Congratulations to Cari, a 6th grade student from a middle school in northern Utah! Cari won $100.00 in the Kylie Klein Writing Competition for her essay on England. This essay accidentally ended up in the 9th grade pile and Cari nearly won the 9th grade essay competition as well. Please, congratulate Cari on her winning essay!
Where in the World I Would Like to Visit
If I could visit anywhere in the world, it would be England. On a north European isle it lays, shrouded in mystery, dotted with castles, and laced with historical intrigue. In England's golden age, it was the jewel of Europe. Its vast empire stretched across more than eight countries from coast to coast!
I would like to visit England because of the mysteries that have not yet been solved, like Stonehenge. The great pillars of stone are like a jigsaw puzzle with no picture. Even the most advanced historians and technology can't figure it out!
Along with Stonehenge, I'd love to see some castles: the ancient homes of royalty, some of which are at least as intricate as the Old Catholic cathedrals. Tall and majestic, they rise like mountains. Can't you see it? The banners dance to a wind off the sea, the mist surrounds the towers like a scene from a fairy tale, and white clouds overhead begin crying softly. I would love that.
England is historically important or notable because of the Kings and Queens of England. For example, Queen Elizabeth I is one of the most beloved Queens that England has ever known. The "Virgin Queen," they called her. She lived in the 1500s when men were considered the stronger of the two sexes. Although many people believed women were weak, Elizabeth was such a good ruler that her reign was later called the Elizabethan Age.
Her father, King Henry VIII, was considered a tyrant. King Henry VIII married six times and only his third wife was allowed to live all her days with him in peace. Most likely it was because she bore (and died giving birth) to his only son, Edward VI. Edward only lived to age sixteen, he died of tuberculosis. In short, many of the English royalty didn't lead very happy (or long) lives.
"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore are thou Romeo?" is a quote from William Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo and Juliet. Did you know that Shakespeare was also from England? He is considered to be one of the most famous play writers in the world. He wrote a total of thirty-seven plays and one-hundred-fifty-four sonnets! Shakespeare left a huge mark on history.
When arriving in England, the first thing I would do is find my hotel and lose myself in a dream. The flight from Utah to England is thirteen hours long! After resting and eating, I would visit an old castle from the 1300s and on my way there, I would wish for rain. After visiting the castle, I would make my way to Stonehenge.
Later, I would visit Jane Austen's house and enjoy the peace I found there. Jane Austen, as you probably know, was a famous realistic fiction author who lived from the 1700s to 1800s. Some of her more popular books are Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility.
England has long been favored with talented authors. Jane Austen isn't the only English author who has left her mark on history. Some other famed novelists include J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), A.A. Milne (Winnie the Pooh), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia).
(Kylie breaking in here...After reading this part of Cari's article,I'm wondering if I should follow the example of all the famous English writers and go by my initials.... K.K.Klein? No, no, that is a terrible idea. Sorry Cari, back to your well-written essay.)
England in the 1800s is one of my absolute favorite time periods. It was when men were gentlemen and women were properly educated and did not believe in slurping, burping or making other disgusting noises.
The next day I would go to Westminster to see the cathedral Westminster Abbey. I would be utterly amazed as I stared at the gothic architecture, the meticulously carved statues, windows and walls. After visiting the graves of the famous Kings and Queens of England, I would tour Westminster Palace, then the Westminster tower clock, commonly known as Big Ben. Tic-Toc! Big Ben's hands turn tirelessly and at the beginning of each hour, he sings!
Later I would visit the famed Buckingham Palace where Queen Elizabeth II currently resides. If I'm lucky, I might see the Queen, Prince Charles or one of his two sons, Prince William or Prince Henry!
Outside the palace, uniformed guards stand at attention. The guards stand there all day, doing nothing but looking forward. They don't even acknowledge your presence!
At lunchtime, I would try some English cuisine. Fish and chips anyone? Although I personally wouldn't drink it, tea-time is a daily custom. While the English drink their tea, they eat biscuits (cookies) and they chat. If there was one sweet in England I would have to try, it would be English Trifle (layered cake, pudding, cream and fruit.)
Exhausted after a long day in London, I would return to my hotel bed and fall asleep the moment I hit the covers. Inside my head a tiny voice would say, "I'm in England, finally!"
Nice job Cari. Your essay was well-researched and well-written. I read this essay right after my own trip to London was canceled (because of the spewing volcano in Iceland), and this Cari reminded me of all the fun I would have had in London. Cari, save your money and try to do a study abroad in college for a semester. I'm sure you would have all these experiences and more.
Again, congratulations to Cari! I hope you enter the competition again next year.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Winners of the Kylie Klein Writing Competition
In addition to my weekly blog, over the next four or five weeks I will be posting the winning essays from the 2010 Kylie Klein Writing Competition. Prepare to be amazed by how talented our Utah 6th through 9th graders are! I will try to post a winning entry every day, but because of the nature of my job (and my life!!!!) this may not always be possible. The winners will be watching both my blog and my Facebook, so please comment on their work, especially if you have been (or want to go) to their city of choice.
The subject this year was, "If I could visit anywhere in the world it would be...."
The first place winners all received $100.00, not bad for a three page essay. I only included Utah in the 2010 competition, however for 2011 I plan to include students from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee and in 2012 I plan to open the Kylie Klein Writing Competition to the entire United States.
(If any of you own a business and are looking for a worthwhile charitable donation, please consider the 2011 Kylie Klein Writing Competition. It is my goal to award $700 in prize money to each participating state, so I need to raise $8400 by next January. I have NO DOUBT I can do it!!!! I appreciate your support, even if it's just a good-luck-with-that email.)
But back to what is important, which is encouraging good writing and education! We need to encourage our youth to stay in school (and stay off drugs) and to learn to write intelligently and passionately. I've noticed that adults with good writing skills, backed by an education seem to have an easier time with life. Although I am not a teacher, I am trying to do my part to encourage students across American (and maybe one day across the globe) to learn these valuable skills that will help them excel in life.
I hope you enjoy these essays as much as I did. And please, take a moment to post your comments. I'm sure the winning students would appreciate your support.
The subject this year was, "If I could visit anywhere in the world it would be...."
The first place winners all received $100.00, not bad for a three page essay. I only included Utah in the 2010 competition, however for 2011 I plan to include students from Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee and in 2012 I plan to open the Kylie Klein Writing Competition to the entire United States.
(If any of you own a business and are looking for a worthwhile charitable donation, please consider the 2011 Kylie Klein Writing Competition. It is my goal to award $700 in prize money to each participating state, so I need to raise $8400 by next January. I have NO DOUBT I can do it!!!! I appreciate your support, even if it's just a good-luck-with-that email.)
But back to what is important, which is encouraging good writing and education! We need to encourage our youth to stay in school (and stay off drugs) and to learn to write intelligently and passionately. I've noticed that adults with good writing skills, backed by an education seem to have an easier time with life. Although I am not a teacher, I am trying to do my part to encourage students across American (and maybe one day across the globe) to learn these valuable skills that will help them excel in life.
I hope you enjoy these essays as much as I did. And please, take a moment to post your comments. I'm sure the winning students would appreciate your support.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Machu Picchu Part 2
Although the smell of insect repellent permeated our room, the roar of the river below our window lulled me to sleep. Before we turned the lights out for the night, I watched in horror as huge mosquito-like insects continuously bumped into the lamps which dimly lit our room. Fortunately we had read several horror stories about Machu Picchu visitors who woke up with huge, itchy red splotches all over their bodies. Mitch and I were prepared, we had brought insect repellent with us. It wasn't the best smelling, but it kept us protected from bug bites.
The alarm went off at 6:30 and poor Mitch had the chore of patiently encouraging me to get out of bed and into the shower. I was absolutely against waking up, but after some prodding, Mitch was finally able to convince me that we should visit Machu Picchu; we had, after all, made an extraordinary effort to travel deep into the mountains of Peru.
There are two different options to get to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, you can either hike up, which takes about two hours, or you can take a bus ($14 round trip) which takes about fifteen minutes. The bus ride is on a tiny, winding road with sixteen switch backs and lots of long drops down. Mitch, who is a pilot, has a terrible fear of heights, so while I spent my time looking out the window admiring the view and taking pictures, he spent his time bravely looking forward. We held hands, it was sweet.
We made it to Machu Picchu without incident. We climbed off the bus, walked past locals residents who offer tours, handed over our tickets (and showed them our passports) and entered Machu Picchu. We climbed up a small hill and looked to our right. The view took my breath away. It had been such a long journey; we'd finally arrived.
Then the clouds rolled in, and we spent much of our day in Machu Picchu in a hazy, creepy, daze, often unable to see the gigantic mountains that surrounded us.
From a distance, Machu Picchu is an impressive, overwhelming ruin. Perched on top of a mountain, the view took my breath away. Initially I genuinely believed the Inka's were architectural geniuses. As Mitch and I wandered around the city, we were both amazed by the structure itself until, I asked Mitch the all important questions which altered our feelings about our entire trip:
“Hey Mitch, what year was Machu Picchu built?”
“1450.”
“B.C.?”
“No, A.D.”
“You mean like 500 years ago? Not 3500 years ago?”
“Yeah, 1450 AD.”
“As in 1500 years after the Colosseum?”
“Yeah,”
“As in 200 years before Versailles?”
“Yeah.”
“So this place is about as old as The Mona Lisa?”
“Sure.”
“So it was built when Henry the 8th was the King of England?”
“Um, I guess . . .”
“It's as old as the Louvre?”
“Yeah,”
“You know the Vatican was constructed in the early 1500's, right?”
“No, I didn't know that . . .”
“The Notre Dame in Paris was constructed in 1100 A.D.”
“Okay . . .”
“Christopher Columbus landed in America in 1492, that's when he sailed the ocean blue . . .”
“Kylie . . . “
“Mitch, the Inka's were way, way, way behind in their technology. This place is cool to look at, but you have to admit it's kind of archaic for something built as recently as 500 years ago. I know that the Inka's are considered excellent stone masons, but I'm having a hard time being amazed by this. I'm sorry.”
Silence ensured for a few, long tense moments as Mitch considered my comments.
“The Inka's, they were kind of isolated people . . .” Mitch said in their defense.
“It's still cool because it's on the top of a mountain,” I agreed. “I'm just not sure it deserves to be on the same list as the Colosseum, the Great Wall of China or the Pyramid of Giza. And I'm also not sure it was worth six days of travel to spend one day here."
As we thought about Machu Picchu's place in world history, we both felt let down. We had journeyed three days to spend a few hours at one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, and we still had a three day trip to get back home. Neither of us felt quite sure Machu Picchu was historically ready to be given the all important "Seven Wonders of the World" title.
We wandered around the rest of the day, intrigued by the the craftsmanship and marveled at the beauty of the cloudy mountains around us. If someone were determined to build a city in the sky, Machu Picchu was a beautiful place to do it.
At the end of the day, Mitch kissed my forehead. “It was nice spending the week with you, but I'm not sure it was worth it either. Damn volcano ruining our London trip.”
“I'm just sorry I slipped on that rock and hurt my back,” I said wincing. “Can you help me off this ledge?”
The next day we spent nine hours in the pouring rain waiting for a train which would take us to a bus that would take us back to Cusco.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Back Next Week....
I know I promised to tell you more about my trip to Machu Picchu, but I am swimming in essays from the Kylie Klein Writing Competition. I must get through them, the kids are anxious to discover who will win the $100 cash prize! Tune in next week for part II of my Machu Picchu trip.
Until then, remember,
Life's an Adventure, Take Notes!
Until then, remember,
Life's an Adventure, Take Notes!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Machu Picchu -
After the erupting volcano in Iceland spoiled our trip to London, Mitch and I made a last minute decision to visit the recently opened Machu Picchu ruins in Peru. This week's blog will focus on how to get to Machu Picchu, next week I will discuss Machu Picchu itself and week three will be our return trip home. For my flight attendant/pilot friends, I hope this blog is both helpful and interesting.
When it comes to traveling, Mitch and I both have strengths and weaknesses. I am good at finding inexpensive, safe, clean hotels and I usually plan the details of what important places we should visit. Mitch is responsible for ground transportation, which usually includes bus, car and rail. When our trip changed last minute from London to Peru, Mitch suddenly had his work cut out for him because he went from needing to plan a few subway transfers to a trip full of extensive, exhausting travel. A word of caution . . . for those of you planning to visit Machu Picchu, I would advise you to wait until the trains are fully operational.
On the morning of our grand adventure, we woke up at 3:30 am (yes, that is in the morning) to ensure we would make it to Atlanta before 5:05 pm. We were not brave enough to wait around for the direct flight to Atlanta so we hopped on the 6:00 am to Denver and then got on a flight to Atlanta without any trouble. We arrived in Atlanta with plenty of time for lunch and then wandered down to our gate. Because we were flying space available, I was thrilled to learn that the only spaces available were in Business Class.
Whoopee!!!
I love flying Business Class! On the Delta planes, the seats lay all the way back, the meals are always delicious, and they serve ice cream! You have your own TV and a huge variety of movies to watch. There are also comfy blankets and pillows and a little Delta gift box with eye shades, socks, lip balm, tissues and a teeny, tiny toothbrush and toothpaste. I'll be honest, if I'm going overseas, I'll plan my entire trip based around how many seats are open in Business Class. I've become a little spoiled, but on a long flight it's the best way to fly.
Grateful that things had gone so smoothly, after my airplane dinner of steak and shrimp, I put on my eye shades, unwrapped my fluffy blanket, laid my seat back and went to sleep. I'm still not sure what Mitch did during the flight; I woke up a few hours later at 11:00 pm as the flight crew was preparing for landing. We got off the plane, quickly cleared customs and went through the Lima airport to check in for our next flight, which was scheduled to leave six hours later.
Mitch and I were both surprised to find that the Lima airport is open and incredibly busy all night. I can't think of an airport in the United States that has flights scheduled to leave regularly all night long. Mitch and I went into the food court, which was also open all night (who wouldn't want Papa Johns and a Duncan Donut at three in the morning?) and found a place to sit on some uncomfortable metal chairs. I immediate fell asleep, and at 2:00 am Mitch woke me up so we could pick up our tickets.
With our tickets in hand we went through security. Airport security rules are different in every country, but I was still surprised that we weren't asked to pull out our liquids nor were we required to remove our shoes, yet they insisted we take off our watches. Behind the security guards were huge, clear tubs of contraband removed from passenger's luggage. There were a lot of scissors, pocket knives, fingernail clippers and files, scalpels, a leatherman and even a closed-ended wrench.
Seriously, who would put a wrench in their carry on bag?
Regardless, we both managed to get through security without getting arrested. We got to our gate and fell asleep for another hour or so before our flight left for Cusco.
If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, but don't want to fork out cash for a plane ticket to Cusco, there is a bus you can take from Lima to Cusco. It is an eighteen hour bus ride which Mitch and I were prepared to take if for some reason we were unable to get on a LAN flight. The bus ride is $44.00 each way, however now that I'm back home and thinking about our trip, I'm not sure I would ever, ever, again, for any reason, get on another bus in Peru. So a bus ride would not be something I personally would consider, however if you are cash strapped, it is an option.
Sometimes the flights to from Lima to Cusco are weight restricted because of fruit cargo. Although we were prepared for the worst, there was no reason to worry, we got right on the plane. Mitch and I both promptly fell asleep before the plane took off and and hour later we were on the ground in Cusco.
Needing a ride to our hotel, we mistakenly hired a “tourist” cab driver. When we got to the hotel our cab driver spent fifteen minutes trying to convince us to take one of his special tours to the “Sexy Woman”. Although he was showing us the Sexy Woman on a map, I'm still not exactly sure where he wanted to take us. Once we were able to convince the cab driver that we were not interested in any tour, he finally left.
After twenty four hours of traveling Mitch and I were exhausted. Although it was 7:30 in the morning the Hotel Emperador staff were incredibly hospitable and they allowed us to check in. I would highly recommend the hotel (http://www.emperadorplaza.com/index_2.html), it is near the town square, the beds were comfortable and they had hot water. Our rate was only $51 a night, and they prefer you pay in American cash.
If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, at least twenty four hours in Cusco is necessary. As I curled up in bed, I found I was having trouble breathing. Regardless of what I did, I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. Mitch reminded me that Cusco is nearly 11,000 feet above sea level, a full 6,500 feet higher than Salt Lake. We had journeyed to Cusco early so we could acclimatize, so I shook off my discomfort and went to sleep.
We woke up a few hours later and spent some time wandering around Cusco. Cusco is a cute town, but there is a lot of poverty and the street vendors won't take NO for an answer. One kid working as a shoe shiner actually told Mitch that his shoes were ugly and that he should not be wearing them around, which made me laugh because I had made the same comment about Mitch's shoes earlier. (In Mitch's defense, he was wearing them “one last time” so he could destroy them in Machu Picchu.) After a relaxing day, we went to bed early, the next morning we had a long trip to Aguas Calientes.
In January the Cusco – Aguas Calientes rail line washed into the river leaving thousands of tourists stranded in Aguas Calientes. Because of this disaster, transportation to Machu Picchu had changed drastically and the information available on the internet doesn't exactly describe the new traveling process, which, as you can imagine, is frustrating. We were able to secure two backpacker train/bus tickets to Aguas Calientes (about $100 per person) and although Aguas Calientes is only sixty miles away from Cusco, it takes nearly four hours to get there.
From Cusco, we took a bus for three hours to a train station which was located up in the mountains, literally in the middle of nowhere. The last forty minutes of the ride was on a winding, cobblestone and dirt road which overlooks a long drop into a river. From the bus station we had another ninety minutes on a train. Both the train and bus rides were breathtakingly beautiful, and we were able to see where the rail lines had washed away into the river.
We arrived into Aguas Calientes in the early afternoon and we checked into the Waracocha Hotel (no web site and you have to call to make reservations. Our room was $65 a night and they prefer American cash). The owners of the hotel spoke little English, but the hotel was clean, the water was hot, and our room overlooked the river. Mitch and I had a nice linner (lunch and dinner) and went to bed early so we would be refreshed for our day at Machu Picchu.
Tune in next week to see how our day at Machu Picchu went. It was an interesting day, but the historian in me isn't convinced Machu Picchu should be considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. If you've been to Machu Picchu, I'd appreciate your thoughts as I consider the best way to present my opinion to you.
Until next week, remember,
Life's a Journey, Take Notes!
When it comes to traveling, Mitch and I both have strengths and weaknesses. I am good at finding inexpensive, safe, clean hotels and I usually plan the details of what important places we should visit. Mitch is responsible for ground transportation, which usually includes bus, car and rail. When our trip changed last minute from London to Peru, Mitch suddenly had his work cut out for him because he went from needing to plan a few subway transfers to a trip full of extensive, exhausting travel. A word of caution . . . for those of you planning to visit Machu Picchu, I would advise you to wait until the trains are fully operational.
On the morning of our grand adventure, we woke up at 3:30 am (yes, that is in the morning) to ensure we would make it to Atlanta before 5:05 pm. We were not brave enough to wait around for the direct flight to Atlanta so we hopped on the 6:00 am to Denver and then got on a flight to Atlanta without any trouble. We arrived in Atlanta with plenty of time for lunch and then wandered down to our gate. Because we were flying space available, I was thrilled to learn that the only spaces available were in Business Class.
Whoopee!!!
I love flying Business Class! On the Delta planes, the seats lay all the way back, the meals are always delicious, and they serve ice cream! You have your own TV and a huge variety of movies to watch. There are also comfy blankets and pillows and a little Delta gift box with eye shades, socks, lip balm, tissues and a teeny, tiny toothbrush and toothpaste. I'll be honest, if I'm going overseas, I'll plan my entire trip based around how many seats are open in Business Class. I've become a little spoiled, but on a long flight it's the best way to fly.
Grateful that things had gone so smoothly, after my airplane dinner of steak and shrimp, I put on my eye shades, unwrapped my fluffy blanket, laid my seat back and went to sleep. I'm still not sure what Mitch did during the flight; I woke up a few hours later at 11:00 pm as the flight crew was preparing for landing. We got off the plane, quickly cleared customs and went through the Lima airport to check in for our next flight, which was scheduled to leave six hours later.
Mitch and I were both surprised to find that the Lima airport is open and incredibly busy all night. I can't think of an airport in the United States that has flights scheduled to leave regularly all night long. Mitch and I went into the food court, which was also open all night (who wouldn't want Papa Johns and a Duncan Donut at three in the morning?) and found a place to sit on some uncomfortable metal chairs. I immediate fell asleep, and at 2:00 am Mitch woke me up so we could pick up our tickets.
With our tickets in hand we went through security. Airport security rules are different in every country, but I was still surprised that we weren't asked to pull out our liquids nor were we required to remove our shoes, yet they insisted we take off our watches. Behind the security guards were huge, clear tubs of contraband removed from passenger's luggage. There were a lot of scissors, pocket knives, fingernail clippers and files, scalpels, a leatherman and even a closed-ended wrench.
Seriously, who would put a wrench in their carry on bag?
Regardless, we both managed to get through security without getting arrested. We got to our gate and fell asleep for another hour or so before our flight left for Cusco.
If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, but don't want to fork out cash for a plane ticket to Cusco, there is a bus you can take from Lima to Cusco. It is an eighteen hour bus ride which Mitch and I were prepared to take if for some reason we were unable to get on a LAN flight. The bus ride is $44.00 each way, however now that I'm back home and thinking about our trip, I'm not sure I would ever, ever, again, for any reason, get on another bus in Peru. So a bus ride would not be something I personally would consider, however if you are cash strapped, it is an option.
Sometimes the flights to from Lima to Cusco are weight restricted because of fruit cargo. Although we were prepared for the worst, there was no reason to worry, we got right on the plane. Mitch and I both promptly fell asleep before the plane took off and and hour later we were on the ground in Cusco.
Needing a ride to our hotel, we mistakenly hired a “tourist” cab driver. When we got to the hotel our cab driver spent fifteen minutes trying to convince us to take one of his special tours to the “Sexy Woman”. Although he was showing us the Sexy Woman on a map, I'm still not exactly sure where he wanted to take us. Once we were able to convince the cab driver that we were not interested in any tour, he finally left.
After twenty four hours of traveling Mitch and I were exhausted. Although it was 7:30 in the morning the Hotel Emperador staff were incredibly hospitable and they allowed us to check in. I would highly recommend the hotel (http://www.emperadorplaza.com/index_2.html), it is near the town square, the beds were comfortable and they had hot water. Our rate was only $51 a night, and they prefer you pay in American cash.
If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, at least twenty four hours in Cusco is necessary. As I curled up in bed, I found I was having trouble breathing. Regardless of what I did, I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. Mitch reminded me that Cusco is nearly 11,000 feet above sea level, a full 6,500 feet higher than Salt Lake. We had journeyed to Cusco early so we could acclimatize, so I shook off my discomfort and went to sleep.
We woke up a few hours later and spent some time wandering around Cusco. Cusco is a cute town, but there is a lot of poverty and the street vendors won't take NO for an answer. One kid working as a shoe shiner actually told Mitch that his shoes were ugly and that he should not be wearing them around, which made me laugh because I had made the same comment about Mitch's shoes earlier. (In Mitch's defense, he was wearing them “one last time” so he could destroy them in Machu Picchu.) After a relaxing day, we went to bed early, the next morning we had a long trip to Aguas Calientes.
In January the Cusco – Aguas Calientes rail line washed into the river leaving thousands of tourists stranded in Aguas Calientes. Because of this disaster, transportation to Machu Picchu had changed drastically and the information available on the internet doesn't exactly describe the new traveling process, which, as you can imagine, is frustrating. We were able to secure two backpacker train/bus tickets to Aguas Calientes (about $100 per person) and although Aguas Calientes is only sixty miles away from Cusco, it takes nearly four hours to get there.
From Cusco, we took a bus for three hours to a train station which was located up in the mountains, literally in the middle of nowhere. The last forty minutes of the ride was on a winding, cobblestone and dirt road which overlooks a long drop into a river. From the bus station we had another ninety minutes on a train. Both the train and bus rides were breathtakingly beautiful, and we were able to see where the rail lines had washed away into the river.
We arrived into Aguas Calientes in the early afternoon and we checked into the Waracocha Hotel (no web site and you have to call to make reservations. Our room was $65 a night and they prefer American cash). The owners of the hotel spoke little English, but the hotel was clean, the water was hot, and our room overlooked the river. Mitch and I had a nice linner (lunch and dinner) and went to bed early so we would be refreshed for our day at Machu Picchu.
Tune in next week to see how our day at Machu Picchu went. It was an interesting day, but the historian in me isn't convinced Machu Picchu should be considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. If you've been to Machu Picchu, I'd appreciate your thoughts as I consider the best way to present my opinion to you.
Until next week, remember,
Life's a Journey, Take Notes!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)