Free Day in Cuzco

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After arriving in Cuzco last night, we hung out at the hotel where I proceeded to have a milk based coffee drink. Looking back on it, this was not to be a good decision. With today being our free day in Cuzco, I woke up with an upset stomach with a bit of diarrhea. However, not wanting this to ruin my day, I remained a trooper and set out with Kevin for some exploring. Having been to Machu Picchu yesterday, everything else we would see in Peru would be anticlimactic. We set out for one of the top attractions in Cuzco, the church of Santo Domingo that was built atop a famous Inca ruin called Qorikancha. All that remains of Qorikancha were some of the original walls that were once plated in gold as the Spanish transformed many Incan sites into their own. We browsed around the church, walked around what remains of Qorikancha, and took in some great views of the city of Cuzco. Eventually, my stomach ailments started to get the best of me and I wanted to return to the hotel to rest. I spent the next few hours just resting back at the hotel while Kevin went out exploring. Eventually, Kevin returned and I didn't want to completely waste the remainder of the afternoon. We walked back to the Plaza de Armas, had a coffee at the Starbucks, then went in search of some souvenirs and trinkets to take back home. While wandering the streets surrounding the Plaza de Armas, we found an Australian owned wine bar called Los Perros that a friend of Kevin's had recommended. Unsure if I wanted to eat due to my stomach issues, I risked the possible affects and indulged in a delicious steak and mashed potatoes meal. Afterwards, we continued walking around looking for souvenirs before returning to the hotel to relax before our final dinner as a group. Linda was kind enough to organize this dinner for all of us even going so far as making the reservations. Having just eaten a large meal just a few hours ago, I decided to get something small and ordered a peruvian delicacy. Cuy, also known as guinea pig, did not taste like anything special. In fact, it really did taste just like chicken. We spent the next 2 hours just enjoying everyone's company one last time and reliving some of our favorite highlights from the trip. Still not feeling so great, I declined to hang out with everyone back at the hotel bar and decided to just call it a night.

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