Mar-31 Cusco sites

Big agenda for today that includes 4 museums on my tourist ticket, ruins above Cusco, and making travel arrangements for Machu Picchu

I walked up to Saqsaywaman (pronounced Sexy Woman, but means means Satiate Falcon) and toured the ruins early this morning because it was sunny.     The directions I was given were make a left out the front door, take the set of stairs to another set of stairs, take more stairs and more stairs, when you hit a road go left, detour at Christo Blanco (white Jesus) for the view, continue to ruins.  Christo Blanco was hideous, but the view was indeed good.  The Saqsaywaman site was built as a fortress over 77 years with 3-tiered defense walls.  The walls were built with cyclopean stone masonry arranged in zigzag.  Dont ask me what that means.

Saqsaywaman

Appreciate the cyclopean stone masonry in zigzag

Llama and Cusco city vista near White Jesus

.The 4 museums were largely uninteresting.  I did a turbo round and walked through all 4, but didnt really glean much.

28-Mar Cusco first impressions

My day started off rough.  I was deposited in Cusco at 6:30 am and took a taxi to my hostal.  I was wweary from travelling and was not at all impressed with the service at the hostal, in fact, they were rude.  So I asked them to call a taxi and I went to a slightly more upscale hostal that had excellent reviews.  For $25 USD a night (expensive) I had the nicest room, the nicest views, the biggest windows, and the best shower.  It felt like being pampered.

Fountain in Plaza de Armas

Iglesia in Plaza de Armas

After an hour nap and full appreciation of the incredible shower pressure, I set about finding the office of South American Explorers (SAE), essentially a hiking club with lots of unbiased info, maps, books, and clubroom facilities.  I joined their club and will move into one of their apartments tomorrow.  I ate lunch at a place recommended by Celine at SAE called 7 Soles.  I ordered the beef and thought it was a mistake when they brought me out a huge bowl of soup then a side dish of potatoes.  These were appetizers.  I got my main beef dish with rice and veg, fruit dessert and juice for 7 soles (2.50 USD).  I dined with another guy who has been staying at SAE and he showed me the sights in Cusco for the rest of the afternoon.  It was mighty nice not having to think for a little while.

I went back to SAE to ask more questions and look at the maps.  They are a nice bunch of people and I ended up having dinner and drinks with their circle of ex pat friends.  I felt much more at ease than in Arequipa where I didn´t meet anyone.