Marcahuasi, Peru
July 2, 2016
The best
feeling in the world is a clear open road with the curiosity of what’s to come.
Being out in nature leaves me with a strong sense of peace and clarity that
cannot be matched in a meditation room. This week’s trip went to the Andes of
Peru (a 4 hour drive east of Lima). Marcahuasi is known for sightings of UFOs and the Stone
Forest-- mystical, natural carvings of faces and animals into the large,
energy-filled stones. When reading about this place, I was excited about the mysticism
associated as well as natural super-plants found in the area to cure illnesses.
We rode in
a bus up the dirt road carved into the mountain to a small town called San
Pedro de Casta. After a nice lunch, we started up the 5Km path to Marcausai. Donkeys,
horses, and locals moved up the path carrying campers’ gears, campers, or
guiding the herd. Thank goodness for the resting huts along the way that gave
us an excuse to sit, breath, and regain strength. 
At 13,000ft
above sea level, we reached the top and were welcomed by a flat ground for
camping. The donkeys roamed around trying to munch on as much grass as possible
and the campers set up their party spot. Pedro and I napped as soon as the tent
was set! I woke up after the sun fully set to a sky full of billions of stars. We
even saw plenty of shooting stars!!
In the
morning, we climbed the stones to explore some of the area and then descended
towards better oxygen levels. The car ride down the mountain was one of the
most frightening experiences in my life (my trip in Haiti still ranks #1)! The driver
never seemed to hug the mountain close enough or drive slow enough for my
comfort. All in all, it was a great trip.
I recommend
that you try exploring this area. Take about a day and a half to travel to/from
the area, hike, and explore!
