So I guess in the last week or so Peru has had some major rain fall and flooding as become an issue in some of Peru's top cities like Cusco, Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. Unfortunately the rain has caused some major mud slides and filled the Urubamba River destroying parts of the train tracks and cutting off traffic to Machu Picchu and the surrounding areas. So what does that mean? Many tourists were stuck in the tiny town of Aguas Calientes, sleeping on streets, sharing beds in hotels, eating all the food and water (because deliveries couldn't be made) and just making everyone just kinda restless. Some parts got so bad that thousands of tourists had to be air lifted and taken to safety, even from the ruins itself! So for a couple days straight, these lucky tourists got a beautiful ride through the Andes mountains. Having been there on those mountains myself, I could only imagine what great views they had.On a side note, I think camping out on Machu Picchu for a couple nights would probably rock my world.
But the situation isn't something to be jealous about. The Peru Rail is the only way into the area to see this Wonder of the World and it's tracks were washed away! So the Peruvian government has decided to shut the park down and work on fixing them. This could be anywhere from 3-8 weeks! Businesses and hotels in the area are already feeling the pinch - costing the country up to $500,000 a day. Many employees have left to find work in neighboring villages because without tourists, it's pointless to be there. Without Machu Picchu, Peru's economy will suffer. It will be interesting how fast they will turn this problem around. Then again, Machu Picchu is probably thanking the rain gods because it can now take a breath of fresh air and not slowly be destroyed on a daily basis.
What's your opinion? Is this a good break for Peru's number one star or a bad one?
Photo via The Associated Press
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