Friday 29th April:
Apparently 1.2 million people live in and around Cusco, including it seems 274 named Pablo Picasso hawking their art work to the tourists. When asked my name I volunteered Vincent van Goch, which I rather like. I don't think I've been anywhere, where there are so many hawkers, buy my paintings, let me give you a massage, eat in my restaurant, take a picture of me in my traditional costume holding a baby lamb, buy my jewellery, take a tour into the jungle with me, change some currency here, get stuffed at my taxidermists.
They are all reasonably pleasant, and do take no for an answer, except Pablo that is, but it is constant as soon as you leave the hotel.
Our man Mario was awake and in attendance by one minute to ten this morning. A couple of checks regarding timing and tickets and we're off for a half day tour. Gorichinka is the first stop, for this is where the sword was pushed into the earth, the navel in fact, the centre of the Inca universe here in Cusco.
There are a number of original walls and structures here that have stood the test of time, from around 1430 when the Incas arrived in Cusco. In fact they have survived at least three earthquakes and could have been laid yesterday. The precision of the architecture is the most amazing thing, the way they interlocked large blocks of rock with such primitive tools is truly amazing.
From there to the cathedral, as large and ornate church as I have seen anywhere and a match for some of the fabulous mosques we have seen on our travels. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photographs, but suffice to say that this church was the centre of the Catholic faith in South America from the time of the Spanish conquest.
The final leg of our organised Cusco tours was out to Sacsayhuaman, another massive Inca ruin, and a site where the Inca kings could meet and celebrate. Again the architecture is stunning and with one piece of hewn rock weighing over 50 tons. Not many tourists can say Sacsayhuaman, so instead it has the mnemonic "Sexy Woman", much easier to remember.
We leave Mario with little more than the recommended tip, he hasn't been the best, and neither the worst, but was OK, and interestingly took quite an interest in us, where we came from and what we did. Lunch on the Plaza and a chat with Emma, a near 40 year old woman, ex Head of Finance for Crew Clothing, and now some way through a year out, good for her. Her scariest moment was in Pnomh Penh where she was both groped and robbed in the same day, but other than that has got on fine.
Later we stroll and Lorna does find it tiring, I just hope she will be able to enjoy Macchu Pichu but is looking forward to the Uyuni Salt Flats, the clue's in the name.
Amazing coincidence number two, we go back to the Inka Grill for dinner, and we're just about to be taken to seats upstairs when someone recognises Lorna's voice, none other than David & Marion Harris, who we cruised with between Istanbul & Dubai in 2011? So we join them and are saved from being next to a large noisy group upstairs.
They had also cruised again with Maureen & Alan, who told them how much they enjoyed their New Year's Eve with us, always good to get such feedback. They had started in Iguazu Falls and then crossed into Peru, spending some time in the jungle, very hot and extremely humid that said, all excellent reasons not to visit a jungle in my view.
As we stroll back to the hotel I find myself a little breathless, I hope I am not going to suffer that again, especially as this time I am taking the Mepredec which is supposed to avoid all this stuff, and it's Macchu Pichu tomorrow.
Apparently 1.2 million people live in and around Cusco, including it seems 274 named Pablo Picasso hawking their art work to the tourists. When asked my name I volunteered Vincent van Goch, which I rather like. I don't think I've been anywhere, where there are so many hawkers, buy my paintings, let me give you a massage, eat in my restaurant, take a picture of me in my traditional costume holding a baby lamb, buy my jewellery, take a tour into the jungle with me, change some currency here, get stuffed at my taxidermists.
They are all reasonably pleasant, and do take no for an answer, except Pablo that is, but it is constant as soon as you leave the hotel.
Our man Mario was awake and in attendance by one minute to ten this morning. A couple of checks regarding timing and tickets and we're off for a half day tour. Gorichinka is the first stop, for this is where the sword was pushed into the earth, the navel in fact, the centre of the Inca universe here in Cusco.
There are a number of original walls and structures here that have stood the test of time, from around 1430 when the Incas arrived in Cusco. In fact they have survived at least three earthquakes and could have been laid yesterday. The precision of the architecture is the most amazing thing, the way they interlocked large blocks of rock with such primitive tools is truly amazing.
From there to the cathedral, as large and ornate church as I have seen anywhere and a match for some of the fabulous mosques we have seen on our travels. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photographs, but suffice to say that this church was the centre of the Catholic faith in South America from the time of the Spanish conquest.
The final leg of our organised Cusco tours was out to Sacsayhuaman, another massive Inca ruin, and a site where the Inca kings could meet and celebrate. Again the architecture is stunning and with one piece of hewn rock weighing over 50 tons. Not many tourists can say Sacsayhuaman, so instead it has the mnemonic "Sexy Woman", much easier to remember.
We leave Mario with little more than the recommended tip, he hasn't been the best, and neither the worst, but was OK, and interestingly took quite an interest in us, where we came from and what we did. Lunch on the Plaza and a chat with Emma, a near 40 year old woman, ex Head of Finance for Crew Clothing, and now some way through a year out, good for her. Her scariest moment was in Pnomh Penh where she was both groped and robbed in the same day, but other than that has got on fine.
Later we stroll and Lorna does find it tiring, I just hope she will be able to enjoy Macchu Pichu but is looking forward to the Uyuni Salt Flats, the clue's in the name.
Amazing coincidence number two, we go back to the Inka Grill for dinner, and we're just about to be taken to seats upstairs when someone recognises Lorna's voice, none other than David & Marion Harris, who we cruised with between Istanbul & Dubai in 2011? So we join them and are saved from being next to a large noisy group upstairs.
They had also cruised again with Maureen & Alan, who told them how much they enjoyed their New Year's Eve with us, always good to get such feedback. They had started in Iguazu Falls and then crossed into Peru, spending some time in the jungle, very hot and extremely humid that said, all excellent reasons not to visit a jungle in my view.
As we stroll back to the hotel I find myself a little breathless, I hope I am not going to suffer that again, especially as this time I am taking the Mepredec which is supposed to avoid all this stuff, and it's Macchu Pichu tomorrow.
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