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Sunrise over the Andes
It's like 5:45 right now, and half-way to Cusco. Really a pretty easy first day. An easy flight to Newark, and then, leaving Newark, the plane took a massive circle around Manhattan, and straight South for like 7 hours. I landed in Lima, Peru around 9ish - which, as crazy as it sounds, is the exact same time as Milwaukee. I left and landed in the same time zone. That's never happened before.
In Lima I stayed the night at the airport hotel, which was really just for a bed to rest on for like 3 hours. I got up at 2:30 AM, went back over to the airport and caught a 5 flight to Cusco. I did this for a reason, though. I was flying inland from the coast, right up the base of the Andes right when the sun was rising. It was a beautiful sight (and I had a window seat). When I landed in Cusco at like 6:15 that's when the disturbing fun started.
I was picked up by an old man named Julio. He had to be probably like 75 or so. We immediately left Cusco for the lower altitudes of the Sacred Valley, and I don't think the car had a break.
More Sun
Just starting to see the bigger mountains in the distance. We probably took some turns going at least 70 or so, and I actually found myself gripping the door knob. I guess if I saw the end coming I was thinking I could make a jump for it. But, the strangest thing about this is that Julio was having a great time and talking to me in Spanish and Quechua (the native language). He even stopped by the side of the road and showed me the field where he just helped clear the winter potato harvest.
And coming down into the Sacred Valley (which is where all the great Incan ruins are) I realized that the Andes and this part of Peru is basically a clone of Colorado. I think the only difference is that the mountains have more of a point here. But, other than that, once we got to Pisac is was like being in a Peruvian/Colorado mountain town. Julio dropped me at the Pisac Inn in record time by the way - the hour long trip took 30 minutes. Even the owners of the inn were impressed/disturbed.
At the Inn, there was actually a mix-up and the nice owner lady booked me into an even
better hotel. So instead of being on the main square, I'm in a giant room with a giant deck that has an unobstructed view of the Andes and a harvested field of corn! It's a beautiful place.
Other than that, I basically just got to know tiny Pisac, mainly just people watching and reading on the main square and drinking coca tea - which is actually what cocaine is made from (maybe that's why I had 5 of them?). I also had the good fortune of befriending a taxi driver named Ceaser. If you try to speak Spanish, and willingly look like an idiot, and especially ask people their names, a taxi driver will be your lifelong friend (which is a huge asset is certain parts of the world). So tomorrow he's giving me a special price and taking me farther down (or up?) the Sacred Valley... inching my way to Machu Picchu, which sits at the very end of the Valley.
Also just had a great dinner. It's actually very cold here, since it is winter in Peru, and with the sun setting at like 4 in the afternoon, every business has a giant wood burning fire-place.
Close to Cusco
Doesn't this almost look like the Hogback in Denver? Pisac smells like one big camp fire. I love places that still just throw pieces of wood on the fire!
Tomorrow I see the Incan ruin above Pisac before driving down to Ollantaytambo... which, outside of Machu Picchu, is the most impressive ruin in the Valley.
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