Welcome to Cusco, a vibrant hybrid of Spanish and Quechua culture nestled in a semi-arid valley two miles high in the Peruvian Andes…
and gateway to trekking in the Peruvian Andes and Machu Picchu…
Vamanos! (Let’s go!)…
Extra verbiage below (needs s home)…
This mere snapshot could never do justice to the full richness of a place and its people, but it’s a start. Beautiful people, vibrant fiestas, llamas, alpacas, burros, coca tea, lomo saltado, solterito, cuy, maiz, pisco sours, Spanish and Quechua culture, ancient stone cities, and the second tallest mountain range in the world.
I arrived at high noon and was greeted with brilliant blues skies and the opportunity to practice my fledgling Spanish with my chófer (taxi driver)…
Upon arrival at my hotel, I was greeted with warm smiles and hot coca tea. Before I finished my second cup of tea on the terrace, the silence was broken by a chorus of drums, trumpets, and fireworks echoing over the Spanish tile rooftops.
I must investigate!
So I took a hundred steps down the narrow cobbled lane and…
<What did I discover?>
Fiesta!
This is the Plaza de Armas, the main plaza in Cusco…
I had just landed in Cusco an hour before discovering this sea of color, sound, and humanity!
There were no barriers, literally or figuratively, to mixing with the crowd or performers. Here is a band waiting their turn to play at the doors of the cathedral…
It was a never-ending parade of faces, colors, shapes, motion, sounds, and smells. The energy that flowed made me smile and gave me goose bumps.
The joy expressed by the dancers was contagious…
The audience was also part of the festivities. I had lots of fun connecting with some of the other attendees. By the way, does anybody else here look familiar (and not so happy with me)?
And I almost got these three ladies to smile!
Now that I feel at home, it’s time to score some dinero and stimulate the local economy.
“¡No toma el aqua!”. If you want to avoid gastro-intestinal distress, be prepared to buy plenty of bottled water. You should even use bottled water when you brush your teeth and be careful not to swallow any water when taking a shower!
Plaza de Armas (literally “Weapons Square”). Vive El Peru! And yes, you will find both a Starbucks and McDonald’s here.
Mis amigos… Jim (Jaime), Gary (Gustavo), and John (Juan)… three really good guys who were an absolute pleasure to travel with. I hope that I am half as cool as them when I grow up
The Conquistadors destroyed Qoricancha, the revered Incan Sun Temple, and built the Church of Santo Domingo atop the ruins. All seems to be forgiven now.
I feel like exploring off the beaten path. Where to next?
Street Scenes
You learn a lot by simply walking through the neighborhoods.
Old-school Volkswagen Beetles are quite popular…
There are apparently no building codes or safety regulations. There are hazards like this all over town. Watch your step!
Jay walking is a big problem in Cusco…
Ancient Inca stonework and new construction blend into a seamless whole…
Some curious and delightful ladies in primary school…
Feral dogs seem to be everywhere in Peru. Here’s a pooch chillin’ on the steps of the cathedral in Cusco…
None of the dogs seemed threatening, although some seemed to own certain territories… Here are a couple on guard duty at San Cristobal…
Mural with Incan imagery…
Muchacho playing…
Who needs a backhoe or jack hammer when you have a massive manual labor force?
Free Enterprise! Does this picture look familiar? I walked up to San Cristobal Church and met these ladies on their way to work. They have spun a burro, llama (alpaca?), and baby into gold. For a sole or two you can have your picture taken with them, a pretty good gig in a subsistence economy. I wish I could make money selling photo ops with me and my peeps!
During the Inca empire, the Plaza was known as “Huacaypata” (Place of Warriors) where ceremonies were held to honor warriors and celebrate victories. In 1532, the Spanish conquistador Pizarro captured the square and renamed it the Plaza de Armas (Square of Weapons) to commemorate his conquest of Cusco.
Here is the main cathedral. The plaza area felt very safe, even at night, but notice the police presence…
Although the square is flanked by two Spanish churches, the centerpiece of the square is a fountain that now celebrates an Inca king (name?)…
Food and Drink (Comida y Bebidas)
Coca tea is a staple. Yes, this is indeed the very same raw material that Cocaine is made from. It will not get you high, but the rumor is that you will still test positive for cocaine use in a drug test. Who knows? Anyway, coca tea is quite tasty (like green tea) and is purported to accelerate the acclimatization process, so I enjoyed dozens of cups over the course of my visit.
Lomo Saltado (salted beef with rice and potatoes) is a Peruvian staple. Try it with an Argentinian Malbec…
Some pasta and local brew…
Stuffed chicken (pollo relleno) with mashed sweet potatoes…
Solterito, a salad made with lima beans or fava beans, Andean corn, peppers, cheese, and maybe some onions, olives, carrots, or parsley…
Chicken, cuy (guinea pig), potato, maiz, yucca root, and purple corn juice…
A nice way to relax at the end of a perfect day. Let’s toast with a pisco sour: pisco (a grape-based liquor), lime, egg white, and little sweetener… “¡Arriba, abajo, a centro, adentro!”