Turismo en Aguas Calientes

I had a very conflicting experience during my time in Aguas Calientes. Upon our arrival there, I was amazed by how beautiful the town was and the hustle and bustle that I have consistently found to be the case in larger cities. The lights, statues, and architecture all drew me to what makes Aguas Calientes so unique. However, it was the rushing river that coursed throughout the town that made me think that it was love at first sight with this city.

On the other hand, the more time I spent there, the more I realized that this city was a tourist trap. Before getting there, I was made aware of the fact that they made a whole city in recent years in order to cater to those visiting Machu Picchu, but I did not realize to what extent. As I began to notice the little details that made the city seem less and less genuine, I began to lose affection for what I thought was love at first sight. For example, the first restaurant that we planned on eating at had prices that were so unreasonably high that we all decided to leave in what felt like an act of solidarity. I know that part of the reason for the inflated prices is that most of their products are imported by train, thus naturally increasing the cost of production; nevertheless, that didn’t stop me from being outraged by the minimum of 47 soles that I would have had to spend on dinner there.

All that glittered was not gold with this town, and after being there for less than 24 hours, it somewhat felt like being told that Santa Claus isn’t real for the first time. Once you start to see what is actually happening behind the scenes, it doesn’t feel as special anymore. However, I was able to somewhat accept Aguas Calientes for what it was and enjoy it as much as I could. The availability and locations of restaurants and tiendas were very convenient, and I definitely commend Aguas Calientes for that. One thing that I appreciated more than anything was the lack of soliciting compared to Cuzco; however, I do think that the lack of soliciting translates to the higher prices of everything else here in order to keep the city’s tourist-based economy thriving in a way that only rivals the capital of the Incas.