Cusco!

This morning we had a little lie in and then packed up our bags again, ready for Cusco. Our room was a right state with all our stuff out and so it seems like a miracle that we were even able to get it all packed away again. My backpack has become bulkier somehow and so I think a cull will have take place in Cusco. Poor Richard also discovered 38 sand fly bites on his legs from Machu Picchu, we forgot the repellent, which was advised, and now we know why. More bites here than the Amazon! Thankfully I only got one as I was in long trousers and sleeves most of the day and Rob just got a couple on his arms. I did, however, get a weird splinter in my hand that the boys were convinced was a bite (kept trying to convince me it was a creepy insect inside me going to pop out) but, after a bit of prodding and the use of a safety pin this morning I got rid of the very small black fibre and it has finally stopped feeling so sore!

We headed back down to the station for a taxi and we got a much cheaper taxi back to Cusco as there are no train strikes today to drive up the price. We got a two hour ride through beautiful scenery for £15...not bad going!

We stopped for a picture as the view here is just incredible (as per!) and I managed to converse quite well with the driver using my limited Spanish.

On arriving in Cusco we checked in to the hostel, there is a massive oxygen tank in reception for just in case, but thankfully all is good with the altitude so far. The stairs to the room were a little more challenging than they should have been but nothing we couldn't manage.

Our walk into Cusco was where I first felt the dizziness a little. Just walking too fast I think and I was very hungry. After food though I felt a lot better and we went to look at the Q'oricancha, or Church of Santo Domingo. It began life as an old Inca temple, before the Spanish invaded and would have once been covered with gold and filled with gold covered artefacts. Now, however, all that remained were the bare stone remnants of the artefacts, including life size models of lama and corn, both very important to them.

Well, it isn't just the bare stone, there is also a giant colonial catholic church built around it. The gold was stolen and some of the buildings destroyed when the Spanish invaded, with those left behind later covered in colonial art. These have now been restored back to the brick work, save for one piece of colonial art, and the whole place is just quite strange. Two very different histories existing side by side and offering a clear representation of how the Colonials aimed to wipe out the existing culture. We were unsure how we felt about it as a Cathedral to be honest, but it was interesting to see what remained of the Inca temples and just how impressive their masonry work was. They didn't use cement but worked the stones so perfectly that they fit seamlessly, even now. That would be mean feat even in this day and age.

Upon leaving we came across some Peruvian women and girls in beautiful traditional dress, standing outside the church with their alpacas, including babies. They are there for photos and I was handed a baby alpaca to hold for a picture (for a price of course). The alpaca was very cute and their traditional dress is amazing. I still want to buy something bright and colourful as a souvenir!

We then walked back through the main plaza where some event is taking place, not sure what but the music set up wasn't great and it sounded a bit awful. It also meant scaffold had been put up all over the place for stalls etc. so we can't really even appreciate it properly. It is a very different place to everywhere else and needs a bit more exploring by us really. Unfortunately though, we don't have much more time here.Read more