Marchin'
Trip Start
Feb 27, 2009
1
61
73
Trip End
Sep 13, 2009
Cusco,
Peru
Saturday, July 11, 2009
I arise and pay my hotel bill with the usual 15 attempts at the credit card. It just seems Visa is an evil concept here and cash is preferred at all times. This is most convenient - business owners like it and the criminals and pickpockets like it even more - everybody's happy!
I order a taxi which tries to screw me over once I'm at the airport - only a couple of dollars but, quite frankly, fuck him. I hold firm and to be honest there's no way he can pull his knife in the crowded airport. At last I'm on my way back to Cusco. Donīt get me wrong Lima has its charms but lets face it i've tried to be honest on this blog but sometimes that means admitting places are less than worthy of a stop on any trip and whereas it was good to take in its unashamed seediness - let's get the hell outta here
Cusco Rooftops
.Arriving in Cusco airport, I manage to hone my haggling skills further and veritably screw over the taxi driver - I think. He got even less of a payment when he dumped by two streets from the hotel as he couldnīt be bothered negotiating the traffic to the doorstep. So I tackled the last uphill climb laden down like a camel and soom came to realise that I was back at altitude again. Gasping for every breath. Even though I'd been here only recently a one week stay at sea level means my body has to go through the whole acclimatisation process again.
It's not that there's loads of traffic in Cusco - there are a tonne of taxis but nothing an ordinary city network of street couldn't handle. But this is no ordinary city. The minute you leave the commercial modern built up ugly piece of civilisation and enter the old historic quarter where I was staying, the streets become cobbled, narrow, and precipitous - the old town being built on a hill - presumably for the purposes of defence against conquistadores and the like. So when Mr Taxi Driver was caught in a head on face off with other traffic thatīs when I got the boot and he got his pittence of a fare.
Habla Espagnol
...or something like that
Cusco Tiles
. The super kind fella at my accommodation listened attentively as I enquired after spanish schools and no sooner had he recommended one than I was sitting in their office before I could change my mind. For the princely sum of $100 I will receive 20 hours of lessons next week - every morning - with salsa lessons, music lessons, group activities in the evenings. Should I chose there'll be more on the classes later.Hopefully I'll no longer be reduced to "una cerveza por favor" or "la quenta por favor". It's remarkable though - I actually am starting to pick up bits and pieces of the lingo. I can get the jist of the asy stuff largely due to the french I do have and the similarity of words but mostly due to getting accustomed to being able to keep up with what they're saying and then being able to translate the words. Previously it was just all one slur of tonguey-ness and "thah-thah"ing.
Coco Tea
I head back to the Coco Shop which serves up the most amazing coca tea and coca products. Cynthia had introduced us to the place. Thankfully the guy behind the counter recognised me. Go to www.cocoshop.com and order something. You probably won't get the tea leaves - the guy (whose name I've forgotten) has already been in trouble with the US Homeland and Securities office for attempting such sales before
View from Hill, Cusco
. Coca leaves are the base of not only chocolate and tea - but cocaine (after a very drawn out and complicated manufacturing process might I add). Though it is said chewing the leaves in sufficient quantities brings out its mild narcotic characteristics. Indeed, in the days of yore, the chewing of coca leaves was a luxury only afforded to the royal Incas and not the common day man. But that's OK I'm as good as a royal Inca in the present day.That evening I make my way back to Inka Panaka - the intrepid groupīs favourite restaurant and am treated to soup (which I think may have been out of a can) and my fave lomo saltado - definitely not out of can and a couple of glasses of vino tinto. I was sat at a wee table by the door which was guarded by a blue flamed fire in an old pottery vase - looking out on to the cobbled street below. The walls are decorated in Andean art and materials and the music was all familiar tunes liek Torn and Chasing Cars played out in an Andean style. Ah Cusco - so good to be back.
11 July 2009
With 2 entire days left before I'm back to school, I grab breakfast at Jacks Cafe (best breakfast of my travels) and I head up to Sacsayhuaman - a former Incan fort built to guard the main capital of Cusco
View from Hill, Cusco
. The climb is only 200m and about 15 minutes but enough to drain you at altitude. If it weren't was the delights of Peruvian food and Cusco's own beer - Cusquena - I'd be a shadow of my former self with all this climbing and walking. Sacsayhuaman is advertised to the less discerning tourist as Sexy Woman - due to the closeness of pronunciation. For me the more sophisticated tourist it is another wonderful site of Incan ruins - dominated by 3 large terraces - each with a saw edged design of stone walls - some of the stones being 28ft tall - a massive feat given the Incans had never invented the wheel and had to transpost stones like this to the tops of hill on rolling sticks. In all other respects the Incans and their predecessors were an amazing race of people. By the time the Greek Empire was in full throttle, the Andean tribes had invented art, clothing, agriculture, irrigation and weaponry. They'd little need for the wheel as they'd no horses to pull wheeled objects. The other important thing they hadn't invented was writing and as such we have little knowledge of their history before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores. The Andeans were largely left alone due to geographical circumstance - surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the amazon jungle to the north and the Andes mountain range to the East and South. When the Incas conquered this entire kingdom they thought that was that. The world was theirs.While up at Sexy Woman, I head over to the adjoining site of Cristo Blanco (White Christ) a mammoth statue of Christ which looks over and protects Cusco beneath
Sacsayhuaman Ruins, Cusco
. There is a van parked outside with an anti abortion advertisement pasted along its side - surely a case of preaching to the converted. It's somewhat impressive but ruined by a tacky fence and flood lights which do of course make it special from the town below at night. Still I think the more famous statue of Christ at Rio might be somewhat more impressive.Back down in town I take it easy over another Coco tea and end the evening in a somewhat upscale restaurant with a couple of beers and a nice calzone pizza.
The Glorious Twelfth
After another fine breakfast at Jacks I head down to the main square on this Sunday morning - noting that most businesses are closed emphasising again this country's catholic leanings. At just as our protestant brethren are marching in the name of William in the north of Ireland for reasons that surely cannot be described as religious, the balance of the world is restored in Cusco as kids and suited men and bands march around the main Plaza des Armes. I have no idea what the march is for but am certain it will not contain a ritual burning of the pope in a field adjounring and Orange Hall. It turns out it is a communion feast
Sacsayhuaman Ruins, Cusco
. A couple of hours later and normal business is restored with cries of "Amigo Massage", "Amigo Paintings" and "No Gracias" retorts - except for that protestant from "Portydown" who gladly accepted massage with a happy ending - protestants - what are they like!I walk deeper into town to discover old markets and newspaper and magazine stalls surrounded by locals - none of them buying - instead just reading. Surely not great for the traderīs business. I'll spend the rest of this afternoon sitting on a balcony of one of the second floor pubs reading more on the great Incas and watching the world go by over the main square. I'll pick up my laundry and get to bed early - after all it's a school night.
On my iPod
High - Lighthouse Family
