Bye Bye Cusco

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  Cusco, Peru
Thursday, October 9, 2008

Friday nightīs Goodbye Amuata at Nortonīs went down a storm, I thought - pictures of everyone Iīve met in Cusco are now at www.flickr.com/photos/bongo76.  Jenny and Chantal were very sweet and gave me a couple of bracelets they had made.  I donīt normally wear lots of gubbins but as these are a bit special I wear them everyday.  They keep my tatty smelly wrist thing I got from Tequile Island in March company.

Iīve moved out of Amauta and in with Jane, spent the weekend at her flat.  I was great to have a bit of company, cushion the blow of being cut free from the school.  But I couldnīt stay on Janeīs floor for long, and instead booked into Hostel Suecia in town.  Itīs on the same street as Amauta which meant I kept bumping into friends from school which was good.  It was also fairly cheap at 30 soles (6 pounds) a night with breakfast included.  The only thing is it was a bit quiet.  The end of the tourist season and the start of the rains means Cusco continues to be quiet.

On Saturday I went white water rafting on the Urubamba River http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urubamba_River  It was really good fun, great to get away from the city for the day.  I met a couple of British girls, Amber and Nadia.  We seemed to hit it off quite well, itīs a shame we didnīt meet earlier.  The three of us have had a couple of nights out since, although Nadia was struck with the dreaded lurge and couldnīt make my last night.

Sunday Jane and I took the hour-long bus to Pisac.  We were going to climb the ruins but instead just moseyed around the market.  Pisac is a great market, I even bought some tourist tat. 

Monday I was going to go to see Janeīs voluntary work at a local school, but sheīs become ill again, return of the amoebas it seems.  So instead we went to the doctors.  He said that 90% of illness in Cusco is from bacteria, 10% is parasites.  Sadly Jane has parasites...

I was due to leave Cusco on Tuesday until a workers strike was announced: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7658360.stm  This meant all transport in and out of Cusco was cancelled.  And then Wednesday was some sort of National Holiday.  I rebooked my bus to Puno and overnight stay, but it also meant I had two more days to fill.  To make this even more challenging the rainy season has started early.  Normally the rains donīt come until the end of October.  I guess it must be climate change - the rain started this week, and my gosh, it is heavy!  Plaza de Armas was drowned, Calle Suecia (my street) was a river.  So there was nothing else for it; I went to a museum - The Museum of Pre-Colombian Art.  Very cultural.  I got my hair cut too which was just as harrowing as it is in the UK.  She cut in layers (no! - not layers!) and also had a bit of an obsession with the left side of hair, not so bothered about cutting the right side.  So itīs a bit wonky.  I tie it back most of the time anyway so itīs no great shakes really.

Wednesday was my last night in Cusco.  Iīm quite bored with the place but donīt want to go.  Iīll be all on my own for the first time in over a month.  The rain continued so a soggy Jane and I had a bit of a blow out last meal at Witches Garden.  It wasnīt as good as Fallen Angel although the prices and decor were similar.  It could have been a swanky restaurant in Notting Hill.  The owner has two hairless Andean dogs, kitted out in jumpers to keep them warm - again it was soooo West London.  After that we joined some school pals and Amber at Indigo.  I wanted to say goodbye to Caesar and get a piccy of him.  Then Amber, James, Jane, Chantal, Saskia and I went to Mushrooms, the new bar in town.  It is very white and bright and pricey: 8 soles for a small Cusqueņa.  Tom was also back in town and in Mushrooms with some other tour guide types.  I was determined to have a good last night so when the others cried off with tiredness I plonked myself down with Tom and pals.  We then went on to Mythology (dead) and then Mama Africaīs (busier). 

The sambuca was out again and the Cuba Libres too.  I didnīt want to stay out too late as I did have to catch an 8am bus to Puno the next morning.  I think Tom is great; I donīt suppose it will surprise when I confess I have a bit of a crush on my (ex-) tour guide (what a cliche!)  However Tom does not have a crush on me, which is a shame because I could do with a cuddle.  I still managed to stay out until 4am though - bad girl!  I paid for it in the morning, but thatīs tomorrowīs blog entry...

Chao.

x

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