Travellive 7 - 2018

Closing my eyes and letting my
imagination flow with the wind - I found
myself fortunate enough to be immersed
in such a wonderful ancient place on a
rare beautiful sunny day....
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Taking us through the residence of
Emperor Pachacuti, this little man
guided us through the living room,
the bedroom, the toilet and the
archaeological area presumed to be
the dining room, insisting that it was
a small garden. Through each stone
door he pointed us to the direction
of the rain and sunlight throughout
the seasons of the year to showcase
the sophistication and intelligence of
the ancient Inca. We could hear the
pride in his voice when he declared
that the ancient Inca Empire was the
largest empire in the world, spanning
six South American countries, noting
that it was even larger than the Roman
Empire.
EMOTIONS FOR THE INCA EMPIRE AND
MACHU PICCHU
Machu Picchu is not
as majestic as I had
imagined, but the integrity
of the site is admirable.
We had a chance to tour
the area drainage system, the water
supply network for the terraced fields
flowing from an ever-running stream,
the amazing staggered stone walls and
the intricate Inca trail system that ran
through the entire Inca Empire.
Our guide continually repeated that
good fortune was upon us. According
to him, November through April is
the season of heavy rains; to have
a beautiful sunny day was quite
fortunate, even in the dry season. We
followed the footsteps of our guide
so passionately that we forgot to take
pictures. Our minds were stuck on
questions such as "Why do the seven
windows of the temple represent the
TRAVELLIVE
seven rainbow colors?", "Why do the
temple walls of the mountain have so
many engravings?" and "Why is this
wall compared to the mourning wall
of Jerusalem?".
Pisnou said Machu Picchu may not
be as ancient as other world heritage
sites but it is full of many mysteries
that have puzzled scientists for many
years. Machu Picchu's place in the
history of the world is quite unique; it
contains a civilization that coincides
with the ancient Egyptian period, the
relationship it holds with Huayna
Picchu, and the many questions
it contains concerning ancient
intelligence.
Each entry ticket to the heritage site
allows two visits, so after the guide
had left, we returned to the entrance
and climbed up the Sun Gate just
before the closing hour where we
contemplated the far off Inca Bridge
and took pictures of the lovely llamas
against the backdrop of the ancient
Incan ruins.
The short time from dawn to dusk
brought us many emotions to ponder
over. Resting on the stone Incan
house with the thatched-roof, we
found ourselves talking to an old
Australian couple who had to take
cardiac medicine to climb here while
we watched sunset drop over the rows
of food stalls and the far off terraced
fields. Looking at the mountain range,
I felt as if I saw a man's face looking at
the sky within it.
Closing my eyes and letting my
imagination flow with the wind - I
found myself fortunate enough to be
immersed in such a wonderful ancient
place on a rare beautiful sunny day...
I am just over 30 and have no need
for cardiac medicine. However, I do
have a little bit of regret for failing to
go trekking on the legendary road,
though my trip was compensated
by the emotional train ride to this
amazing place.
The regret of one who knows that
time is flying... and one of her most
wonderful days of a lifetime is about
to come to an end...
Journeys
‣ Currently there are many airlines operating
flights departing from Vietnam to Lima (capital of
Peru): All Nippon Airlines (ANA), Qatar Airways,
Asiana Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air,
United Airlines, Delta Airlines... If you plan to
depart from Hanoi, ANA is a great choice, and if
you depart from Saigon, Qatar Airways is an ideal
choice.
Best time to visit
‣ You should travel to Peru between May
and August. The weather is quite cool; the
temperature is not too high during the day and
not too low at night. Most importantly, you will
not be bothered by the rain.
Transports
‣ You can travel to other destinations in
Peru by bus, taxi, rental car or on foot. My
recommendation is by bus due to the ease of
the bus system here. Moreover, the low cost
and convenience make it incredibly easy to reach
interesting destinations in Peru.
Cuisine
‣ Peruvian cuisine is quite diverse and varied;
products such as potatoes and corn are the
main ingredients creating delicious, appealing
dishes. The coast of Peru is well-known for its
seafood, including Ceviche Salad. A few must-try
dishes: Pachamanca soup, grilled meat brochette
(Anticuchos)... or other famous Peruvian beverages
such as Caliente White Rum, Coca Tea, Matä de
Coca, Chicha de jora corn beer, fresh juices and
Cafe Pasado.
Experiences not to be missed
‣ Ancient city: Inca culture center: Machu Picchu,
Cusco and the valley between the Sacred desert,
Lake Titicaca (lake on the Andes range), Piura,
home to the most beautiful beaches in Peru and
hometown of "The Old Man and the Sea", the
small beautiful city on the Andes- Chachapoyas
range, the White City of Arequipa, the Colca
Canyon, the Amazon river, the Oxapampa and
Huacachina villages, the Presidential Palace of Peru
and the Santo Domingo church.