Day 44 – Cuzco

We arrived in Cuzco earlier than expected around midday. Once arrived at the bus station we were immediately approached by a gentle girl named Karina whom was trying to sell us some good deals with hotels and tours. We actually decided that it was worthy giving her a try and we were right. The hotel she recommended was very central and cost us only 6 dollars a night with internet and hot water. We were also very lucky because we reached together with Karina the train station to reserve a place to Macchu Pichu and we could only find two seats left for Saturday, leaving extremely early in the morning and returning around 2.am the day after. The time wasn’t ideal but otherwise we would have had to wait until Tuesday! It was perfect timing. As we use to say ‘a pelo’.

The rest of the day was spent around Cuzco discovering this amazing town. I actually love it. It is lost in the middle of the mountains with its architecture being an amazing blend of Inca style and Spanish baroque elements. Religious elements of Christianity mixed with pagan symbols in an astonishing marriage of religions. The locals, once conquered by the Spanish conquistadores, didn’t really give up their deity, camouflaging into the imported Roman Catholic images and festivity their own symbols coming from the Inca’s reign. The result is a breathtaking combination of sacred and profane, of God and ‘Gods’, of ancient believes of two similar and contrasting worlds.

Kids running around with corns and candies and their parents chewing coca while talking to some tourists on their way to Macchu Pichu. Different cultures and people meet in Cuzco for an unforgettable experience.

We walked around all afternoon visiting some local museums and enjoying an amazing exhibition of local dancers in the city theatre, everything followed by a very good dinner not too far from the theatre. We stayed up quite long before going back to the hotel. The next two days will be very full. Tomorrow we will visit the Sacred Valley of the Inca and it will be a full day around the Andes, going by bus and partially walking the famous Inca trail. The day after will be dedicated to discover the city and the important archaeological sites which surround it.

TWIMO!