Forgotten photos, final thoughts and reflection on Peru, before leaving, heading onward and ever southward.
When we begun this leg of our travels, I'd expected that we were going to pass through Peru in just a few weeks, any delay being for our Spanish lessons. Time was on our side however, so we dug a little deeper, took a look just beneath the surface, and as is often the case, there was so much more to see and do than we first suspected.
We spent a whole month in and around Cusco, the ancient Inca capital has charms a plenty and I'd head back in the blink of an eye. Close by Machu Picchu, however, is a paradox that defines this remote historical town, if not all of Peru. Its global appeal is almost immeasurable - the economical importance to Peru, one of the poorer South American countries, therefore equally staggering.
Peru's culture is one that is still vibrant and rich, authentic and intriguing, it's people genuine and warm. The villages and towns are unique, welcoming and, in most cases, seemingly frozen in a forgotten, simpler time - a sentiment that often seems to encapsulate the whole country.
In large part to this (as I perceive it), Peru has a very healthy and wholesome attitude to almost everything - the Peruvians are often labelled as 'highly conservative', but I think this is wholly unjust. They have their fun and enjoy themselves just as much as every other soul on earth, they just manage it without the ridiculous need to mimic western cultures or their more 'developed' neighbours.
For the adventurous, this corner of the Andes has plenty to offer - I found the trekking opportunities to be diverse and accommodating to all, with mountains, valleys and passes all staggeringly beautiful, all the while also easily accessible [The latter not often attributed as you head south through the continent]. In the north of the country rumours persist of trekking, climbing and mountaineering that truly rival the best in the world (I hope to be back in the coming months to fully attest to this!).
The thing is, not many visitors are aware of any of this - Peru, by virtue of Machu Picchu, has become a flyby tourist destination. Even the 'typical modern backpacker' (during a typical backpacker exchange) will simply ask of me "Peru huh? Did you go to Machu Picchu?"
It makes me want to scream! Guess what folks? Machu Picchu wasn't my highlight. In fact it wasn't even close.
But what then, you may ask, would Peru be if not for Machu Picchu? Would it have promoted its many unflaunted assets, thus becoming a diverse and desirable tourist destination in its own right? Would it have faltered, not even aware of what it had to offer?
This speculation, I must admit, is all for nought - the stark reality for me (though somewhat absurdly you may think) is that all this focus, this reliance on one thing to the neglect of all others, fits me just fine!
Let the tourists flow into Cusco and Machu Picchu - In doing so, those who are willing to delve deeper, try a little harder and travel a little rougher will be more richly rewarded.
We get to trek in solitude, wild camping below the clearest of skies. We get to travel to remote villages and towns; here we can discover that tradition and culture can exist, does exist(!), alive and well in this world - not simply some front, a gimmick for the tourism trade.
Back in the tourism epicentre, Peru, and Cusco in particular, actually deserve huge credit. With all this focus and pressure being leveled firmly on Cusco and Machu Picchu, it still does an amazing job (for the most part) in retaining its heritage and authenticity while keeping needless and invasive commercialisation at bay.
This must be a hell of a tall order to maintain; but, in doing so, Peru has managed something that many tourism dependent nations have not - it's remained true to itself, and in doing so not twisted itself into an awful characture of itself. Bravo.
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