Inca History in Arequipa and Cusco

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My first day in Arequipa I went to the hospital and finally got some antibiotics, which had me feeling better in a couple days. Arequipa was a nice city but the Plaza de Armas in the city center was gorgeous. The plaza was filled with palms, surrounded by beautiful architecture and was packed with people enjoying the great weather. Mountains are overlooking the city and also the volcano, Misty. I checked out their famous archeology museum and learned a lot about the Inca culture. The main attraction at the museum is the preserved 500 year old body of an Inca girl. She was about 14 years old when she was sacrificed and buried on the top of a mountain in the Andes. The Incas would sacrifice children as a way of appeasing the gods. They chose the children who would be sacrificed at a very young age and it was apparently a great honor to be chosen, although, I don't think I would be too pleased. It was strange to see a body this old and so well preserved. I also saw a similar mummy in Argentina where you could even still see the braids in the young girls hair.

In Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, there was a similar but even more beautiful Plaza de Armas. There are several churches from the 16th century and cobblestone streets throughout the city. Once I arrived, I arranged my trip to Machu Picchu. In the day prior to arriving in Cusco I learned that it may not be so easy to even find room on the train to Machu Picchu, but luckily I got a spot. I originally wanted to do one of the several treks to the Inca site but I decided to continue traveling at a fast pace and just take the scenic train ride instead.

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Photos

Plaza de Armas
Misti in the background