Machu Picchu - one of the seven world wonders?

A little more then 2,200 years after the ancient Seven Wonders of the World were declared in 200 B.C. by a single man, Philon of Byzantium in Athens, more than 100 million votes from people from every corner and country in the world, elected the official new Seven Wonders of the World: on July 7th, 2007 the results have been officially announced in Lisbon and Machu Picchu has been declared one of the "New 7 Wonders".(http://www.new7wonders.com/classic/en/n7w/results/c/MachuPicchu/ ).

So ever since I started planning my trip I was excited about going to Machu Picchu - and also curious if it deserved the title "Wonder of the World".

On Sunday morning I got up at 4:45am to take the first train from Ollantaytambo at 5:30am to Cusco. I set my alarm clock and even left the light on not to oversleep as the train tickets are not refundable and 30USD ist quite some money in a poor backpackers budget! I shouldn´t have worried about oversleeping as the whole hostel seemed to get up at around 4:30 to get the train. From the little Plaza I took a motortaxi. The 10min. ride over cobble stone streets had the same effect as taking the famous-notorious Ayahuasca tea - hallucinations and heavy vomiting but at least I made it to the station in time to buy some hot coca tea and take some pictures.

I boarded the train and guess who had reserved the seat next to me? A blond guy whom I had met the night before in Ollantaytambo in search of a cheap hostel. He was looking for a hostel closer to the train station so he didn´t stayed in the one I did. I thought that he was French by the way he acted and most propably gay - but very nice! Funny coincidence we ended up sitting next to each other on the train! And, other coincidence - he was Brazilian - the second Brazilian I met on my way from Cusco to Machu Picchu - must have been a sign ;-)! We both enjoyed speaking Portuguese, especially as it was so early in the day. We chatted a lot about traveling and he told me he wanted to go to... Scotland! Why Scotland? Because of Nessy, "o monstro da lagoa" ;-) In Aguas Calientes he went in search of his friend (boyfriend?) and I bought some breakfast in the market and queued up for the (expensive!) bus up to Machu Picchu. You can also hike the steep climb but as my toe was still inflamed I chose the bus - and when I later saw a German couple arriving at the entrance, sweating and puffing, very red in the face - I was happy that I had taken the bus.

The entrance to Machu Picchu is very well organized and well commercialized - public bathroom, baggage storage, overpriced cafeteria, restaurant, a shop with high quality - and high priced - Alpaca clothing...

I left my backpack in the storage, changed in the bathroom, because it was already getting very hot and took off to explore one of the New Seven Wonders of the World! I wanted to go without guide but then gave in to Berta, a 29 year old guide from Cusco. She seemed sweet and serious (not like most of the male guides - horrible show-offs and first-class gringo hunters!) and we agreed on a decent price for the whole circuit. We went through the entrance gate without problems - yes, they accepted my expired German student card, yippieh - and I got my first view on Machu Picchu - amazing! The view from the entrance is exactly like on the postcards - just a bit steeper and smaller! The stone buildings, houses and temples are interesting - but the really beauty is the setting!

Unfortunately my guide Berta soon switched on her "automatic guide modus", guess I would have been better off with my iPod and an audio book on Machu Picchu! She didn´t tell me anything that I didn´t knew before and always managed to escape my questions - it was very tiring! At least she offered to take pictures of me, which I otherwise wouldn´t have had, traveling alone... Anyhow, I was pretty relieved when the "tour" was over and I had time to explore the ruins by myself. I sat down on some unfinished stone walls and read a bit in my "Machu Picchu" book by Hiram Bingham who discovered and whom most Peruvians hate, claiming he didn´t discover it but stole most valuable objects, especially gold... I guess the truth lies somewhere inbetween. If not for him, Machu Picchu might still be "lost" and Peru would be lacking its major tourist attraction. But on the other hand I do understand that Peruvians are pissed that the objects found in Machu Picchu are now in some museum in the US and not in Peru.

The ruins where so crowded and the sun was getting very hot that I took refuge to the path leading to the "Inca Bridge". The path is quiet and shadowy and full of orchids, birds, bromelias and the view over the Urubamba valley is stunning! Unfortunately when I arrived at the bridge there where two German guys enthusiastically explaining the use of anti-avalanche-backpacks to a red faced Englishmen - terminado el camino tranquilo ;-)

So, Machu Picchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World? Maybe... to me, the ruins where interesting but the real beauty lays in the setting, in the steep hills, dark valleys, lush green cloud forest... As a man-made Wonder of the World I´d rather chose the Louvre or the Sixtian chapel, but yes, the prices at the cafeteria at the entrada definately are a Wonder of the World ;-) - 5 soles for a coffee and 15 for an empanada! (For comparison: a full menu in a veggie restaurant in in Cusco near Plaza de Armas is at 4-6 soles ;-)) It´s all about marketing, isn´t it?

And visiting Machu Picchu definately proved to be an excellent possibility to study the different nationalities...
My Germans compatriots: communicative as ever ;-) Example: three girls, maybe 20-25 years old, experimenting with a tripod and delayed-action shutter release instead of asking someone to take their foto!!! And that in Machu Picchu - population density of about 6 tourists per square meter ;-) I took pity in them and offered to take their picture. At first they where very reluctant but then agreed and even managed to say a polite thank you.
The French: francocentric as ever ;-) A 60ish French guy asked me to take a picture of him and his wife, "Pourriez vous prendre un foto de nous, sil vous plait?". Of course I did and he gave orders in French on what should be on the picture and what not. And he was not the least surprised that I did understand and even replied in French! Guess they expect the whole world to speak French, bien sur!

The British and American, polite and funny... the British getting rosy cheeks first from the sun and later on the in the train from the beer. They where the only ones who ordered beer on the overpriced train! (The Germans looked longingly but as usual where to stingy ;-)).

The Japanese: always in groups, some with matching hats, taking pictures of the llamas and chatting and smiling :-) Very easy to satisfy! And of course they are very efficient - after half an hour they where gone again!

The return of the Inca? No, this was a Japanese tourist in full-blown Peruvian outfit ;-)

Before taking the train back to Cusco at 5pm I wandered a bit around Aguas Calientes, drinking one halfway decent but cold espresso and a better "americano", eating corncob and browsing the craft shops... Aguas Calientes definately is touristic - can´t think of a place more touristic, but it is nice. Now that there aren´t so many tourists the restaurants and shops are pretty deserted and people have time to chat... it´s definately not as bad as the Lonely Planet says ;-)

The train ride back was nice and relaxing... I sat next to a Peruvian family from Lima who ofeered to share their cheese sandwhiches and many travel tips with me! After about one hour we all fell asleep and only woke up at one station about one hour from Cusco where a bus was waiting to take the impatient once back to Cusco in 15min. I followed the Peruvian family and we arrived in Cusco just in time to buy backpack before the shops closed!

A long day - definately worth the hassle - but Wonder of the World? I guess I have to see the other candidats to compare ;-)