The Utmost Alluring Scene
“This is the most stunning view in the entire world.”
While I was sitting on the leather seats occupying the train, this was what was going through my mind. We had woken up incredibly early on Tuesday, being our third day in Cusco. We were staying in Urubamba, in a hotel called La Casona de Yucay. Today we were going to visit the awaited Machu Picchu, which validates our early rising. Machu Picchu is what once was a citadel during the Inca Empire, which is located above the Urubamba River valley. We were going to need the whole day to sightsee the monument. I had a light breakfast because I am never famished this early in the morning. After having my very minimal breakfast I went to get prepared for the expedition of going to the famous Machu Picchu. Once I was ready my friends and I went to where the buses were located and got on into our respective color coded buses. These buses were going to be the ones to take us to the train station in Ollantaytambo, located in the Sacred Valley. Since we were staying in Urubamba, buses were needed to get to the train station. The train would then take us to Machu Picchu.
Once in the buses, it took approximately fifteen minutes to get to the hustling Ollantaytambo train station. Once there we lingered in the station half an hour to wait for our awaited train. The school chose the Expedition train for this trip and it costed $50 for each ticket. But the train tickets can also range from $60 (s/. 211) to $98 (s/.329) depending on what season you buy it, what version of the train you choose and where you buy it. There are different types of trains, like the luxurious one, which is called Hiram Bingham which includes lunch, various snacks and fancy decor. There are two other types of trains as well. PeruRail is the name of the company of the train we boarded and there is a website where you can buy the tickets online.
It felt like a relief to finally ascend up the stairs that led to the ginormous vehicle at 9:00 am which is the time in which the train parted from the Ollantaytambo Train Station. The internal part of the train was such a spacious and vast ambient. The windows were graciously grand with a range of different locations. There were windows on the sides of the train, on the roof and on the conjunction of the roof and walls. I plopped down in my assigned seat and luckily I was next to all of my friends. The seats were made of leather, making them very much comfortable.
During the whole train ride, I was amazed by the view of the captivating landscapes the extensive windows graciously offered. The clouds were cotton balls in the marvelous robin blue canvas called the sky. My friends and I immediately started playing a diverting card game called BS. After playing for a while I decided to stop and admire the beautiful display the windows gave us. The green mountains covered in broccolis, the blue sky, the distant glaciers and so much more. It was enormously overwhelming having all these extraordinary things going on around you. We played another card game called Go Fish and then we were offered some drinks and a insignificant snack. I hungrily devoured my snack having only eaten a light breakfast. The snack consisted of choosing between a corn cookie and a spinach little pastry.
I started taking some pictures of the scenery, of the inside train and roof openings, all for my english project. I started to sweat and I was also becoming hotter by the second, I felt like a burning rock in the sun. I had already stripped myself of my jacket so the only wise thing to do was to open the windows. Just for my luck, the windows were not accessible permanently is what I found out when asking the employee in the vehicle. For the next half an hour I just remained there cherishing the panoramic view of this magnificent place called Machu Picchu.The company called PeruRail gifts us some baseball caps with our grade level on it and the name of the school on it as well. We were also given a water bottle with the same message. My friends and I played multiple card games until the train finally arrives to Machu Picchu.
I felt at pure bliss when the intercom lady announced our arrival. And after having experienced this eye- opening moment, I felt sedated.
