I arrived in Cusco at 4am. This was the spot I had planned the trip around. I had spent the last month researching the history of the city and the Incas that inhabited it in the 1400s. It was the site of incredible advancements in engineering, as well as mass slaughter at the hands of Pizarro and the Spainards. A recent book that did a good job of putting it all together: Turn Right at Machu Picchu.
I caught a cab to the main square and begin shooting pictures.
I had scouted out lodging, Hostel Suecia II, during the bus ride. I eventually found the place and the owner was outside sweeping the front steps. I was given a room and crashed for about 4 hours.
I had a lot to accomplish today before I boarded the train the next morning to the town, Aguas Calientes, at the base of MP. I had to confirm my flight back to Lima, train to/from MP and my entrance ticket to MP.
I had found a map with a 2 hour walking tour of Cosco and decided to check that out until most of the shops and offices opened up.
I should mention that the flag shown above is the flag of the Incan Empire, not the flag of the Gay Empire. Although SA is more tolerant of gays these days, I still would not say this was a gay-friendly atmosphere.
I stopped at the market where things where beginning to heat up for the day and grabbed my standard bowl of potatoe soup
I came across a museum that contained many of the original stones laid down by the Incas.
These stones are amazing simply for the fact that there was no mortar used. All the blocks are chiseled with such precision that you could not slide a piece of paper anywhere between the cracks. In fact, the city had suffered many earthquakes over the years and only the foundations built by the Incas (the ones left after the Spainards destroyed the city) where the only ones left standing
I continued on with my sightseeing as I might not have another chance to walk the city on my tight schedule
I came across a local painter, Andre
He had an incredible gallery. I was immediately drawn to the below painting. I headed back to an ATM and made the transaction, rolling up the canvas in a shipping tube.
I may have mentioned this in previous blogs, but I often get upset at tourists that haggle pricing on local wares. These people live on $2-$5/ day and you are pressing them down for no other reason then to exhibit your own power over the situation. Just pay them what they want, or even a bit more. It is often that these locals will turn around and give you invaluable advice about the town in which they live and want not to miss.
Here was a lady selling birds eggs. I did not sample these…I have my limits.
My walking guide mentioned a set of ruins on the outskirts of town. I tried to cut a few corners and ended up at this staircase.
Although it may not look like much, is was about straight up and I was already breathing heavy as small school children passed me by. I ran across a woman, and asked if this was the way to the ruins, pointing up the stairs. She nodded affirmatively, unfortunately. She agreed to take me to the top by way of a shortcut if we swung by her house seen here
We continued up I had to stop every 20 feet to bend over and hyperventilate.
She would just look at me like I was a sad specimen. I tried to explain that I was not weak, but that my illness and altitude was killin’ me. She just continued to stare as seen below
Eventually we made it to the top and I collapsed like a castaway landing on the beach of a deserted island. In this picture you can see the road that most people take and to the right is the incline I selected
We parted ways and I then saw all the tour buses lined up
I passed on the S30 entrance fee and just followed the intended road back down into the city
At this point I went to the train company’s office to confirm my tickets for the next day. They said I was all set, but told me I better confirm my ticket for MP itself because what I showed them was only a reservation without indication of payment.
I spent the next 2 hours, walking 4-5 miles looking for this office, only to realize I was standing about 50 ft from it, when I inquired to two men as to its whereabouts. I am always amazed how lost locals are in their own cities when it comes to obvious landmarks.
I waited in the 1 hour line to get to the teller. I showed them my reservation. They looked it up in the computer and said they had no reservation for me. I laughed and told them to please check again. My heart starting beating fast and my world was crashing down as I realized that I might not be able to go to MP, making the whole trip a disappointment. She told me I had made the reservation online but did not pay, thereby canceling my reservation after 10 days. I was fuming cause the website could not have been harder to figure out. I explained as I am sure everyone else does, that I had come thousands of miles and must have a ticket. She consulted the manager and found me a ticket. If I was unable to get a ticket, I had fully intended to still continue to MP and bushwack through some back entrance.
I had no alarm clock so I after grabbing an early dinner I went to sleep around 5pm so even if I slept a long time, I figured I would wake by 6am the next morning.
Until Tomorrow
Darren
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