Cusco

ihana.com - big trip - diary - peru - may 2003

Wednesday 28 - Thursday 29 May

No visit to Peru can be complete without seeing Cusco and Machu Picchu. We were there in year 2000 but this time T's parents treated him and Magaly to the flights and hotel in return for a bit of a guided tour. B stayed in Lima to concentrate on dorises and sorting out his stomach problems which turned out to be caused by gastritis, so no beers for B.

Cusco is the centre for tourism in Peru and one of the main destinations in South America. Hotels of all types abound and theres plenty of tours to go on and, of course, Machu Picchu itself. M conveniently has connections with a posh hotel there and got everybody sorted out with wicked four star accommodation for less than half price - jacuzzi included, beats the roof tent any day!

Cusco seems to be a bit cleaner than three years ago and there are even more tourists now too. We had a stroll around, the old folks feeling the altitude effects despite supping plenty of coca tea. Large doses of the decent Cusqueña beer later in the evening seemed to do the trick though.

A visit to the innocuous looking La Merced is a must. The cloister walls are covered in excellent paintings and the carved wooden ceiling is a work of art in itself. There is a large gold and jewelled monstrance, a thing used to carry a representation of the body of Christ during religious festivals. Even the heathen T was impressed, its supposed to have the largest natural pearl in the world on it. The amount of gold (probably Inca treasures melted down) and labour force (probably enslaved locals) used to construct these churches and cathedrals is mind blowing. Still, its something to marvel at now.

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