“The air was soft, the stars so fine,
the promise of every cobbled alley so great
that I thought I was in a dream.”
Jack Kerouac
Kidnappings, carjackings, theft, armed robbery, pickpockets, rape, sexual assault, clandestine roadblocks and counterfeit money are a few of the delights we read about online before arriving in Cusco. Needless to say, the first time we left the hotel was with hardly any cash, no passport, a tight grip on the kids and a suspicious peripheral vision.
The crowded, narrow, cobblestone streets were just the kind of place four, tall, paleface blondes had no chance of blending in and looking local. In that kind of environment I always go for cheekbones high, a purposeful look and an air of rushing to a non existent appointment. No one even gave us a second glance when we went past the bustling market, through an archway into a crowded square and down a narrow street. We scooted around a corner and hey-presto into another crowded quadrilateral, only this one was the main Plaza de Armas.
In Inca times this central area was the "Square of the Warrior". In the modern age it seemed more like a square of weary tourists, us included. However, with 2 million visitors annually, you would expect the locals to be the weary ones.
“A child is a quicksilver fountain / spilling over with tomorrows and
tomorrows / and that is why / she is richer than you and I.”
Tom Bradley
We planned to stay for one week before catching the train onto Machu Picchu. Eventually I did fall in love with the winding cobbled streets and crowded places of Cusco. But at the beginning I just couldn't appreciate its Eurocentric charm, I was nervous and readied for criminal disaster. The whole square was pleasantly crawling with tourist police in cars, on foot and even on Segways. The ratio of cops to civilians was reassuringly, worryingly high. Great that they were there, but why was there a need for so many?
The main cathedral and Church of La Compania open into the plaza and a golden statue sits in the middle of a grassy centre. Convenient benches for the tourists were scattered throughout. The throng was a mixture of palefaced, slightly out of breath westerners, a few local seniors feeding the pigeons, a smattering of pre-school children, the inevitable hawkers (who were very clandestine due to the high police presence) and the odd covert criminal/drug dealer type.
The main cathedral and Church of La Compania open into the plaza and a golden statue sits in the middle of a grassy centre. Convenient benches for the tourists were scattered throughout. The throng was a mixture of palefaced, slightly out of breath westerners, a few local seniors feeding the pigeons, a smattering of pre-school children, the inevitable hawkers (who were very clandestine due to the high police presence) and the odd covert criminal/drug dealer type.
“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
1000 years ago the Killke people occupied the whole area until 1200 AD when the Inca Empire made Cusco their capital. The Inca planned the city in the shape of a sacred puma. When the Spanish conquistadors invaded in 1533 they really should have had no chance against the might of the Inca Empire. However, infighting amongst the Royal family had left the Incas divided. The Spanish, led by Francisco Pizzaro with only a few hundred men soon conquered the city and plundered the gold and silver. The Spanish razed the sacred Inca sites and used the same stones to rebuild the city with churches, cathedrals and arcades around the Plaza de Armas.
"All of us are guinea pigs in the laboratory of God.
Humanity is just a work in progress."
Tennessee Williams
The people of Cusco seem to represent these layers of humanity, Inca with a modern overlay of Spanish. While everyone speaks Spanish, there are many who also speak Amayra or Quechua and there is a strong pride of the Inca heritage. The history and traditions are evident in many facets of everyday life. Peru has a custom of keeping guinea pigs then roasting and eating them, bundles of fodder arrive into the city daily. I spent a long time trying to protect Jazz and Josh from this particular nugget of info. My subterfuge went well until we walked past a pizza oven full of the crispy critters. Our first few days in Cusco were spent wandering the streets: shopping, finding new restaurants and exploring historical sites all the while trying to avoid the usual altitude dehydration and guinea pig eateries.
“You know how I feel about tacos.
It’s the only food shaped like a smile. A beef smile.”
Earl Hickey
As usual, Greg over optimistically believed there would be a Mexican restaurant serving not merely Mexican food but Southern Californian Mexican food. At least I can consult with Tripadvisor to convince him the chances of finding fabulous fajitas is close to zero. We have taken to using Tripadvisor for everything travel related. Does this mean we are super insecure to be checking up on what everyone else thought? Although, it did help us find Jack's cafe, an eclectic mix of Australian and South American cusine, which was worth the hike over towards the San Blas area of Cusco.
"Life is a combination of magic and pasta."
Federico Fellini
Jasmin, of course, was the perfect navigator through the labyrinth of homogeneous narrow cobbled streets. Luckily for us, the kids have finely tuned pasta noses and they also managed to find a fine restaurant Ciccolini, hidden in an the upstairs courtyard. Walking into a beamed room, hung with dried peppers and garlic strands, was a step into Italy. Hansel and Gretel managed to mark our way with the 12 sided stone, so we were able to return time and time again.
“There is the same difference between talent and genius
that there is between a stone mason and a sculptor”
Robert Green Ingersoll
The Hatunrumiyoc Stone is a twelve angled stone which fits perfectly without using mortar. Not even a piece of paper can fit between the stones, such is the level of precision. These walls were once part of an Inca palace and the Spanish valued the masonry skills enough to keep the lower walls and foundations to build an Archbishop's residence on top.
Our first trip out of the city was to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. This town is the beginning of the Inca Trail. The archaeological site is an amazing example of an Inca town. Terraces lead up to Temple Hill where impressive stones are so massive it is hard to imagine how they were dragged up the mountain, let alone figure out how they were fitted together with such precision. From this vantage point the sweeping views of the mountains opposite reveal grain stores. Using the altitude and ventilation these food stores were a feat of engineering. Beyond the river, far below were the stone quarries. It is mind boggling to to see the distance the gargantuan slabs were carried centuries ago. One had to wonder at the technology, ingenuity and organisation of the Inca culture to accomplish such a community.
"Treat the earth well,
It was not given to you by your parents,
It was loaned to you by your children."
Indian Proverb
Our day trip also included an early morning stop at an animal rehab centre, a visit to the local markets and a couple of other Inca sites. The drive along the Sacred Valley followed the Urubamba River and the pollution of the river was both sad and scary to contemplate considering it is used to water the crops of this fertile valley. After a few miles winding along we pulled into the animal sanctuary where llamas, pumas, condors and macaws roam the viewing enclosures.
“The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?”
David Attenborough
Ex pets, rescue animals, injured animals and some born within the sanctuary filled the slice of land between the road and the steep mountain slopes. I thought it was an amazing feat to have a self funding operation to help save animals in a country where many of the people were in need of help.
“Hold fast to your dreams, for without them
life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”
Langston Hughes
After avoiding being eaten we decided to celebrate by having supper at the "Fallen Angel" restaurant. An Australian couple in Iguassu Falls had made the recommendation to us and for once we didn't even look to see what Tripadvisor offered up.
"Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings." Hodding Carter
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty,
but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”
Vincent van Gogh
It is an amazing restaurant with tables made of old bath tubs covered with glass and filled with fish. I'm not sure how happy the fish were, but we were stoked with the outlandish decor and mouth watering menu.
“I love you not because of who you are,
but because of who I am when I am with you.”
Roy Croft
“If you ever fall off the Sears Tower, just go real limp, because maybe you'll look like a dummy and people will try to catch you because, hey, free dummy.”
Jack Handy
I thought I was over my tall building obsession, but no, I had to go and see the statue built to honor Pachacuti - "he who shakes the earth". My family were shaking the earth with their feet (and stamping them in frustration) by the time we walked down to the monument. Pachacuti was the Inca royal who built up the empire and Machu Picchu is thought to have been an estate for him. I think my OCTB (Obsessive Climb Tall Building disorder) is on the mend as I didn't feel any compulsion to cross the busy road and actually climb the internal stairs to the viewing platform on top.
I suggested going to dinner on that side of town in order to deflect the attention from myself and my crazy idea to drag the family several miles to a mediocre tourist attraction. Food, glorious Peru food. On our arrival into Lima, the customs lady had indeed suggested the food would be "moi rico" and this supper was no exception.
“After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relatives.”
Oscar Wilde
"All experience is an arch, to build upon."
Henry B. Adams
Eating under the arches of an ancient courtyard just added to our dining experience, However, the next day we managed to find "not so glorious food". Our hotel was close to the teeming market of San Pedro. With only a few tourist stalls, the market is a thriving local affair and most of the stands held edible goods. Fruit, veg, unrefrigerated pigs' heads,; the usual stuff.
“The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'.” Unkown
There was definite need for a "clean up on entrails aisle" as the flies flew between the intestine stall over to the testicle kiosk. I kept my eyes downcast on the flagstones to avoid retching. The paving slabs were hundreds and hundreds of years old, worn smooth from generations of shoppers. Ladies were hand spinning wool sitting next to piles of vegetables and I realized how little things had changed inside the market confines since Pizzaro had conquered the Inca culture. Maybe it would take another century to introduce refrigeration. Pushing through the throngs of everyday life we made our way back over to the tourist section of the city and got some fresh air and exercise.
“The best climber in the world is the one who’s having the most fun.”
Alex Lowe
Traversing the Inca walls and roaming the cobbled streets meant by the end of the week we had explored every nook and cranny of Cusco. We could also tick off every museum, fountain, art gallery, Inca ruin, Spanish church, market and shopping arcade.
”A good photographer can make you look incredible,
even when you're not feeling very sexy."
Cindy Margolis
Next stop Saqsaywaman (pronounced Saxywaman). I was exhausted from all the sightseeing on foot, it was time to get out of town, take a taxi up the hill and explore the Inca ruins overlooking Cusco. Built as a fortress and ceremonial site, Saqsaywaman is an incredible example of huge boulders, precision cut and fitted together to form a mortarless, dry wall. The rounded corners, complex interlocking blocks and inward leaning walls have allowed the ruins to survive earthquakes. Unfortunately, the structures did not survive the pilfering of the stones for the buildings of the invading Spanish.
"Most of us can read the writing on the wall;
we just assume it's addressed to someone else.”
Ivern Ball
The view down into Cusco was incredible and it was easy to visualize the last leader of the Empire, Mancu Inca, rising up in rebellion against the Spanish. He used Saqsaywaman as his base to besiege the city in 1556. He did succeed in taking back the city, if only for a few days, but many of the Inca warriors died from smallpox.
“There is a temple in ruins stands,
Fashion'd by long forgotten hands:
Two or three columns, and many a stone,
Marble and granite, with grass o'ergrown!”
Lord Byron“
The decimated ruins of the Inca structures are scattered along the Sacred Valley, they aptly reflect the destruction of the people. Waves of European epidemics such as smallpox, typhoid, influenza, diphtheria and measles ravaged the Inca population.
”Knock Knock. Who's there? Alpaca. Alpaca who? Alpaca picnic lunch." Unknown
With all that thought of death and destruction it was nice to see the herd of alpaca serenely grazing. Talking of food it was time to get off the hill and go eat. After dinner I had an inkling for an evening of cultural entertainment. Unfortunately the family had other ideas so I was launched into another Mama Adventure.
”The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child."
Joe Houldsworth
Joe Houldsworth
Leaving everyone to an early night at the hotel, I went and stood in line for my cultural dance experience. The anticipation of the waiting in line was far superior to the polish of the performance. However, the enthusiasm of the dancers was high and as I had secured myself a seat on the front row, I was left without a polite escape route and had to stay until the last raptures of the finale.
"There are more bad musicians than there is bad music."
Isaac Stern
Our stay in Cusco had drawn to an end. It was time to catch the train to Machu Picchu and find the lost city. Leaving most of the luggage in the hotel storage, we packed a small bag each, checked out and climbed into a pretty scary looking taxi. The taxi driver grinned, nodded, pretended to understand English and made a crucial error. Instead of taking us to the train station, he rapidly wove through the congestion of Cusco and pulled into the airport with 30 minutes to spare.
My first thought was to marvel at the efficiency of the Peruvians, how clever to build the airport and train station together. One nano-second later however, I experienced that stomach sinking sensation as it dawned on me we were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once the idiot driver had received his due verbal abuse, we pulled back into Cusco rush hour at an even more rapido pace. This is the stuff my nightmares are made of, always rushing, panicking to get somewhere only to be thwarted at every turn. Somewhere around the shortcut through the tumbledown clay brick community and before being hemmed into a one lane cobbled street by a stampede of school minivan taxis, I actually gave up believing we would get to the station. Of course, the trains to Machu Picchu were not only on the other side of town, but in the next valley over. Mentally I began shredding all the carefully laid travel plans and berating myself on how missing the train would jeopardize the whole of next week, our lost city was indeed lost. We were now picking up speed on the open highway and I wondered if it was all a ruse and this was actually one of those express kidnappings we'd read about - we seemed to be going fast enough. I was ready to start biting my toenails as we skidded sideways into the station parking lot in a plume of dust and gravel. A little shaky from riding shotgun, Greg paid and actually tipped Mario Andretti out of gratitude for keeping us alive and not launching us into the ravine at the last hairpin-turn. With only moments to spare we tumbled into the check in area.
“Organizing is what you do before you do something,
so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”
A. A. Milne
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