Day 1: Cusco Here We Come!

I had been counting down the days until Cusco since the moment I arrived in Peru. I'm pretty sure I drove JP crazy with all my talk about llamas and Machu Picchu. We chose to fly with Peruvian Airlines because it was considerably cheaper than LAN, the most popular airline flying from Lima to Cusco. The company cheekily charges a 'gringo' tax for foreigners travelling within South America. I was skeptical of flying with Peruvian Air because most reviews aren't very positive. But contrary to what people have written, the plane was on time and the service was professional. For a one and a half hour flight, it wasn't worth paying more than US$400. Peruvian Air saved me close to US$300. I would happily fly with them again. I was also surprised to know that they allow you to check-in more than 30kg of luggage. This is great for Peruvian people who bring their month's worth of grocery shopping back from Cusco to Lima!

Cusco airport. Look at those clouds!

Not long after we landed and the aircraft doors opened, the air began to feel dry and I had to breathe faster than usual. I didn't feel light-headed but the altitude was noticeable. I was told by JP's family and friends that the first few hours in Cusco should be spent doing absolutely nothing in order to acclimate to the altitude and avoid feeling sick. It is also recommended that you drink plenty of 'mate de coca', a herbal tea made from coca leaves. I had to add sugar because I wasn't a big fan of the taste. Chewing coca leaves is also supposed to prevent symptoms of altitude sickness. Whether or not it really does do the trick I'm not too sure. Perhaps it's just a myth!

'Mate de coca' (coca tea)

At the airport we were met by a cheery man who was waiting to take us to Hotel Golden Inca. The great thing about this particular hotel is that it provides a free taxi pick-up service from Cusco airport. The trip from the airport to the hotel was much quicker than I expected, about 10 minutes. Upon our arrival, we were offered coca tea and given some useful information about the city. The room was perfect for a two-night stay but very close to the stairs which meant that there was a bit of noise during the night. We stayed in the room for about an hour and a half before setting out to wander around the city. By this time it was about midday and we had just missed a light rain. 

The main square, Plaza de Armas, was about 15 minutes walk from the hotel. Along the way, we were caught up in a large crowd of school students who had finished school for the day. I couldn't help but notice their cheeks, which were redder than those of the children in Lima. Altitude increases the risk of sunburn. This explains why their cheeks are rosy red. I'll have to find out whether or not they like to use sunscreen. We arrived at Plaza de Armas where we were immediately approached by people trying to offer us tours of every kind. We collected some brochures and then decided it was time for lunch. Behind the main square there was a restaurant with a pleasant view of a nearby water fountain, so we decided to eat there. We both fancied chicken so we ordered 'milanesa de pollo', a breadcrumb coated chicken beast. The serving size was huge! A tourist at a nearby table appeared to be trying guinea pig for the first time, because after one bite he gave it back to the waiter. Guinea pig is served like a flat pancake, which doesn't make it look very appealing. Overall, the atmosphere was very relaxing and the food was 'rico' (delicious).

I thought these centerpieces were so cute! Salt and pepper jars are attached to the back of the dress.

After lunch we visited several tour operators to organise a couple of day tours. It's much cheaper to book an organised tour than to take a taxi/bus from Cusco to the Sacred Valley. We managed to score a good deal with Apus Tours. After booking the tour, we went to the tourist office to buy our 'bolleto touristico' (tourist ticket), which allows you to visit 16 sacred sites in the Cusco region. This ticket is the cheapest way to see what Cusco and the Sacred Valley have to offer. The price is cheaper for Peruvians than foreigners, but if you present your student card you can purchase a ticket at the Peruvian price (S/.70 vs S/.130). By the time we had bought our tickets, it was starting to get very cold so we walked back to the hotel. Later that night we decided to go out for a snack and it was so cold that I had to wear my pyjamas underneath my clothes. I thought I had brought enough warm clothes to wear. Oh well, I know for next time! 

My 'bolleto touristico' (tourist ticket)