Someone (me) misread the departures and thought our flight had been delayed - but it hadn't... so we had to race from Starbucks, through Immigration and Customs and run to our gate - made it just in time! Great flight - a few empty seats, especially in our row :-).... as we were coming in to land, David was telling me how it's one of the hardest airports to land in and pilots have to work really hard etc etc - I had to tell him to be quiet!
Arrived - found our buses - met our tour guides. Lots of locals touting their Peruvian goods... we find it difficult to say no. Our bus is minibus number 3 - our guide is Oscar, our driver is Wilbur. The overseeing guide from Lima is Marvin. Cuzco is a very pretty town and growing. It is surrounded by mountains and the newer houses are starting to build into the side of the mountain. Tourism is its number one industry, followed by mining - silver & gold.
Oscar took us around the central plaza where the statue to the Incan God is as well as the second largest Catholic Church in all of the Americas... a sight to behold with all of its gold and silver. No photos allowed :-(
Next we had lunch at a local restaurant, buffet style. We tried alpaca meat which was very tasty and nicely cooked. We also tried cocoa tea, which is drunk by the locals for good health and also to assist with altitude sickness. We'll keep drinking it, it was good!
Further touring in the bus for the rest of the day: Saqsaywaman which is a grassy area up on the mountainside above Cuzco and also a site of Inca ruins. How they moved huge limestone blocks to make a tiered structure is mind boggling!
Next, off to the Pisac Market - a place where local artisans sell their wares, as well as textiles and jewellery. It's now open every day and is a very popular place because of the tourists. We found a few beautiful things there! On the way back in the bus, Marvin showed us a contraption which is not much bigger than a stapler, but he asked David to put a finger in it - it measures blood oxygen! David and I were both in the 90's so Marvin said that was very good, you would only worry if the measure was less than 80. Technology, huh? The bus then slowed down, Marvin pointed to a woman who was roasting a guinea pig, she held it up to show us... he then told us how delicious they are and that people may have the opportunity to try it tomorrow.....
Lastly, we drove to Ollantaytamo where our accommodation is tonight. We were fortunate today to have long periods of sunshine and warm weather. Buffet dinner tonight was also good, David and I decided to buy a half bottle of local Peruvian wine which was just magnificent! The internet here is free if you sit in the lobby.....
Interesting advertising outside the airport in Lima
Cuzco - main square and the housing behind
Main square
David with cocoa tea
The herd - protective of the babies.
Señora cooking her guinea pig....
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