Day 1: High in Cusco
We flew from Buenos Aires to Cusco through Lima. Cusco is a city with a tremendous history, located in the Andes mountains ata very very high altitude (>3000 ft) so two things occur. First, it is actually quite cold (not as cold as Canada but colder than most of my packed clothes. As a result, you will see the same two hoodies in almost every picture.) Second, you can actually get a bit of altitude sickness. Both Ariel and I were a bit nauseous the first day so we had some coca tea (coca leaves in tea pictured here with the other thing I tried at our first meal, Inka Cola).
Cusco has a deep Incan history so of course I had to indulge in the sacred drink of the incans. Actually, it tastes kinda like cream soda. Back to the coca tea... the coca leaves are supposed to help you adjust to altitude sickness and I think they worked. They may make you a bit high too as you can see from my photo. Just kidding, I am acting but the leaves really did work!
Cusco has a gorgeous square, Plaza de Armas, and we fell in love with the architecture. It is really breathtaking being there in the square. Each time we visited I kept remarking that is was so beautiful. Here is a picture of the cathedral in the square.
We stayed in a cute little hotel which gives its profits to underpriviledged kids. Ariel and I just spent the first night getting used to the altitude and posing in the square.
Day 2: Wet in Cusco
Day 2 was very wet and cold. As we were trying to buy our train tickets for Machu Picchu, we ended up getting caught in a giant rainstorm. When it rains in Cusco the streets fill up with water so Ariel and I were totally soaked. Unfortunately there were no cabs to pick us up when the rain started falling since the entire city decided to go on strike (not kidding). Apparently, there was some sort of strike going on and the police were in full force guarding the city. I of course had to take their photo:
When the rain let up, Ariel and I went to check out the nearby Incan ruins Sacsayhuaman (I pronounce it sexy woman). The ruins were great but it kept raining on and off. We decided to get a local tour guide who led us around the ruins, and then through a pitch black cavern where I realized for the first time that I am actually petrified of being in pitch dark caverns.
Here is a photo of Ariel and I drenched at Sexy Woman in our matching white hoodies:
Sexy Woman really wasn't doing it for me, but I got excited when I saw the llamas and the cute ladies to pose with. I immediately decided that we must pose with them for a classic Peruvian mountain look. The llamas and even the baby llama were a bit stinky but I knew it would be worth it to get this photo.You may be noticing that Ariel and I are sporting some new hats. The mountain ladies sold us them to keep us warm in the freezing cold Cusco mountain air. I have included this picture of Ariel and I posing in our new matching looks. I quite like this photo:
On a more serious note, the poverty in Peru has been very moving. It is hard to see some of the woman and children begging for money. There are also many stray animals around the city and I have to admit I have had to take a few deep breaths at times with some of the images I have seen. On the way back from Sexy Woman, we bumped into Kevin who was selling his art. He was hungry so we bought him some fruit salad and tea.
We ended day 2 having a nice dinner outside. We realized later that it was actually our 7th year annivarsary.. Omg we are both going to kill each other for forgetting our anniversaries!!
Day 3: On to Aguas Calientes
On Wednesday, we got up early to go to Ollantaytambo (Ollanta for people like me who can't pronounce these names), another set of Incan ruins on the way to Machu Picchu. How did we get there you may ask? Oh, only in a station wagon with a few other locals driven by a madman through the mountains. Quite a fun experience. Here is a pic of us in the backseat NOT wearing seatbelts.
Ollanta is a massive structure with steep staircase which we climbed. Here is a photo of me doing a spiritual pose that I made up at the bottom of the staircase.
After a bit at Ollanta, we boarded Peru Rail for a train ride to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. The train ride was very scenic. We also realized on the train that it was Yom Kippur so we celebrated by eating a ham sandwich (see photo). We spent the night in Aguas Calientes at a cheap hotel so we could get up early in the morning for Macchu Picchu. Aguas Calientes means hot water but unfortunately there was no hot water to be found in Aguas Calientes.
Day 4: Machu Picchu
Ok I'm fading fast here at the internet cafe but I need to tell you about day 4. We got up at 4:30 to board the bus for Machu Picchu. Here is a picture of us in the morning. Can you tell from the photo that I am scared to death. I was... because Ariel and I were going to hike up a mountain (Wayna Picchu). We are both drinking our coca tea in this photo.
We got in line to climb Wayna Picchu and I was really scared. Wayna Picchu is the big mountain behind Machu Picchu (see photo).
I have to leave the internet cafe now... I will leave you with the cliffhanger... did I climb Wayna Picchu? Tune in soon to find out!
Love Miguelito.
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