Weather: Quite Chilly.
Llama Count: A surprising 5 spotted trotting around the city. Including two, which seemed to be street llamas, owner less vagrants who were keeping the mangey dogs company at the corner of a derelict church, and no doubt sharing their fleas.
Still no start for the Paddington Bear Relation metric. This country seems too focused on their llamas for such nonsense.
Cuzco was the capital city of the Incas. Today it is the capital city of the obese American Tourist (OAT), who can guard themselves against the dangerous increase in their rates of metabolism (caused by the altitude) at the local KFC and Starbucks. However, the city to fights back against this lardy invasion. Its endless steps and steep streets, ensure for the moment that all OATs are too out of breath to complain to the authorities and have a chairlift installed.
Cuzco was built in the shape of a Puma. This Puma has grown strange and vast tumours since its original conception in the 12th century , and the suburbs now spread out to the feet of the surrounding mountains. Every tourist is still discussing the woes of altitude sickness. It is 1000 feet lower than La Paz, and more humid, I dont know what all the fuss is about.
I was a classic tourist and went to a cathedral and museum. The cathedral was built on an Inca temple, but was still not as eerie as the San Franciscan church in La Paz. The museum consisted mainly of Inca artefacts which ranged from the mundane plates and cutlery, to the exceptionally rude fertility mugs. Unfortunately, a good 30% of the museum was made up of photographs, as the actual objects are being looked after by Yale University. This is muchos unpopular in Peru.
Tomorrow I need to be up at 4.30 as I have signed up to go trekking for four days. On the fifth day Ill hopefully reach Machu Pichu, if the altitude doesnt get me (general cockiness about the situation is eventually going to come back to haunt me for sure.) Three nights in a tent sounds particularly unappealing, but having discovered a large OAT intolerance it will probably be more fun.
The hostal I am staying in is in a national monument of Peru, and the computer room is in what looks like a deserted crypt. When I checked in here the person asked me if I was scared of ghosts...
Hasta Luego mis amigos!
Hi Flurry
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that you have crossed Lake Titikaka and crossed into Peru. We wonder if you notice much of a difference from 'backpacker Bolivia' to well trodden 'touristy Peru'.
We gather that you are not walking the regular Inca Trail and so are looking forward to when you reveal which route you have taken to Machu Picchu. Hopefully, the weather will be clear when you enter this fantastic sight through the Sun Gates.
Thank you for all you blogs. We have felt the cold and heat with you as you crossed the salt flats. We have relived some of those long and arduous bus rides and felt the exhilaration of cycling down the 'World's Most Dangerous Road'. We wish that we could do it all over again. One of the things that your accounts remind us most of is the struggle that local people encounter daily and the ingenuity they perform to get on with day to day living. It is a very humbling experience to observe them.
Back to Machu Picchu we can only hope that you get the chance to climb Huayna Picchu for the most fantastic view of this wonderful sight. In the meantime, keep enjoying yourself as it will all be over far too quickly.
Love Keith & Helen