Blogs from Cusco, Peru, South America

Have you ever pondered the issue surrounding the wonders of the world...? I have, and I usually always conclude that I wonder why there aren't more of them, at least in terms of how I value individual places of great beauty. Those issues aside though, among the officially-dubbed wonders of the modern world which I have set about ticking off a bucket list as I have journeyed my way through life, the latest to appear on the radar was Machu Picchu in Peru, and just about the first node on the Peruvian itinerary. Getting there was a case of ditching the rental car option at the last minute in favour of a rail journey to Machu Picchu Pueblo from the town of Ollantaytambo, which appeared to be the last stop-off point before road access to the ... read more

This blog is available with more photos on my website https://heatherjasper.com Waqra Pukará is one of the most spectacular Inca ruins in Peru and one of my top recommendations for alternatives to Machu Picchu. It’s an isolated tower, with two giant stone “horns” that give the site its name. Waqra is the Quechua word for horned and Pukará means fortress. The Apurímac River Canyon far below makes the high promontory even more dramatic. The ruins are at 4,140 meters above sea level (13,583 feet) and the river is at about 3,230 meters (10,600 ft). I think the location is much more impressive than Machu Picchu. From a distance, Waqra Pukará seems completely natural. When you get closer, you’ll see the remnants of walls surrounding the site, flat areas that were obviously leveled by people and stairs ... read more

Another day of travel was ahead of us, leaving Cusco behind to transfer to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. We had two stops ahead of us: Chinchero and Ollantaytambo. Our first stop was Chinchero, known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow. This typical Andean village is a town well known for preserving ancient Inca customs and for making beautiful weavings with natural dyes. It is home to the Interpretation Center of Andean Textiles. Women in traditional costume will demonstrate how they produce the different colors for the wool they spin and weave. Unfortunately, construction is progressing on an airport clearly visible from the old callejones, the alley like streets from ancient times. No doubt it will influence and change the current rustic charm of this ancient village. Chinchero was built in the late ... read more

After the delicious buffet style breakfast offered by the hotel, we set out to explore the nearby Plaza Mayor of Cusco. At an elevation of 11,200 feet, most of the streets seem to involve climbing to some extent which I had deemed my enemy, but I absolutely loved the look and feel of the ones that seemed no more than narrow alleyways, mostly ending in small plazas surrounded by colonial architecture. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th century until 1532. In 1983, Cusco was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by The Constitution of Peru. Many believe that the city was planned in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal. Buildings constructed after the Spanish invasion often have a mixture ... read more

We are now within about 2 weeks from leaving Chile, and while there are moments of sadness, especially with all the goodbyes we have to say, in my heart I know it’s time to go. It has been an amazing experience here, with some serious ups (the travel, the friends, the culture) and some serious downs (the pandemic, the social unrest)…but I think the biggest testament to all this, is that if we had to make this choice again, I would not change it for the world. There was a time in 2021, probably at this time last year, where we were sooooo close to packing up and leaving early. And thank god we did not. This experience would not have been complete with our last year here, to reconnect with people that we were cut ... read more