We spent the morning traveling from Lima to Cusco - it definitely feels like a brand new trip...minus the smelly, dirty clothes and the million plastic bags (at least I won't wake up Lilly anymore with the rustling). 😳 Sarah is my new roomie and I'm beyond excited! She is a BA chick living in Charlotte by way of Long Island and we've already become besties in the jungle, so continuing our fun on the mountain will only add to the adventure of a lifetime! (But we miss Joan, Lilly, Jackie and Julie already!😭)
Cusco is significantly higher than the Amazon by 11,000 feet and we are feeling it! The recommendation is to take it slow and drink lots of water...and we did. Cusco is very touristy - it's where all of the Machu Picchu hikers stay and we are loving the amenities.
Up first was lunch at a very fancy restaurant and I tried, Alpaca! It was chewy and really good - I'm all about trying new foods and Cuy is up next (google that for a surprise)🐁 The restaurant had open charcoal grills and baskets of produce all over.
After lunch we went on a long walking tour of Cusco. We visited a couple churches, the main square, an artist's house where he sells hand painted Inca pottery, looked at original gray 600 year old Incan walls that are all over the city, a reconstructed tower and city gardens.
I fell in love with Inca pottery and the artist. He has been painting for decades and is the sweetest man. I practiced my espanol with him too, so either the store closes at 6 or the water cup costs 600 soles...😳 I plan on returning to his store when we have free time on Tuesday for some authentic Peruvian pots.
I was blown away by the cathedral, Cusco's Basilica. It is shaped like the Holy Cross and is the largest one in Cusco. There are 3 or 4 masses every day in Spanish, Latin or Quechuan. It has a community feel and some members attend every day. (I couldn't help but picture Sister Act 2 and really wanted to tear off my windbreaker and jump on stage to sing!) There are gigantic organs, mostly used on Sundays that light up the church. The church was covered in gold statues, beautiful paintings, jewels, and guinea pig symbolism everywhere. It was overwhelmingly beautiful, and even though I haven't been to church in years, I couldn't help but feel religious. In this magical country with all of these amazing experiences, I can't help but feel like we entered this basilica for a reason. These weeks are all about experiencing Peruvian life and finding myself along the way, so I'm getting a small group together to attend mass tomorrow morning. I'm really looking forward to this religious/cultural/spiritual experience in the early morning.
We took it easy for the rest of the night, exploring the main square with the hot water, air conditioning and Starbucks (and a few local cafés and pubs)! Next stop - Jesus, salt and textiles!
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