We trained and bussed all the way back to Cusco after our magical Machu Picchu visit, arriving at our hotel late in the evening. We were booked at the Belmond Monasterio, a restored monastery within the historic district of Cusco. The walls were thick stone with high ceilings and arched windows overlooking the central courtyard. Centered in the courtyard garden was a tall cedar tree, 300 years old and the last cedar in Cusco. The service here was impeccable and we felt like royalty. As in all of Peru, we have found everyone to be warm, friendly, helpful, and accommodating. We had a snack and a drink at the bar and retired to our room, passing the original artwork in ornate gold frames that lined the walls. Even the TV in the room had a gold frame! Our tour organization has provided top notch accommodations.
After enjoying the sumptuous breakfast buffet with live guitarist, we headed out for a walking tour of Cusco. A short, cobblestoned block away was the central square. We toured the Cusco cathedral which rivalled many in Europe. Of course there was Spanish influence. The gold and silver ornate altars were outstanding. Although the Inca used these precious metals they did not regard it’s value as did the Spanish, to their detriment. One relic of note: a Catholic priest and his translator were the first to approach the Inca on behalf of Francisco Pizarro and Spain. When the Inca emperor rejected the cross and Bible the priest offered, the Spaniards mowed down the Inca. That cross is located above the altar.
We walked through the narrow alleys and over to the Korikancha, an Inca temple which was incorporated into the church of Santo Domingo. Here there were fine examples of Inca architecture and building style as we have seen throughout our trip. In fact, all of the historic center of Cusco has examples of the leaning, tightly spaced stones, and trapezoidal openings and niches. Banks, shops, and offices have incorporated the ancient Inca foundations into their contemporary buildings.
At lunch we were welcomed into the home of a local family that served us typical Peruvian Cusquaynan food: juice made from red corn (chicha), quinoa and vegetables, Cuy (guinea pig), beef cilantro stew, and ‘jello’ from chicha. Cuy tasted like Cornish game hen, very lean. I’m glad to have tried it, but I’ll likely not look for any recipes for it anytime soon, so your pets are safe. It is a very common food here. During and afterwards we talked with the family and some in our group played a marble game with the youngest child, Leonardo, who was 6. There were 6 children and 2 very proud parents. We barely saw ‘mom’ because she was in the tiny kitchen the whole time!
We visited the Machu Picchu artifact museum, shopped a little, and then had dinner on the square to end the day. This was our last night in Peru and we will take leave of our excellent tour director, Ofelia. Tomorrow, Quito!
My new reality 