Peruvian
Adventure - Cuzco
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Cuzco
Laying
at 3,500 meters is an excellent place to acclimatize before
tackling some serious backpacking.
Be sure to take it slow on your day of arrival to this city,
as the altitude takes some time to get used to. A few cups of
Mate De Coca* (see below) tea will
definitely help you acclimate to the altitude. Cuzco is our jumping
off point for the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu, The Urubamba Valley, and
Pisaq. A quick reminder, I do NOT walk the trail! I will be waiting at
the railway station, eager to listen to you about your adventure on
the trail....or maybe we can meet at the Hot Baths in Aguas Calientes?
- Sacsayhuaman, Quenco, and Salumpuncu
- A day hike
round Cusco. Sacsayhuaman is a massive Inca fortress
overlooking Cuzco, and one of the finest ruins in the
area. The fortress was built in the form of three
enormous parallel zigzag walls, designed so that the
enemy had to expose his flank to the defender
Carol Hefty of New York City At The Pisaq Indian Market in
The Urubamba Valley. Children walk through the narrow walkways in
native garb for photo opportunities....a small tip for a photo is suggested- Chinchero
- Chinchero is known for its Sunday market which is the best in the region. Some very finely woven skirts and mantas (shawls) and typical Indian costumes can be seen here. This is a produce market, although handicrafts have been added for the tourists' benefit.
- The Inca trail to Machu Picchu
- Not all Inca ruins are hidden in the jungle. The appeal of this particular path is the rich variety of Inca stonework. There are Inca steps, an Inca tunnel, and of course the ruins: Runkuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca, Huinay Huayna, and Machu Picchu itself. Even without the Inca parts, this trail would be breathtaking; it goes over high passes with excellent views, through cloud forest, and finally into subtropical vegetation. Over ninety species of orchid have been counted in the Parque Arqueologico Nacional de Machu Picchu. The usual starting point for the Inca trail is the train stop known as km. 88. An estimated 5,000 people a year walk the Inca trail. I myself do not walk the trail !
*******
Below is a photo of the
Church of the Society of Jesus in Cuzco, Peru.
It was in this square that the half breed Tupac Amaru was beheaded,
and then quartered after revolting against the Spanish
Conquistadors
that had enslaved his people for more then 200 years.
Most Inca were forced to work the gold & silver mines of the
Andes.
George Priola & Jorge Gutierrez in the square at the
Plaza de Armes in Cuzco
"Gringo Alley" in Cuzco
Take note of the stone work on the
foundations of the structures in the alley,
These are the original
foundations built by Incan tradesmen with stone age tools thousands of years
ago.
While in Cuzco check out Momma
Africa's and Rosie O'Grady's for a chance to
trade notes with other tourist and trekkers over drinks. They are both
located to the right of the Church
of the Society of Jesus when facing
the church. There are also a few cyber cafes in the square to check
your e-mail or send messages home.
Cost = .75 cents $US. an hour (December 2003)
Above are some Incan women coming home from picking
potato's on the high plains above Cuzco
| When necessary many tourist drink Mate de Coca tea when suffering from altitude sickness. Mate de Coca is made from the leaf of the coca plant, the same plant that cocaine is derived from. But be assured, It is NOT cocaine. Many studies have been done on the coca leaf, but more recent studies have shown that coca chewing significantly aids in metabolizing high carbohydrate foods like potatoes, yucca, and corn, which are traditional staples in the Andean region, thus providing the chewer with more rapid energy input from his meals. Supposed narcotic effects of coca-leaf chewing are nil because enzymes in the mouth convert coca into atropine-like substances, unlike those involved in cocaine. But be advised, You can not bring a sample home to show your friends!!!! |
Interested
in traveling to Cuzco?
E-Mail Us for more Information.
***
When necessary many
tourist drink Mate de Coca tea when suffering from altitude
sickness. Mate de Coca is made from the leaf of the coca plant, the
same plant that cocaine is derived from. But be assured, It is NOT
cocaine. Many studies have been done on the coca leaf, but more recent
studies have shown that coca chewing significantly aids in
metabolizing high carbohydrate foods like potatoes, yucca, and corn,
which are traditional staples in the Andean region, thus providing the
chewer with more rapid energy input from his meals. Supposed narcotic
effects of coca-leaf chewing are nil because enzymes in the mouth
convert coca into atropine-like substances, unlike those involved in
cocaine. But be advised, You can not bring a sample home to
show your friends!!!!
