In Incan times, Cusco was the center of the world, and all trails did indeed lead to Cusco. So today, really, do most people who visit Peru end up sooner or later in Cusco. Why, because it is pretty damn gorgeous -- and it is the gateway to Machu Picchu. Those first two days are rough -- at 12,000 feet in altitude, you can't breath just walking up a few steps. And around here, the steps are a way to avoid the narrow streets that have almost no sidewalk. I feel lucky not to have been dinged in the ass with a side mirror. And, like many in our party, you get a headache from the altitude. A little bit of coffee and Ibuprofen did the trick for me. Bob says that coffee, aspirin and most
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