Around Cusco

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We spent the next two days exploring Cusco, a fascinating city, at 3400 metres, a whole 200metres lower than La Paz. First day, we visited Saqsaywaman, a fascinating fort above the city with the usual accroutments of local beliefs in the Sun & Moon, an astronomy tower. It would have been a large complex housing several thousands of people. On the same hill was a Statute of Christ the Redeemer overlooking the city. He had a stunning view of Cusco as did we all.

The bus then took us down to Sacred Valley and a market in Pisac. It´s extremely colourful. We found a nice, first-floor cafe overlooking the food market, and just watched the locals haggle and argue over carrots or whatever took their fancy.

Later on, we had a lovely walking tour of Cusco - took in the Plaza DÁrmas and we made a mental note of the Cross Keys Pub on our way past.

Actually, Cusco is well worth visiting with its´cobbled streets, ancient stones, pre-Inca and Inca remains everywhere. We visited the Santo Domingo Convent, which had pre-Inca foundations with the usual Temples of the Sun and Moon. The streets around the Convent were full of pre-Inca stones, propping up modern buildings. The Cathedral in Plaza DÁrmas has a painting of The Last Supper involving a guinea-pig nad local fruits!

The Cathedral is really 3 Churches amalgamted into one building and each has its´own distinctive character. The High Alter has an impressive display of gold and silver as do the side chapels.

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