Cusco

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This is the first chance I've really had to blog yet. Things have just been go, go, go!

My trip started off pretty well with french toast, bacon, and a ride to the airport thanks to Karl. The travel down to Peru wasn't too bad, aside from a long layover in one of my least favorite airports on the planet (Miami). I was delayed a bit due to weather, so I didn't end up arriving in Lima until almost one hour after the scheduled time. Then it took a while to get my bag.. So I finally walked through immigration around 12:30AM. Poor Cory had been waiting since about 11AM for me to arrive!

We grabbed a cab to our hostel in Miraflores, where we managed to get about four hours of sleep. In order to have enough time to get used to the altitude before the trek, we had to fly straight to Cusco on the morning of the 19th. When we arrived back at the airport around 7AM to make our 9AM flight, we discovered that all of Star Peru's flights to Cusco were delayed. They actually bumped us to a flight that was originally scheduled to depart at 6AM but took off around 8AM. I had been warned that flights in South America were a little scary, but it actually wasn't too bad.

Our first day was mostly spent getting briefed by the tour agency we were using for the Inca Trail, trying alpaca for the first time (yum!), and napping.

The weather was gorgeous on the second day, so we made the most of it by exploring the city via foot and then on a bus tour.

The tour took us to:

Qorikancha - a religious center and observatory in Inca times, but then the Spanish took over and turned it into the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Apparently Qorikancha used to be covered in gold and silver, until it was looted by the Spanish.

Saqsayhuaman - a fort that was used in a very bloody battle between the Inca and the Spanish; only about 20% remains now, but when it was intact, it was more impressive than Machu Picchu. The Incan ruler Pachacutec saw Cusco as a puma and Saqsayhuaman is the head (complete with rows of teeth).

Tambomachay - a ceremonial bath with fresh spring water that apparently has magical powers

Pukapukara - means "red fort"

Q'enqo - a large limestone rock with carvings, surrounded by caves with altars


One of the guys that works at our hostel, who goes by "Jimmy," took us for a horseback riding tour of some other local ruins the following day. I can't really remember the names of the different worship sites (many are still being excavated), but I do know that they existed along the trade route between Cusco and the jungle. It started raining a little while we were out, which made a part of the downhill ride a bit iffy, but my poor horse made it! One of my favorite sites was a cave that had three rock carvings representing heaven (a condor), our realm (the puma), and the underworld (the snake), the sacred trilogy of the Incas.

Jimmy then took us up to "Cristo Blanco" for a panoramic view of the city. Cusco is absolutely stunning!

When we got back to the main square (Plazas de Armas), we happened to run into Sun Mi and Laurie. They had already eaten, but came with us to watch Cory try guinea pig (also known as cuy, a Peruvian delicacy) at a local restaurant that Jimmy recommended. I ordered some goat, but was unable to eat it due to the sight of Cory's plate. He managed to actually eat some of it, but gave up after a bit... The thing still had its innards and even its teeth!

We went back to the hostel from there and spent the evening packing for our trip and running errands, as we were leaving for the Inca Trail around 5AM the next morning.

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Photos

Cusco
View from Qorikancha

Puma
Earth

Snake
Underworld

Condor
Heavens

Cusco
From Cristo Blanco

Cory eating guinea pig (cuy)
*barf*