What a beautifully crafted film! Having a bit of a travel bug myself, I thought the cinematography alone was reason enough to see this picture. Add a little of the developmental experiences of a young man's life (and what an extraordinary life it turned out to be in this case!) and you have a truly engaging and pleasant film experience. A friend I talked to after just seeing this movie, because he had made a trek to Macchu Picchu himself, told me that he preferred the book (you'll have to excuse him, he's a self-proclaimed poet). I can't imagine the book accurately capturing the sheer intense awe that is Macchu Picchu (or the South American west coast). Gael Garcia Bernal is going to be one of the biggest stars of the next decade. In any film I've ever seen him in, it is totally impossible to take your eyes off of him. Geez, I wish I was gay!