Peru 2014 - Part 6

 Wednesday August 20 Cuzco

 What a day! We went to the collectivo station to catch a bus, and a taxi driver told us he would take us to the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco for 10 soles each when he got two more people to go. He kept trying to get us to agree to pay for four people, but we told him no, we would only pay 10 soles each or we would get out and take the bus. He found another woman to ride, tried to get us to pay more, but I told him we would just take the bus, so he agreed on 10 each. Along the way we picked up someone for a while. When we got to Cuzco, he dropped us off  but - not in the Plaza and tried to charge us more. I refused, argued in Spanish when he tried to tell me our bags were heavy and so were we, so he needed more money. I got our bags and paid him what we had agreed on in Urubamba.  We walked for awhile then took a very nice taxi to a hotel I had found on the internet before we left. They didn't have a room, but told us of one two doors up. It is nice and has a soft bed.

We went walked to  The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin and bought a tourist ticket to go to some if the beautiful old churches here. Unfortunately, we could not take any photos inside if them. After the first one, I started getting sick and was really disoriented. We came back to the hotel so I could medicine and rest for awhile.  After about an hour and half, I was feeling up to touring two more churches. There is ornate gold stuff everywhere. Beautiful, but gawdy gold, stolen from the Incas that probably in part stole it from other peoples. Intricate carvings, and paintings centuries years old. It is hard to imagine the amount of artists that were brought here to this little town to make these things. All drawn here for the greed of gold.
We sat on the steps of the cathedral for a while, and was interviewed by students of the chef school. It was nice to have them talk to us.

 After a good dinner on the balcony of Mariposa Restaurant, and people watching we came back to the hotel and found a movie channel in English. I feel so much better, and ready to return to Lima tomorrow.

 

Peru 2014 - Part 2

August 16

The bus ride was long! Twenty one hours from Lima to Cuzco. The seats laid back, and we slept a lot, but it was uncomfortable on the hips at times.  Other times it felt like being in a fish bowl seat belted to a roller coaster. By midnight, we had decided that we could mark taking a bus through Peru off our "bucket list". But when the sun came up and the mountains were illuminated it was a beautiful ride. Mountains with cows, sheep, pigs, and crops were a beautiful sight for me. No llamas or alpacas to be seen. Mark says no more long bus rides, but now that it is over, I have to say, I'd do it again....maybe...

 From the bus station we took a taxi to the Plaza de Armas in Cuzco, straight to the McDonalds for some comfort food for Mark.  I did ask him to follow me to a foreign country, where he could not speak or understand the language, so the least I could do was buy him a burger. We had quarter pounders and fries with wifi so I could let Giancarlo know we were safe and sound.
Then it became like a scene from the Amazing Race trying to find the right place to take a " collectivo" , mini van to Urubamba. The altitude was kicking my butt, and I as having a hard time understanding directions completely. I felt like we were being sent on wild goose chases. Finally we found the tourist center and they marked on a map where to go, so a taxi took us right there. With a full van of people we went to Urubamba, the town Natalia lived in, about an hour away. We almost missed it, thinking the bus would stop at a terminal, but it didn't. We got off and asked the price - $5 for both of us.

We happened to stop at  a nice hotel for $70. At this point, I think Mark was ready to rest and the Hotel Mabey, was maybe the best place to do it. We had a wonderful shower and tub with hot water, and a firm bed. I am wondering that if my Peruvian friends visit me, will they think our beds and furniture is old and worn out because it is soft? So far, all furniture I have encountered here is pretty firm.

Chess sets with Spaniards and Incas

We took a mototaxi to eat at Pizza Wasi, recommended by Natalia. It was awesome. Brick oven pizza and my first Pisco Sour (the national cocktail) in Peru. Then we walked around this nice little town. Just like N said, it is calm and safe. We felt happy that she had lived here, but realized that she was really brave to come here alone. She could have called and asked to come home, but she didn't.