Magnificent Machu Picchu

After days of hard work, mixing mud to build their coops, the kids mix in a day of adventure, leaving their tents behind, mountain biking through scenic countryside and villages, rafting down the world famous Urubamba river and perusing the markets, not to mention a nice hot shower in town. Rested and clean, they return rejuvinated to Socma to complete the building with their families, which is a process I feel very fortunate to be a part of. What a sense of accomplishment and empowerment for these kids when they tie those bamboo down and place the final roof tiles.

The last day in town, the kids are honored with a mérienda, a plate of locally produced veggies and carefully prepared cuy (guinea pig). Each family, the students and guides, other villagers and nearly all the niños that we had befriended over the week gathered to inaugurate the coops and it was a colorfully joyous afternoon. Confetti decorated everyones hair, a bottle of chicha was broken in an offering to the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth), doors were garlanded in greens and balloons and each set of students placed the first 7 cuy in their coop along with the alfalfa that they had cut and dried themselves. I simply cannot tell you how rewarding it is to see these kids participate in every step of providing a new sustainable life for this tiny village!

That night, the Socmans performed a series of traditional dances for the students including the most darling little set of spinning kids, boys dressed up as old men and a curious display of manhood where two by two, boys and men alike, join arms in friendship and then break apart to whip eachothers legs. Something in the way of showing pennance, the men maintain a stoic expression as each lash wraps around them, but boy, a couple of the little tykes get pretty upset when their partner gets in a solid whack!

The following night is spent in the tranquil setting of Rumira on the banks of the Urubamba. A Pacha Manca dinner is roasted underground (no guinea pig this time, just chicken and lamb, oh and my new favorite potato - an Ocha!) and the kids receive certificates from the mayor thanking them for their service to the Sacred Valley. On up to Aguas Calientes, a town that exists solely to cater to the tens of thousands of tourists that come to visit Machu Picchu each year. The kids nearly begged to be allowed to go to a discoteca and anyone knows, I am not one to argue against a night of dancing, so I braved the night scene with ten highschoolers in tow. They all agreed to get up early in order to catch the sunrise, so 6am found us aboard the shuttle up the mountain.

I can honestly say, in all my travels, I have seen nothing like the land surrounding Machu Picchu. The closest I can come is Meteora Greece, which is also an awe-inspiring sight. Jagged peaks rise from the valley like teeth; a maw that was once surely fierce and unyielding, now softened as with age with a layer of bushy green stubble and dense jungle. It is easy to see how the Spanish had difficulty finding this mysterious, magical hideaway.


We arrived at dawn to witness the first rays streaking through the mists and warming the incan stone. These students happened to be extra lucky because it was June 21st, the winter solstice and the only day in the entire year that the rising sun beams through the window of the sun temple and forms a perfect trapezoid on the altar! Half the group opted to make the precarious climb up Huayna Picchu for amazing views of the valley, while the other half wandered the ruins absorbing the ancient energy. I am just so lucky that I get to come back up to this spectacular wonder of the world 3 more times this summer!

The group wound up their 2 week journey with an entertaining train ride, bungee jumping from the highest jump in the Americas, touring Cusco a little more and some last minute shopping. After many heartfelt goodbyes, I had just enough time to catch my breath, (about an hour) before I picked up the next group to do it all over again! This time I have a better grasp on how everything works so I feel I can be even more help to the students. They are a good bunch so far and we will head into Socma tomorrow, so send lots of news for when I finally return to the www!