Wednesday 4th December 2013
All about Cusco
On our return to Cusco we managed to find a nicer hostel than the one we were staying in before the trail for a similar price. Mama Simona is apparently named after the mountain which protects Cusco from nearby volcanoes. The different areas of the place had Quechua names and there was a heater in the lobby!
The next few days were spent relaxing, enjoying Cusco. After falling ill on the trail I had lost all interest in local food. The only thing I seemed to have any appetite for was dessert. We had lots of coffee and cakes at different cafes, the best of which had to be at Cafe Panam by far – basic bites done exceptionally well. The best cinnamon swirl I ever had!
On one of the days we did a walking tour around the city. The guide explained some of the Inca history of the city, showed us some of the remaining Inca walls on which they had incorporated creatures they considered sacred (the snake, puma, condor). We were taken around some of the other neighbourhoods, San Blas, San Cristobal, given a taste of some local foods (alpaca and different products made from local chocolate) and shown examples of local wind and string instruments, having each one played to us.
On the last day we visited Qoricancha. It is arguably the most sacred building in Cusco and has a long spiritual history dating back to the Incas. Inside are the finest Inca walls you can find in the city mixed in among the colonial pillars and arches. Originally the temple of the Sun, the Spanish apparently destroyed most of the building and built the colonial structures of the Santo Domingo on the Inca foundations. The Inca walls here are made from large dry polished stones which fit so closely there is no need for mortar to hold them together. The outer wall slants inwards at and angle of 15 degrees giving them the strength and flexibility to withstand earthquakes.
Ramblers Rumblings 