Cusco and around

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So far I've been in Cusco a week. I already feel my Spanish getting better which is really pretty damn sweet. I've met a few other people at my Spanish school who have been in Cusco for three or four weeks and haven't learned much because they hang out with solely Dutch, German, or English speaking people. I sure hope that this doesn't happen to me! I need to make friends with some Cusqueños!

I've been exploring the area a bit. Seeing some Inca things... Ayer, I went to the Inca Museum and saw a lot of old clay jars. Hoy, I took a local bus up to some Incan ruins above Cusco: Tambomachay, Q'enqo, Pupukara, and Saqsaywaman. The bus, enroute to Pisaq, drove right past Tambomachay before I realized I was supposed to tell the driver when I wanted to get off. I had to yell at him to stop the bus after he'd already driven a few hundred meters further. I walked back and showed the lady in the kiosk my boleto turistico and got on with it. Tambomachay had a fountain. Pukapukara was across the road and basically a big fort used in Incan time as a trade and rest stop. Q'enqo was on the road back to Cusco and consisted of confused tourists, caves, steps, and tables carved into a large rock. I had already visited Saqsaywaman during Inti Raymi but I went again to see it without the 40,000 other people sitting on the rocks. It was definitely the most impressive of the ruins nearby. I found myself back in Cusco about twenty minutes later, famished.

The chicharonias I pass every day called to me and the lady in one of the doorways coaxed me inside. I sat upstairs with a bunch of locals (kids were staring at me!) and ordered some chicharones, deep-fried pork mm mm mm. It came with a fried potato, homany, onions, and a spicy cilantro sauce and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Peruvians don't seen to eat light food. I forgot to mention that I tried roasted guinea pig the other day. I did not find it delicious. And I tried. Mañana I start my second week of Spanish so hasta luego amingos!

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Photos

Tambomachay
El Baño de Inca

Vender
Woman selling embroidered tapestries

Tambomachay
Stone bath?

Burro
I was in the country. There were donkeys.

Cusco Valley
esta bien, no?

Pukapukara
Pukapukara means 'Red Fort' in Quechua

Me
People need to see me every once and a while, hey?

Chanchos!
and chanchitos!

Q'enqo
monolith thing at Q'enqo

Stonework
Perfect.

Saqsaywaman
poking around

Comments

[can]

chanchos!
pigs are called chanchos@!? so, in the movie nacho libre, that little boy was named pig?? awwww... poor little fatty. looks like quite an experience keebes! eat more delicious local foods for me! <33#