Cusco was our first stop in Peru.
It was always going to be on the list of places to go in South America and it
does not disappoint. This is one of those cities that the tourists pour in to
and the tourism operators and hotel owners know this. We certainly weren’t the
only tourists climbing off the bus at the bus station and immediately a swarm
of people enveloped us with voices disjointed from their speakers claiming to
have the best and cheapest accommodation in the city. Pamphlets are thrust into
your hand and you also have to run the gauntlet of taxi operators who will
usually reach for your luggage to cart you off towards their vehicles. Every
sort of accommodation is available and at this point of the trip we only wanted
a shower and a bed so made do with cheap accommodation of $15/night. This ended
up being one of the better hotels we stayed in as the room justified the price
and the service and friendliness of the staff made up for the rest (can’t remember
the name though). Our toilet had a view of the whole city and don’t kid
yourself, you may say you’re going to spend the whole time sight-seeing but at
the end of the day cable TV is a must (which thankfully the hotel had). We
ended up staying 5 nights, certainly a longer stay than most but definitely worth
it and there is no shortage of things to do. Cusco is one of those cities where
you can stay as a tourist or immerse yourself in the life of the locals and eat
at the central market or enjoy free tourist activities. We incidentally came up
with the slogan ‘en Cusco nada es gratis” (in Cusco nothing is free). Everyone
will try and coax you into their establishment with ‘freebies’ but there is no
such thing as a free pisco sour lol! Tourism is a main stay and you can be
gouged if you’re not careful. For those looking for a free opportunity to go
the top of the hill with the big statue of Christ make sure you inform the people
in the booth at the entrance to the mountain (the same place as some important Incan
ruins) that you are going up to see the statue and not the ruins or you will be
charged. The climb is definitely worth it with sweeping views of Cusco and the
most beautiful green rolling hills covered in wild flowers and grazing llama.
We spent about 2 hours up there simply relaxing in the sun and taking in the
vista. Cusco has a curious system where should you want to visit any of the
main attractions (including the museums and Incan ruins) you must purchase an
all access pass which costs about $40/person. We didn’t pay and instead made
our own fun. The central market is a must in Cusco. It is one of the biggest we
found and FULL of food. Massive servings of freshly blended mango juice for $2
where the women will wave you to their stalls with a newspaper in hand that you
read while your juice (of which there are about 20 options) is being prepared.
Make your way there in the morning for a breakfast of between $2-4/person,
depending on your selection. The sweet tamales (a type of corn dough) are one
of the greatest things you will eat in South America. If you’re lucky you will
get one with sultanas instead of a cinnamon stick (which as I found out can’t
be eaten). There are also savoury versions which you can enjoy with a plate of
lechon (pork), yes a big plate of pork for breakfast. Wash it down with hot
chocolate, coffee or tea (including herbals) or make your way back towards the
juice ladies for a glass of quinua, a juice made from a local grain served warm
and usually flavoured with apple. By the end of our trip the ladies knew us at
the tamales stall and it certainly makes the stay more hospitable to get to
know the smiling locals who are always happy to have you.
We were also in Cusco for Easter
and saw la Procesion de la Dolorosa (the procession of mourning). Locals come
from all over and guard themselves a seat outside the main church in Cusco to
watch the procession of clergymen and churchgoers follow behind a glass coffin
with ‘Christ’ inside and a life size statue of the virgin Mary, resplendent in
black finery to communicate her pain and mourning. We sat with a chatty bunch
of old ladies who were delighted to have two young men like ourselves take such
an active interest in the faith. The procession takes about 2 hours to be
completed with locals throwing brilliant red flowers over the floats and bands
continuously playing hymns of mourning. At the end of the procession fire trucks
and ambulances sound their sirens. It is very haunting and a little terrifying
to hear the wailing of the trucks as the body of Christ disappears behind the
massive wooden church doors.
The streets in Cusco are full of
people selling knick knacks and souvenirs and this was where I did most of my
souvenir shopping. The further you go from the main plaza the better the prices
or you can shop for luxury items on the main plaza (which by the way is
exquisite, one of the most beautiful in South America). A word of advice though
if you want to buy high end items wait to get to Lima and head to Larcomar
Shopping Centre for much better prices on more or less the exact same items.
Cusco is a beautiful city with
lots of cobbled back streets and plenty of window shopping to be done. If you’re
into Incan history this is the place to learn about it and it’s also essential
to head to Cusco if you want to make it to Machu Pichu. Machu Pichu only takes
a day to see but three days round trip and deserves a whole post of it on,
coming next.
