We arrived in Cusco yesterday afternoon which gave a pleasant, relaxed approach to day one, as encouraged by the guides after such a rapid change in altitude. We are now at around 11,000 feet.
The guides encouraged us to lie down for a couple of hours, but we knew better. Two friends had encouraged us to go to Jack's Cafe for great food, so we dropped our bags and headed out for what was indeed one of the better toasted sandwiches one would hope to enjoy (chicken, avocado and mushroom). Becky also had a very impressive hot chocolate, which I wouldn't mind going back for sometime.
After a little rest at the hotel, which by the way is a very impressive place, using an old monastery structure but updated fittings, bathrooms etc to deliver a very nice place to stay (even if the wifi is ridiculously slow), and then we head out to find a local bar and then search for one of the other restaurants that were recommended by our American friends from the jungle. We duly found both of them and chose one for a nice, light meal.
None of the good food spots that we have recognised so far have sales people at the door, so this will become our barometer for future choices. One can get very tired of the repetitive asking by street sales people to consider their offering. We wondered at what point is it rude to test their colloquial English by suggesting that they.... Well you get the point.
Today, as I write, is Friday and we joined a full day tour to the Sacred Valley of the Inca. The first stop felt a little too familiar initially, being a farm, with some alpacas and llamas to feed, but it became more interesting as they showed as local people dying wool solely from natural products and weaving. There wasn't a computer designing patterns nor a machine loom in sight, these ladies weave regional stories and information purely from memory of where the colours are required to be added.
I may be best to replace some photos as they slowly upload, but these ones are helpful.
Valley below us.
You could purchase such items, with notes about the weaver, the region, the wool source etc, so I did, preferring this to the more commercially produced offerings.
Speaking of which, our next stop was a market place at the bottom of the hill. If you have travelled the world it was 'Same Same, but different'. It includes some very nice items and helpful people who deserve sales, plus some uninspiring items and salespeople who are barely interested in anything more than your cash without doing more than rambling at you as you pass.
Back in the bus, then half way along the valley floor, where a very nice river runs (with a name that already escapes me) on its way to join the Amazon river, we stopped at a very pleasant spot for lunch. We have been told it is wise to eat light as low oxygen levels slow the digestive system, so we had soup, mostly vegetables.... And three pieces of light weight looking cakes for dessert!
By the way, the sun is out in Cusco, as is common we are told, and it is ideal for shorts or light trousers plus a T shirt, until the sun goes down when it falls quickly below 10 degrees Celsius.
The final stop along the valley if the most impressive and may well be worth spying on via Google Earth; Ollantaytambo, where three important valleys met and some very impressive architecture was built.
Climbing toward Temple of Sun and Moon. We call it inca trail training. It seems that the good photos, looking up the terraces etc are not on my phone, so you will see them upon our return.
Some of it was built by civilisations prior to the Inca, who ruled from 900-1532, but we were told that the Inca were good at retaining good engineering and trying to improve on it. Most of what you see is, as I said, very impressive, given how clever we think we are today 500 years later.
Many of the water races that deliver this life resource to various parts of the community still operate today.(photo to follow when it finally uploads!)
Sadly, what you then learn is that the dastardly Catholic Christians (Spanish origin) came along and started destroying things as part of their process of trying to wipe our previous ruling civilisations! I must apologise to Nigel (Katie's partner) at this point because Katie confirmed that you are from the Catholic side of the road. I am sure your family tree doesn't reach back to these destructive people, but I do hope you never kicked over your siblings' sand castles at the beach?
Actually, I owe Nigel two apologies. Whilst at the Inca site an American chap asked 'would you two like your photo together with the Temple of the Sun as a backdrop?'. Spotting an opportunity to further remove myself from being Ron's partner, or some other guy, I said 'sure, thanks' and grabbed Katie around the waist for 'our' photo! (Not on iPhone to upload, sorry).
The one hour journey back to Cusco allowed some to drift in and out of consciousness but it also showed us several rural communities and small villages, all of which show signs of eking out a living, simple structures, but nothing more.
Regular readers will no longer be surprised to learn that Ron and I were dragged off kicking and screaming to yet another bar before dinner. This time it was Museo de Pisco (think cocktails). Pisco is a little like a white grape based rum, and thus can be mixed with almost anything according to the menu! Seen cocktails and one cerveza made for an agreeable entre and then we head to INKAZUELA for dinner, as recommended, and the recommendation was a good one, where the ladies kindly paid for dinner.
Tomorrow we have a half day tour around Cusco, which are already becoming familiar with, but I am sure they will take us to some highlights of the city's history to saving us hunting them out.
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