Me with some local Peruvians and a cute little lamb...they got me to get in a picture and pay for it...so sneaky.
Second day at Sacsayhuaman with clear skies!
First day at Sacsayhuaman with the overcast skies.
Cougar Pride running deep!
Beautiful statue of Jesus.
Crosses on the hill.
The group of adventures who trekked all over Cuzco!
For the last 5 days I have been traveling through the beautiful city of Cuzco, the neighboring ruins, and the amazing Machu Picchu. Since I was not able to blog throughout the trip I am going to break up the trip into three smaller blogs so I can add more information and more photos.
The first two days of the trip I spent traveling mainly within the city of Cuzco and in the ruins that were located within a half hour of my hotel. When we first got into the city of Cuzco we were nicely welcomed by a line of locals trying to sell us both coca leaves and a variety of woven hats, gloves, and sweaters. While we were all excited to get some beautiful gifts for friends and family, we kept it simple at first and bought the coca leaves which are meant to help with altitude sickness. To put it in context Cuzco is at about 3400 meters above sea level (11200 ft.) which is about twice the elevation of Denver, CO, which is known for giving people some difficulties with their breathing. That being said, we were all willing to do our best at avoiding the sickness by chewing coca leaves and drinking lots of mate de coca, a tea that is made from the coca leaves. Overall I would say these methods really did do a great deal to minimize the side effects of the altitude.
After getting settled in our hotel and eating some food we ventured up to Sacsayhuaman (Sexy Woman) which is a stunning collection of ancient ruins located within a 30 minute hike from the main plaza. Since I wanted to fully experience the area around Cuzco I actually went up to Sacsayhuaman with a tour guide on our first day and then went again the second day to dig a little deeper into the beauty of the area. The second day we were also able to go further on our hike and see a statue of Jesus and a replica of the three crosses that symbolized the crucifixion of Jesus. This past week was Semana Santa (also known as Holy Week) so being able to see such beautiful artistry within the exquisit scenery around Cuzco was really an emotional experience.
Besides being able to see the ruins around Cuzco I was also able to venture around the city and see the fascinating architecture of the city while aslo getting a taste of what the local economy was like. From the moment we stepped out of the airport to the moment we were getting back on the plane we were being confronted by locals who all wanted to sell us their handiwork. Whether it was paintings, hats, gloves, ponchos, sweaters, or the opportunity to take a picture with a sheep or llama, there was always an opportunity to buy souvenirs. Since I have already lived in Peru for a month now I know that the closer you get to a tourist attraction the higher the prices go and the more apt you are to get swindled for all you are worth, although that might just mean paying a typical American price for a souvenir rather than a very cheap price that a local Peruvian would get. That being said I was all for bartering and making sure the Peruvians were treating me more like one of their own rather than the typical American tourist walking through the market.
Just a few tips for those possibly traveling to Cuzco I would suggest that you learn how to say no thank you "No gracias" and learn your numbers in Spanish. When you are looking to buy some gifts it is good to know a base for what you "should" be paying for things so always feel free to ask someone who works at your hotel or any other person that you think has the knowledge of how the market works. Another good thing to know is that for every additional item you buy the price goes down a great deal. For example if you buy one hat they might charge you 12 soles, but if you buy 2 it will be 20, 3 for 26, and 4 for 28 or 30. For this reason always try to think of what you want so that you can buy items in pairs or more so you get a better price. Also when hiking be sure to wear sunscreen because the sun is very intense. Buying coca leaves and coca candies also are a good addition when walking around the town. But most of all be sure to be drinking lots of water so that you don't get hit hard with the altitude sickness.
All in all the time in and around Cuzco really provided for a rich cultural experience of what the ancient Incan society was like and how the culture has developed over time. Be sure to check back and read more about other neighboring areas and Machu Picchu. And if you are looking for more info about Cuzco click on the links below:
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