Cuzco, alpacas, ¨photo amigo?¨

---

Cuzco is truly a stunning city - imagine colonial style buildings, cobbled streets and a green plaza with grass that people actually sit on (unheard of in South America!). Mud-brick houses fill the streets and spill onto the mountains, that continued to surprise me even after 6 days..
Each time I looked up I had almost seemed to have forgotten about the mystifying mountains that surrounded us.
We were welcomed by Adam - the dodgiest tour guide - with whom the excitement and uncertainty did not stop until we were finally rid of him in Nazca! But his business approach was typical of Peru (so he liked to tell us), and despite a few dollars that he tried to retain here and there as we didnt get our change till the very last day, a no-show on the day we were going to Macchu Picchu, and promised guides like Oswaldo who ended up being Norma (the list could go on and on) it all worked out in the end, and I can laugh looking back on it as being part of the Peruvian experience.. and recalling the night Dan and I tossed up the Pros and Cons of his strange behaviour as we wondered whether we would ever get our tickets to Macchu Picchu!
We visited the surrounding areas from Cuzco - the inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman - pronounced in the gringo form of sexy woman, Qenko, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay where Dan and I were convinced to drink the clear spring water, which would make us younger. Dan was sure the next day though that he was finally feeling the ripe old age of 27.. The sites were impressive, filled with huge rocks and structures that have lasted centuries and earthquakes.
What I found most intriguing though were the fenced off areas of excavation that was supposed to be in progress, but there were no archaeologists in sight! Someone had started to dig up more ruins, and well, just hadn't gotten around to finishing the job! This seems to be symptomatic of a disappointing trend we see in Peru - there is so much to be found in the country but no one is out there digging it up! The government just doesn´t have the money, but its a such shame - especially after the mummies we later see in Pisco. I just can´t come to terms with this..(like other unexplained issues - Cusco produces 250 or so types of potato but Lima continues to import from other countries, and the way a gas plant was built in the National Parks waters only 2 years ago leaving pelicans covered in a slimy residue, we realised in horror upon a closer look - I thought they were a new breed of black birds!)

The Sacred Valley was stunning too, and I loved wandering through the colourful array of ponchos, beanies, alpacas wearing hats and chessboards with the Incas fighting the Spaniards (Dan had bought one in Chile, and only in Peru were the pieces explained to us!). Our bargaining skills have improved dramatically, and Dan has decided to utilise my walk away theory, in conjunction with his buy it if you like it straight away no need to look around theory.
We couldnt resist and had to take a tourist happy snap of meat for sale displayed on a wooden table with no attempt of any means of refrigeration, and made a mental note to stay away from meat dishes that day.
Pisac was our last ruin stop - I was getting close to ruin overload by this stage, so we did this one on our own and realised how well we could reciting the usual tour line guides in broken English, and be amazed yet continue to be as confused as we had been before the tour.. We even ventured off the beaten track of the hoards of buses and managed to get our first site to ourselves overlooking the Sacred Valley - just perfect!
Such a colourful lively day filled with so many pictures I wish I never want to forget.. Dan even pulled out the camera for a funeral that went through the town!

I just loved being in Cusco..Perhaps this was influenced by the quality of our meals!! Like my favourite little chicken restaurant that had us break Dan´s golden one night only rule - 4 times! A local joint that churns the charcoal chicken out by the hundred, with the best salad in South America yet.. This place was helpful given we were both fighting the dreaded travellers disease, that everyone keeps telling us is inevitable in Peru..
I think I also enjoyed being able to walk the streets like a local again - after adding yet another country to Dans list of places where I could be considered a local!

Cusco unforgettables:
- Dan does like they do in Peru and has alpaca for dinner! We weren´t game enough to eat the cute little guinea pigs.
- Being surrounded by crowds of various nightclub representatives passing us free passes, and losing Dan in that crowd! Not knowing what else to do, I ask them in English of course, where´s Dan?? They seem to understand my concerned look, search the street and spot my gringo boyfriend giggling to himself in a corner after managing to sneak away from the crowd!
- The nerve of the Spaniards! The colonial buildings did not seem so pretty once I realised that some of them have been built with stones from the Inca ruins demolished by the Spanish!

Cusco souvenir wish list:
The gorgeous little bambinos following us around with marketing spiels in conjunction with batting eyelids, gorgeous smiles and the cutest little voices, including:
´Photo amigo?´
´Where you from? Australia? Capital is Canberra, many kangaroos´ accompanied with hopping actions! Our favourite was the little boy who said capital Ottawa! and had to hang his head in shame at our laughter!
´You no buy? - but why??´ with an expectant little face waiting for an actual explanation for why we didn't want our muddy hiking boots shined, or why we didn't need another finger puppet!

xxhazexx

---