Cusco

Peru

December 2007
10 days

Peru: Cusco
29th November to 3rd December 2006
5 days

So if you remember we were just leaving Disney and heading for Peru. We were told that Lima, the capital, was not that nice so we´d already sorted a connecting flight from Lima to Cusco further south.

But to get to Cusco we had an arduous day of travelling ahead. And it went something like this:

A) 30 minute taxi from Best Westin Hotel to Orlando Greyhound Station.
B) Wait 2 hours (These are not nice places!)
C) 5 hour bus ride to Miami Greyhound Station.
D) Wait 2 hours
E) Greyhound to Miami Airport
F) Wait 3 hours
G) Fly overnight to Lima Peru
H) Wait 5 hours
I) Fly 1 hour to Cusco
J) Taxi 15 mins to Hostel

So two taxis, two buses and two flights later we´d made it to Cusco up in the Andes sitting pretty at 10,700 feet which knocked us for six immediately.

All of a sudden we were weak as kittens and usually simple body movements such as climbing five steps or carrying our backpacks ten feet were no longer a given. We clambered to our beds and slept all afternoon hoping our bodies would adjust to the altitude soon. We later surfaced just long enough to get some fresh air and a light dinner.

The next day we should have been taking it easy but we were straight on to a full day tour. We got our first glimpses of Inca history and visited very interesting and visually stunning ruins in the Sacred Valley, Pisaq, Ollontaytambo and Chinchero.

The Incas were indigenous to Peru, Ecuador and Chile over 500 years ago. They built their walls and structures so well, and without cement or mortar, that they still stand strong now. Each stone was quarried, moved by many many people and meticulously carved and sanded in situ using harder stones. Each stone fits perfectly to its neighbours in the wall and they used male and female shapes to make it strong. They also carved capital ´I´ shapes in to the two joining rocks and filled the cavity with molten copper to hold them in position. Genius!

Everything the Incas built was well planned such as windows in separate buildings lining up perfectly and they were master astronomers, much like the Mexican Mayans, and used this knowledge when designing their most religious structures. Using the Sun to create shadows in special places enabled them to look all powerful to their followers.

The Spanish invaded South America later and reduced the Inca numbers down to only a meagre 2% due to battles and the foreign diseases they bought with them. What a waste of a genius culture!

Anyway, back to the present day.... and we saw many ways in which the Incas used the rocks to create terraced floors in the hills making living there more easy, perfect places to grow crops. They created stairs everywhere, chairs or thrones carved in huge stones...and they were experts at channeling water from up in the hills so it would not only irrigate their land and crops but also provide washing and toilet sanitation. This day we saw the smallest Inca stone about the size of my finger nail and the largest weighing several tons each carved with the same patience and precision.

After our tour, back in town we rooted out a great place to dine called Jacks Cafe. Run by an British couple who also owned the Irish Pub in town, they seemed to have cornered the tourist eating market with the best food we´d sampled in ages. The menu was riddled with temptations such as Tuscan Vegetable Soup, Toasted Egg and Bacon Sandwiches and the most amazing Ginger, Lime and Honey Tea! This was to become our favourite and much visited eatery!

The next lunchtime we just had to check out their sister venue the Highest Irish Pub in the World, Paddy Flahertys. Decked out with wooden panelling and Guinness beer mats and a cute little train that chugged round a track up at ceiling level it was like being transported to Dublin. A cold Guinness was immediately ordered along with an Irish Coffee for Sarah and I had to indulge in the Homemade Shepherds Pie with gravy and carrots whilst we watched Man Utd beat Middlesbrough on FOX Sports. Great times!

This pub sat on one corner of the social hub of Cusco known a Plaza De Armas, Plaza meaning square. There´s something about a well designed square. This is one of the nicest places to visit, a large square with its inner region peppered with benches, small trees, grass, lanterns and a gorgeous fountain centre piece. The next outer layer was a small cobbled road buzzing with the funny little taxis that tear around like mosquito's dropping and picking up passengers for a pittance. They all drive a very small cars made by DAEWOO, who I think also make toasters!!! and I´m telling you much like we have DNA with a 1% difference to a mouse, this car is even closer to its makers toaster! A potential death trap on wheels if it could only conjure up more speed! lol. Great for these tiny hilly streets though and much like living in a child's scalextrix track but can´t help feel how cool the place would be if instead these were all Mini Coopers! Italian Job!

The outer ring of the Plaza De Armas is lined with original architecture consisting of 80% restaurants with great exterior 1st floor balconies, perfect for grabbing an afternoon Cerveza and watching people enjoy the square. Also here are two very large Cathedrals which dominate the skyline and hold sway over the locals for who they are a constant reminder to go and confess their sins, maybe how they had cheated on their wives with their new fluffy Llama perhaps... Above the skyline of the square were the hills, rolling off in to the distance providing the perfect backdrop.

We started to realise that we were in a very friendly place, full of kids out selling trying to make some Soles for their family by any means they could. You see many pretty young children forced to dress up in traditional clothing and some carrying a baby lamb, or any cute animal to try to get you to pay for and take a photo. We did get a few good ones!

Most people here are OK with regards to the poverty line and even those who beg seem happy. But it did feel weird as night draws in to still see kids as young as 6 years old old selling cigarettes to men at 11pm and you wonder when they ever get time to sleep and what would happen to these kids in a not so nice place.

Cusco was just starting to feel like home and we were just getting used to the breathing at high altitude when the time for being lazy was no more and the very next day, we would be partaking in what many come to Peru for......

The Inca Trail 4 Day Hike to Macchu Pichu! .......Heaven Help Us!