Cusco-Cuzco-Qosko

Regardless of how you spell it, we arrived!  Cusco, the way that I spell it, is the most incredible place I've ever visited.  Cusco is fascinating as it is full of rich ancient Inca and Spanish history, which fuse together to form the Cusco we know today.  This is one of the few places in the world, if not the only, that you can find a traditional dressed Inca woman walking an Alpaca while talking on a cell phone.

Scott embracing the culture

We arrived only yesterday, and I feel like we have already seen and experienced so much of the culture.  Upon arrival our amazing Airbnb host and our apartment kitty, that we’ve named Chuck, greeted us.  We aren't exactly sure if Chuck is a boy, but what we do know is that he loves to cuddle with Keith.  Keith wasn't feeling so well for Day 1 of Cusco, so we had Chuck "Keith sit" while we were out.  Ari, Scott and I wandered the streets, popped in and out of some little shops, took a walk down to the Plaza de Armas and had a wonderful lunch at Yunsa where we enjoyed Pizza, bread, aqua con gas and views.

We hired Keith a sitter, literally! ha

Plaza de Armas - Cusco

Yunsa for lunch

Today started off with an early trip to Starbucks. I know, I know, but honestly it was the ONLY coffee place open before 10am.  Plus, if we hadn’t have gone Ari would have never been able to experience the feeling of having her name spelled correctly on a cup.  Myself on the other hand, I was given an entirely new name. ha.

Ariana and Jane

After Starbucks we headed back to the Airbnb.  Keith and I went on a short little walk around our area San Blas.  I showed him the few things he missed from the day before and we snapped a few pictures before meeting back up with Ari and Scott. We all walked down to the Plaza de Armas and enjoyed a tour at the Templo de la Compania .  We learned about the influence the Inca culture had on the way traditional catholicism is practiced in Cusco.  It is very different than what we see in the United States as it blends both the Inca and Spanish beliefs into one.  This concept was depicted perfectly in the artwork on the walls.  The most powerful was that of a painting that hung high of an intercultural marriage between a Spanish conquistador and an Inca princess.

Taking a picture with an Alpaca in San Blas Plaza

Stopped to take a picture against an Inca wall on our way down to the Plaza de Armas

The Templo de la Compania from across the Plaza.  We couldn't take pictures inside.  I'll have to buy a postcard! 

The day was still young, so we decided to go on a free walking tour.  This was no 15-minute spiel and walk around the Plaza de Armas.  This was a full-blown 3-hour, best tour ever, hike around Cusco.  Our guide, Diego, was funny and fit!  He sped up the long city blocks comprised of cobble steps, leaving all of us sea level folks gasping for breath.  He showed us the most amazing views and opened up an entire new Cusco to us.  We were able to see some sights that we likely wouldn’t have seen otherwise.  We stopped at the San Cristobal church that looks over Cusco, and took a bus up to the Statue of Christ.  We then walked along the countryside roads looking at crops of potatoes, corn and quinoa before stopping at Saksaywaman.  We enjoyed a presentation on how inca clothing is made from baby Alpaca wool and natural colors while sipping Coca tea.  We spent some time in a musicians home learning about historical instruments.  The tour ended at Limbus where we were given a Pisco sour.  It wouldn’t have been a proper Peruvian tour otherwise! We spent some extra time there eating, drinking and enjoying the views before heading back to our Airbnb.

The View at San Cristobal church

We found a rainbow!

Bus ride to Statue of Christ

Statue of Christ

My sexy man with Saksaywaman in the background

Alpaca wool and natural colors presentation

Home of the Musician and his instruments

My travel mates enjoying the view at Limbus

Pasta dinner at Limbus

We were home all of maybe 15 minutes before Keith decided he was hungry.  Since I am a good wife I accompanied him back out to the town to get some dinner at Nonna Trattoria.  He ordered the most amazing calzone.  Since I am such a wonderful wife, he shared with me. 

Calzone from Nonna Trarroria

I am so excited to be spending so much time in Cusco.  I’ll do my best to get another blog post up before we leave for the Inca Trail.  This is Peru blog #4, so if you haven’t read Peru Part 1 - The Planning, We Arrived-Lima Peru, or Tour de pisco, you’ll have to go back and check them out!

I am off to bed!

Thanks for reading,

JenniferMarie