The magic of some places - Cusco, Inca-Trail, Machu Picchu

Hola mis amigos!
To begin with something strange but true: In this part of my trip it was the first time that i liked the places itself much more than all the people around me or living there... I felt the magic of the area, but the culture of many people living there seemed to be destroyed by tourism and its followers. For example, almost everyone wanted money: For a photo of his house, for using the toilet, for entering nature in a public area...
Arriving in Cusco the Dutch guy and I shared a taxi with a french couple. Another guy entered the trunk as a passenger. I watched him, just in case he would steal something. He didn't. But he and the taxi driver may have had a deal, because first we drove to a hostel where this guy worked! How pushy is that!!! That's what I didn't like about people there...
Of course I didn't stay in this hostel. We choose another one close by but more expensive. But as it was off-season I could bargain a quite good price for myself, as usually I always was alone in a room for more people.
Cusco itself is a beautiful city! Former capital of the inca imperial, with nice buildings of the Spanish conquerors later. (2 photos)
I also did a free guided walking tour there and learned some more about the history and the art of making and drinking a good Pisco :)
Also I ate good and cheap at the market, like the locals do. The tourists restaurants charge you 6 times the price for the same portion of food and it is not even more tasty. Just appeared strange what things they really sell there on the market (photo).
The other day i wanted to leave this over-touristical place. I asked for the most untouristical ruins in the area. So I went to Pumamarca, outside of the city. I only saw locals, farmers and a hand full of archeologists working there. And nobody wanted money, i only spent 1,40 soles for the local bus. Well, there was not much to see but nice nature and a bit old walls. But it felt good. And as I crossed a river in a valley by foot and was walking through the bushes I was sure, that never before a european foot has walked this place... (1 photo)
Back in Cusco I went to some travel agencies for finding the cheapest way to walk the historical Inca trail in 4 daysto reach Machu Picchu. I wanted to walk this trail because some people told my hiw amazing it is. Problem: because of the regulations it is really expensive, you can't walk alone (have to join a tour). In the agencies I tried to get hired as a translator (with 5 spoken languages should be possible) or porter (for carrying the stuff of other tourists). But also for this you need to be registered... so I paid. Incredible 330 €. Even though the lady in the agency seemed nice, I got wrong informations to my directly asked questions...
It is always depending on what you want to do, but I would not do this trail a second time, because it is just too expensive. There are other nice trails for less costs.
Nevertheless the Inca trail was really nice. We saw some other ruins as well (2 photos). The first day it was just strange to see the village people selling things to travelers in their small shops (1photo).
Gecampt haben wir die erste Nacht im Hof einer Familie in einem kleinen Dorf. (Photo eines Hof-Teils)
The thing incredible good was the food! Our cook made really delicious things for us (photo) although it was not always enough for my big hunger...
After the oficial part of our first day of hiking I went up alone a nearby mountain. On the way up i found 2 small beautiful cemeteries. And on my way back down a farmer asked me if I couldn't help him getting his horses down to the valley - of course I could help :) (photo).
Everybody already recognized the first day that I walked pretty fast. Luckily I didn't have any problems with the altitude. Just had to walk more slowly than usual. But the second day I kind of broke some nowhere-written records. It was going straight up and steep down again. I walked this day on my own in my fast pace in 3,5 hours with a break of 45 minutes for washing and drying my sweaty shirt. Usually people need 7 hours in average. I was called Miguel 'Speedy Gonzales', the fastest tourist on the trail... this is also why I bonded more with our porters. Because mostly I arrived early with them at the camp and helped building up the tents or just talked to them... (picture of the porters).
At the morning of the 4th day (after getting up at 3:30 and walking for almost 1,5 hours we all were at the sun gate and saw a first dusty glimps of Machu Picchu (3 pictures).
As i did not wanted to go with the crowds I decided to hike up Machu Picchu mountain first. At the entrance I was told that I should have bought a ticket before in the internet. Well i was told i could buy it there... The nice guy at the entrance told me, we could solve this problem 'in between us'. 25 Soles later (the actual entrance money - which never reached the oficial money box) I was the first and only one on my way up. (2 pictures). Up there I had to dry my clothes (2 pictures). I was the only one up there for about 2 hours. So I had enough time for myself, enjoying the beauty of God's nature in silence. It was very cloudy and as I was above the clouds I only saw Maccu Picchu for some seconds through the clouds (picture with Fred). And there were also some Colibris around.
Back down I entered the M.P. area. Amd the Lamas there really liked me (photo). I joined a random tour with their guide and learned something about the inca and their lifestyle. At 2 or 3 already most of the tourists left and I could enjoy the beauty and magic of this place more by myself. (4 pictures)
After a long day I walked down to the village, took the train and then the bus back to Cusco. Tired I arrived and fell into my bed. The next day (and night) I traveled to my final destination of these 5 month: Lima...
I will tell you more about that in my next post... for now I have to sleep.
If I don't write it in time or you don't read it:
FELIZ NAVIDAD! Para todos! Que la mensaje del amor viene a todos sus corazones...
До встречи мой друзей!