As we approach Cusco from the air, we feel as if we are going back in time, a city with mud brick homes and buildings which use Inca walls as part of their structure. There are many Spanish style churches and villas that intertwine with the mass of more modest buildings that cram the city. Cusco is in a valley the Incas believed was shaped like a puma. If you look closely you can talk yourself unto that that's what it looks like. This Old World feel is what we had been anticipating since we left..
So our plane lands and we make our way past the many drivers and tour companies vying for a piece of my American dream. We had instructions to collect our bags and proceed outside to the "pickup area, which turns out to be a guarded and fenced area that people meeting people line up at and yell for who they are looking for. So we listened..and heard a little voice repeating the name of our guide company. It was the wife of our main contact in Cusco! We felt lucky to have found someone, anyone so quickly. We shuffle our way past the throng and pile into our little transport. This was a private however to our (pleasant) surprise we discover that we have a private car and driver for our time in Cusco - nice! As we ramble towards the hotel Picoaga, we are told it is election time and the air is buzzing with the excitement that it brings. In Peru, voting is "mandatory" for their "democratic" elections so candidates pictures are plastered on every square inch of space on the tightly packed buildings along the street. There are rallies on many street corners with the local candaidate giving a passionate speech through a bull horn while standing on a box. Despite the electoral shortcomings, there is an unmistakable excitement in the air and the enthusiasm of the people is quite apparent.
On this barely 30 minute driver from the airport to the hotel, we had quite the entourage. We have a driver, guide from the company our trip was outsourced to, and the wife of our lead guide/main contact from the American company we booked through. All treated us as family from the moment we walked out of airport.
Our transport weaved between the hordes of traffic, around circles and through squares. Of particular interest were all the dogs that inhabit the streets of Cusco. These savvy locals are professionals at playing chicken with your vehicle and, from the looks of things..they rarely lose the standoff. Most roam the streets during the day, indifferent to what is going on around them. Seemingly well fed for the most part, we didn't have any problems with our 4-legged friends during our time in Cusco.
Our arrival at Hotel Picoaga went off without incident..thankfully our skilled driver got us there in one piece. We check in and immediately head downstairs to meet "McGyver", our lead guide and a character in his own right. By the time we leave we swear that he knows EVERY person in Cusco and is on a first name basis with all of them. After some instruction on acclimating to the altitude..Cusco being at 9k feet, we freshened up and received a personal walking tour (albeit a slow walk) around the sites in Cusco.
Plaza de Armas - the main square in Cusco. Great place to kick back on a bench and people watch. Be warmed you will be solicited about once every 2 minutes to buy something.
Politely say "no, gracias" and most will be on their way. Also the site of may an election rally during our stay.The Church of La Compañia - On the Plaza de Armas,
this is a beautiful Spanish era chruch. The interior artifacts have not been maintained to the standards one would expect of such a site, however, the gold leaf alter is still breathtakingly beautiful..dust and all.San Blas church
- The colonial San Blas church, destroyed by an earthquake in 1650 and later rebuilt by successive parish priests. San Blas was one of the most important mestizo neighborhoods in colonial Cuzco and housed 4 different indigenous communities as well as several hundred Spanish colonist.The best part of Cusco is just wandering around the Old World style streets and discovering the many shops, museums, churches and squares. Just be sure to move at a slow pace or the altitude will get you!
Coming Next - Day 2..Shoeshines and Touring the outskirts of Cusco!
