It is Stu’s birthday today and as it should be he is again a year older than me!!

 

We are getting tired of the coffee we get with breakfast here in Peru.   It is unbelievably strong.  We have switched to coca tea in the morning. We don’t understand this as there are coffee shops with decent coffee in most towns.  Yesterday Stu found a little cafe and we decided to head there after our breakfast for a decent cappuccino.  A little hole in the wall, but we really enjoyed this coffee!

 

 

We have purchased the “Tourist Ticket”.  This costs 130 Soles , just over $50 CAD and we get entrance into a number of venues around Cusco.  We are heading to the mysterious museum we could see from the converted Inca Temple the other day.  On our way we come across these condor statues.  They really are not pretty birds.

 

 

 

We enter the museum and wander around the various rooms learning how the Inca who only ruled for less than 100 years, came to power.  They used a soft sell to take over other cultures.  If the other culture was not cooperative, then they defeated them by force.

 

After room 5 we find the staircase that we think will take us up to the green space we could see from the Temple.  Here we come up onto the field.

 

 

We head back to the Plaza and find ourselves following this little lady.  We see so many older Peruvian ladies all hunched over.  We assume that their stoop comes from years of packing heavy heavy bundles on their backs.

 

 

This is a little walking street that takes us from our hotel to the main Plaza.  This morning a couple of ladies are leading their alpacas to the square to earn some money posing for photos with tourists.

 

We are taking the City Tour on a bus today.  This is an archaeological site just above the city.  it is “Saqsaywaman”,  Many people pronounce this “Sexy Woman”.

 

 

Here are the ruins of Saqsaywaman.  The Spaniards dismantled most of this site, so it is difficult to say what it looked like before they arrived.

 

 

 

More of this site.

 

 

 

From here we see the “Christo Blanco”.  A gift from Israel in 1945.

 

 

 

This horse was just standing in the road.  The bus driver slowed and the horse eventually moved.  😉

 

 

We climbed up a hill to go and visit some caves.  These caves are all naturally formed.  Our guide tells us that Cusco used to be a lake many many years ago.

 

 

Inside we see some shelves carved into the walls.  These were used for ceremonial purposes.

 

 

From the Christo Blanco we have a fabulous view of Cusco.  We can see the Plaza de Armas down in the center.

 

 

 

We find Qosqo Beer House.  Before we order we confirm that the beer is indeed cold.   As you can see it is!!  This 750 ml bottle of Cusquena Special cost 20 soles, $8 CAD.  We enjoyed an appy and this beer.

 

 

 

We aren’t very hungry, but we should eat so we head out.  Stu convinces me that he saw some interesting places up the hill from Jack’s.  I sigh and start up the hill.  Nothing on the hill.  Next thing we are up in the square above.  We pick a little place and decide on soup.  They deliver Stu’s bowl and I am waiting for mine.  Our server comes through the door with an empty soup bowl.  Shortly after my soup arrives.  I ask for a “cold” water.  She smiles and says yes, goes back out the door and comes back with a cold sparkling water.  We noticed a number of times the staff running out the front door and returning with ingredients they must need.  Cheese, flour etc.  Cute tiny kitchen with suppliers just outside their door.  Just In Time at its best 😉