I don’t know why it’s called this, either.
I guess the name is an oddity, like GrapeNuts, Buffalo Wings, and autotheft, a word which continues to baffle my language learners, who envision an object stealing itself. Anyway, I went to Not-so-Macho last weekend, which is about a three-hour ride north of Lima, and a five-hour schlep back thanks to honking traffic.
Mini Machu Pichu got its name because the ruins predate the Incas. The ruins are not as massive as those outside of Cusco; all that remain are this ancient sun clock (framed by the cacti), which hasn’t lost a tick in hundreds of years, and these big cheerio things.
There is no apparent water system at these ruins. No wells, no irrigation, no ancient bidets. The view is a stunning blue, but let’s be honest, not as impressive as the backdrop of the Lost City of the Incas.
The elevation is a bit rough, our potato chip bags popping on the way up, along with our bottles of eye drops evaporating. Altitude pills are a must, and they are pricy, as folks who purchase them tend to be tourists.
We did meet some long-faced hikers on our way down and a few giant hummingbirds. This was more memorable than the historical stuff.
Mini Machu Pichu is also known as Cushpa, located near Canta in San Buenaventura, which is not to be confused with Cusco. The quiet city reminded me of a scene from an Antonio Bandero’s Desperado and all hell to break loose in a desolate town.
If you live in Lima and have a chance to hike here, do it. The blue sky is worth the stop-and-go traffic back to the city. But sorry, you can’t bring a horse back for a souvenir.
