Cusco

Jamie and I arrived in Cusco Sunday afternoon. After all that we had read and heard about the altitude, we didn´t know what to expect. When the guy in front of us leaving the airplane almost fell over, we sort of freaked out... but then realized that he had just tripped.

It was sunny and clear, and such a contrast from the coast. All the buildings have red roofs and the town is quite colonial. It actually reminded me a bit of Guanajuato, Mexico...

Jamie had found a neat hotel, Los Niños II (www.ninoshotel.com...there is also Los Niños on the opposite side of town), which is run by a Dutch couple. About 10 years ago during a visit, they decided to do something for the numerous children wandering the streets begging\working. Today, all profits from the two hotels fund daily support for over 500 children. We saw many of them wandering, we assumed to class, through our courtyard - hands behind their backs, SOO polite, greeting the guests in both english and spanish. The rooms were simple and clean, and the staff super helpful. Plus, all you can drink mate de cocoa... which came in handy after I almost passed out my first night in town.. not sure if it was the altitude, the peruvian wine or the strain on my brain trying to negotiate our tour of the Valle Sagrado for Tuesday. Probably a combination of the three, but other than that..and being winded walking up the steep streets, we were fine from an altitude perspective. Highly recommend the hotel as a simple, inexpensive option, just request a room away from the street..as the dogs of Cusco act like they own the place.

Per a recommendation from Juan´s sister, we ate at Inka Grill right on the Plaza de Armas. It was great, and perfect for our first night in order to get our bearings. But the highlight of the night for me was being taken for a Spaniard! As in many tourist towns around the world, servers hang outside their restaurants sweet-talking you in.. and when I responded to one that we had already eaten, he continued to strike up a conversation, asking me if I was "de Espana".. I almost hugged the guy!

Monday morning we had breakfast at Ayula (another local reco), right next to the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, before heading out to explore the town. Cusco has just about everything...and about everything 400 times. Really. 90 percent of the tiendas are one-stop shopping: tour agency, digital camera cards, water, postcards, ponchos, crappy internet, laundry, etc. And most streets have about six of those shops. I kept saying that I wanted to write the mayor of Cusco to provide some sort of retail consult. Same goes for the kids\teens selling finger puppets, dolls and postcards on the street. They are all the same, and there are hundreds of kids selling the exact same thing. Oh and the art, and they all say they painted it..or their husband (I fell for that one first thing Monday morning)\mother\brother\etc painted it. And you feel for them because they are actually trying, rather than simply begging....but, really, what does one do with a finger puppet?

Jamie and I had lunch in San Blas at a cool place called The Muse. Cool menu, fun international music, very cool atmosphere, amazing view of the city (we sat on a couch looking out the large door over town)...but I think we were there for 2 hours waiting on our food. And not to be the antsy-pantsy Americans with oh-so-many important places to go, but it was a little excessive. And there were only about 6 people in there...another couple was complaining loudly as we were leaving. Maybe just a bad day, so I would still recommend it.

Next we spend some time at the Museo de Incas - to, as we put it, get a high-level understanding of the history and evolution of the local culture. We also both bought cool tapestries to take home and frame. The owner and his daughters worked the shop, which happened to be across from the Museo de Incas, and were adorable. He immediately guessed that I was from California since I was "so warm, friendly and open..unlike the New Yorkers", he said... HA! I guess Jamie can claim half and half...

The day had already gotten away from us, so we killed some time before dinner at Mundio Net. Althought it may appear as if there is internet on every corner, as I previously implied...apparently INTERNET is a general term used for a keyboard and a screen. A guide book had recommended Mundio Net, and while no local could tell us where it was, I highly recommend making the trip to Calle Santa Teresa 17 (which is really just a couple streets off the main plaza). You´ll save time in the long run because you´ll have decent connectivity and all the other functions you might need, plus it´s super inexpensive.

We had dinner at Cicciolina (Calle Triunfo 393 2do. piso), another local recommendation. Again, very cool atmosphere..Jamie and I were seated in the best table in the place, like a lovers nook overlooking the street. Amazing food...homenade and most of the menu was organic.

After a very full day, we retured to Los Niños to call it a night. Stirling had landed in Lima, but something was not right since she wasn´t able to confirm her flight from Lima to Cusco in the morning. At 5am Tuesday morning, the first of our many texts back and forth began.. her flight, and all other early morning flights, had been cancelled... and so began the Amazing Race to get Stirling to meet us in the Valle Sagrado...