Cusco

We arrived in Cusco by bus, and the outskirts were not impressive. As in many cities around the world, the roads leading to a magnificent city center pass through barrios of graffiti and abandoned cars on the way. It was not until we saw the Plaza de Armas and el barrio San Blas did we realize that Cusco must be the most beautiful city in Peru.

We stayed at Amaru Hostal II and walked to the tourist sites around the city. Our first day we experienced a protest in the main plaza in support of teachers and education, and we sympathized with those who asked the government to provide more money for teachers and educational materials. We went to the San Pedro market and drank juice from fruit sliced and blended as we waited—a delicious meal in a glass! While we sampled the cuisine of Cusco, we fell short of eating guinea pig which los cuzqueños consider a delicacy. We preferred a hamburger at “Jack’s Cafe” in San Blas, or the many other Peruvian traditional dishes.