the Sacred Valley is highly recommended, but I settled for Machu Picchu and Cusco. Next time ... perhaps I'll have a little more money and time. Changing topics: Christmas in Arequipa is nice: fireworks and food prevail over the the pressure of getting presents. I hear New Year's is the same -- more fireworks and food. I miss my family immensely these days, but otherwise I have no real holiday blues away from home. I'm a Thanksgiving guy, anyway.  I have one more month of teaching -- 39 hours of class time a week, which is quite a bit -- and then it's back to the U.S. I'm nervous about that since I don't have any firm job prospects, but who cares? I'll jump off that bridge when I get to it. I've said it before, but for me it bears repeating: I'll really miss the students here.