On our bucket list: Machu Picchu

MANILA, Philippines - Twenty years ago I read a book written by Shirley MacLaine called Out On a Limb which led me to add the UNESCO World Heritage site Machu Picchu to the Top 3 of my bucket list. She described this magical place on top of the Andes Mountains that was so beautiful and overflowing with positive spiritual energy. She even spoke about how UFO sightings were so common that the locals thought them ordinary. When I first met Hayden six years ago, I was thrilled when he said that one of his dreams was also to visit Machu Picchu. “Ka-ching! Soulmate!” I rejoiced.

Vicki Belo and HaydenKho discoverthewon- ders of Machu Picchu, one window at a time.

Luckily, Audrey Puckett Chiu told me about Choy Urra of the “Global Nomad” who was a Hong Kong-based Filipino “travel designer” and specialized in one-of-a-kind custom-made tours that created memories to last a lifetime. Watch related video

Choy advised me that the quickest and easiest way to get to Machu Picchu was to go to Los Angeles and then take a nine-hour flight to Lima, the capital city of Peru. We spent one day there, exploring the colonial city and visiting the Larco Museum to appreciate the evolution of Peruvian art and culture. The highlight of our Lima tour was having cocktails at the Casa Aliaga, which is perhaps the oldest colonial mansion in the whole of South America. It was like stepping back in time 500 years. It has been owned by descendants of Jeronimo de Aliaga, one of Francisco Pizarro’s right-hand men for 17 generations. I have never tasted such delicious foie gras, which perfectly matched Peru’s favorite drink, the “Pisco sour.”

Casa Aliaga is perhaps the oldest mansion in South America.Here you step back in time 500 years.

The next day Hayden and I took a 90-minute plane ride to Cusco. From there our personal tour guide Francis Casapino drove us to the sacred Urubamba Valley. It was fun because we visited a llama and alpaca farm where we got to play with them. We were also able to buy some gorgeous sweaters made from their wool, including that of the vicuña, which is known to be the world’s finest wool. Actually, the real reason we had to stay in the Urubamba Valley is to get acclimatized to the higher altitude. As you know, in high altitudes the oxygen in the air is much less concentrated and people tend to get dizzy, feel nauseated or faint if they’re not given time to adjust.

Every door, every piece of furniture in Hotel Casona is a fragment of the Peruvian past.

The next day we took the famous Hiram Bingham train, which took us to the Machu Picchu Pueblo in the village of Aguas Callientes. This train is run by the Orient Express and is quite luxurious, with little chandeliers, a private bar and dining carriages. At the train station we were entertained by local dancers wearing colorful costumes. Upon arrival in Aguas Callentes we had to ride a public bus, which was the only way to reach the entrance to the ruins. Machu Picchu is often referred to as the “Lost City on the Incas.” It was only discovered 100 years ago by Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham, although the site was already in existence for 600 years. It is 7,972 feet above sea level. Most authorities agree that this was the royal estate of Pachacuti, the great Incan who started the expansion of the huge empire.

You have to take 11,000 steps to reach the peak of this World Heritage Site which Shirley MacLaine desbribed as magical, overflowing with so much positive energy.

Going up this very steep mountain left me breathless and gasping for air. We had to hike up huge rocks to reach many of the important sites and, at one point, Hayden had to carry me (but only for 20 seconds because he started panting as well). The weather was cool, but the sun was scorching hot. Thank God I brought lots of Belo Sunblock. Both Hayden and I were awed by how the Incas were able to build this magnificent sanctuary on top of this mountain, since they lacked any modern tools. The Incas, it turns out, were superb engineers and architects. Everything was well thought-out, from the water channels to the stones placed with perfect precision. It has survived 600 years of torrential rains and mudslides.

Vicki and Hayden discover the heart and soul of Machu Picchu through its beautiful people.

After spending hours exploring the Machu, we were dog-tired, so we returned to Aguas Callientes. I was getting apprehensive as we walked along dusty, dirt roads, imagining that our hotel would be ugly. At the end of this dirt road, though, there was a rope bridge; and suddenly, we were confronted by what seemed to be a beautiful oasis: the Incatera Hotel. This hotel is a bird sanctuary and has 370 varieties of indigenous orchids grown here. Each casita was well appointed with comfortable beds, 600-thread-count sheets and an indoor and outdoor shower. We spent two days exploring the fascinating Machu Picchu town. 

Our last stop was the town of Cusco. Most of Cusco looks like Intramuros so the highlight of our stay was staying at our breathtaking hotel, the Hotel Casona. It fused Incan and modern architecture in perfect harmony. We also had a session with a real shaman named Lucas. He read our fortunes using coca leaves, which he also made us chew so we could connect better. While he was pretty accurate, I felt dizzy and my mouth was numb from the coca leaves. No wonder, Cocaine is derived from coca leaves. The next day we flew back to Lima and on to Los Angeles. I did not get to see any UFOs or buy any designer bags or shoes. Instead, I learned so much about the Incan culture and met some of the kindest and most hospitable people in the world.

“We had to hike up huge rocks to reach many of the important sites and, at one point, Hayden had to carry me but only for 20 seconds because he started panting as well,” says Vicki.