The Navel of the World

After watching a beautiful sunrise over Lake Titicaca, we hopped on a bus headed for Cusco, Peru. Although the trip to Cusco isn't too long, we took a tour bus that stopped at a number of ruins along the way.

Some of the ruins on the way to Cusco.

We arrived to Cusco on a Sunday, and the rest of the group was going to leave the next morning to start their four-day hike to Aguas Calientes, the city at the base of Machu Picchu. We arrived at our hostel, which was large, but also very nice, and went to dinner at a restaurant that served some great Peruvian dishes. Then we headed back to our hostel so my companions could prepare for their hike. When I woke up the next morning, they were gone, and I was left to explore Cusco on my own for a few days.

Our hostel: the banners were to celebrate the native cultures of Peru.

We shared a portion of cuy (guinea pig)... it was not great.

Walking through the streets of Cusco.

Because everyone had arranged their hike through a tour agency, they had their transport and entrance into Machu Picchu and everything all taken care of. That meant that I had a lot of things to figure out before trying to get to Machu Picchu. Monday I spent the day organizing my bus and train transport to Aguas Calientes, buying my ticket into the park, purchasing a tourist ticket, and navigating my way around Cusco. After that I rewarded myself with a well-earned and well-deserved massage. That evening, I visited a traditional, cultural dance center and grabbed a quick dinner before heading to bed.

One of the many plazas in the center of Cusco.

The next day I got up early to take an all day tour of the ruins around Cusco. It was exciting to get out of Cusco on my own and get to know some fellow travelers in the process.

Ollantaytambo: a site a ruins, also where I caught the train to Machu Pichhu later.

Some of the ruins visible in Ollantaytambo.

Wednesday was my last full day in Cusco. I decided to relax a little bit and started my day with a massage that turned into a massage/manicure/pedicure. Late that day, I walked around Cusco, visiting museums, churches and cultural sites and parks. I ended my evening by eating a delicious Peruvian meal and going to sleep early, excited to meet up with my friends near Machu Picchu the next day.

I wanted a picture with the sheep... these ladies insisted on joining, too...

When we visited Cusco, We had almost been in South America for a whole year. It was really interesting to visit a city having a fairly strong grasp of Spanish. I felt very comfortable talking to people I met, asking for directions, and finding out information. And I think it helped me appreciate Cusco more as a city. It's a beautiful place, and it's a place that's so distinctly different from Santiago. Being able to recognize, respect, and appreciate those differences during this experience of living abroad has been a huge take away.