Homesick.... for Bolivia

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I am in Cuzco, after a pretty easy 20 hour, two bus ride from CBBA via La Paz with no stopping. After crossing the Peruvian border our bus clung to the edge of Lake Titicaca for a good couple of hours on its way west to Cuzco, so I got to see the lake in all its glory, flanked by Everest-looking mountains in the background.

At first when I got here I felt compelled to turn and run back to Bolivia - the first time I have ever felt homesick, and for a country that isnt my home - not helped by the fact that I stupidly turned up in Cuzco with zero local currency and thought I might be truly fucked. The bus terminal had no cambios open and I had no Soles to call Jesus, my friend here who I was planning to meet. But one of the hostel touts who I was deeply suspicious of (as I am of them all) told me I could stay at her hostel and pay after, and that she would take me to a cambio in town on the way. So I had no choice but to go with her. Turned out she was genuine, lucky for me. We went to chance the few travellers cheques I have left: but while she waited the taxi that we had waiting for us had to drive off and do a round of the city to avoid fines from the traffic police, but it drove off with my backpack and my sleeping bag in the back (i had all the important stuff in my day pack whch was with me) and the woman momentarily disppeared too, so for a few horrendous minutes I thought I{d been robbed. But they both came back and we went off the the hotel which I stayed at for just that night, at the princely sum of 10 us dollars, or 31 peruvian soles. This morning I came to book in at the hostel my friend Jesus is staying at, thinking it must be cheaper than the three star place I was at last night: but it is the same and it is much less nice. However it is next to san blas church and has more of a party thing so I will stay put. At least I have my own room.

I met Jesus quickly at lunchtime - he was my spanish teacher in chile and he is peruvian. He is here in cuzco for a month to attend teacher training although he really doesnt need it, he is an excellent tutor. After he went back to work I went off exploring and my homesickness went away a bit. This week is the massive Inti Raymi festival, or festival of the sun, daitng back to Incan times and amassive draw for Peruvians and tourists. Celebratoins go on every day though the actual festival is this Sunday. I went to Plaza de las Armas and was taken aback by the hoards of people who were watching the Inti Raymi dancing processions, a haze of different dancetroups in different types of traditional costumes with lots of bright colours, whirking, swaying and jumping to traditional music being played south american style over huge speakers. Thousands of schoolkids in their uniforms were there all getting overly excited and breaking out into sporadic waves of teenage energy, pogoing, chanting traditional songs and throwing water or confetti into the air. I could hardly catch my breath between trying to make sure no one in the crown into which I was sandwiched tried to rob me, trying to take photos of the dancing, and acclimatising again to altitude. I spent most of the day there and got into a conversation with a local dude about the cultures and customs we were watching. It was great.

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