Cusco and Machu Picchu
Hey, let’s climb a whole damn mountain with no water, food, or experience! Says no one except me and my best friend. Yea, the view was vale la pena but got damn, almost dying in the process was real. And I should had known because this was my second time to the stunning Machu Picchu. But let me back up. Les go to Cusco and Machu Picchu!
Cusco
Cusco is special. The streets are brick laden and there are plenty of delicious restaurants to explore. It def have that small town feel but there’s enough going on because it is a major lay over to get to Machu Picchu. Since it’s in the mountains, the air is crisp and fresh but freezing at night. I grew up in the cold. And when I say cold I mean, b*tch, it’s cold. Like, nine months of solid unpleasant ass got damn BS. I hate the cold. I actually feel I have a fear of being cold… like, it’s real. So, Cusco is a little much for me at night.
Streets of Cusco 
This city loves stairs
I’m a dog lover. And if I’m being completely honest, I’m a breedist. I love pit bulls. I’ve only ever had pitbulls and I will only ever have pitbulls. But, I show all dogs love in between. In Cusco the dogs are a straight up gang. You’ll be walking down the road and there’ll be a squad of dogs like, “mess me with me if you wanna, ho.” I felt no type of way about them, I just liked to observe them, especially in the morning time when they gaily travel in packs before anyone is up.
Squad! 
Look at this love
Machu Picchu
I honestly don’t know how to put into words the experience of Machu Picchu. The absolute magnificence, significance and stunning powers that the magnitude of Machu Picchu evokes is unwriteable. The actual size of it is mind-blowing and humbling.
Now, getting to Machu Picchu is hella tricky. You know I’m cheap. Like unnecessarily so. But, getting to Machu Picchu one can not be cheap. Unless you are and you learn the hard way like us. In our defense, we had planned to take the train which takes you basically as close as you can to the site but there was a teacher’s strike that week so all transportation into the main village was shut down.
As a traveler (or les be real, tourist) I should know better than to buy a package tour deal on the side of the road. But you know, when your pockets are a bigger influence than common sense a chick be messin up. So, we got the bus to the main village of Machu Picchu and I thought I was gonna die at every turn. Literally, every mountain winding turn.
Anywho, we arrive at the destination and prepare to wake up at the ass crack of dawn (about 3:30 am because you want to leave by 4am to head to the site. The sun rise above Machu Picchu is life affirming.) In the AM do we take a bus into the Machu Picchu entrance or do we walk all. the. got. damn. way. up? You guessed it, we walk. This walk is real. Very narrow, steep, stone steps up a mountain.
Oh yea, and I bought the mountain hike ticket (they failed to put on the ticket that this is for advanced hikers.)
The view though… And we failed to bring water or Pisco for that matter. I thought we couldn’t bring liquids in, you can. It wasn’t my smartest moment.
The mountain trekking I did with my sis in 2012 was much different experience. We were prepared. She’s the responsible one.
All of the walking, trekking, sweat and nearly tears my guy and I shed was beyond worth it. We made rookie mistakes but that only added to our story, our experience.
Les Go... 