CUSCO

Cusco
Capital City of the Incas

 

Rosalia our feisty young driver for the past week almost swore when she arrived at Cusco's Plaza de Armas where our hotel was. In the above photo our hotel is down a pedestrian passageway between  two churches.  All entries to the plaza were sealed with police barricades, blocking  access to our hotel. It was nothing serious just another of the many parades and demonstrations that happen here weekly.

 

 

This group of Kindergartners weren't demonstrating on the day we arrived but they were out in force 2 days later. 

Rosalia called the Loreto Hotel explaining that she had a van load of senior citizens and she couldn't get anywhere near the hotel.  The directions she received from the hotel must have been great because in just a couple of minutes we had turned around, dashed up a alley or two and came to a stop.  Before we knew what was happening 4 young ladies in navy blue uniforms had our bags out of the van and were rolling them down the street indicating we were to follow.  I have never seen a flash mob, but wow.....those young women were there and gone  before we knew what was happening.  Remember we are at 11,000 ft above sea level and the limbs and minds alike weren't functioning to full capacity!

 

 

The Hotel Loreto is a small hotel with a capacity of 30 people.  Like most of Cusco it has a strong history.  During Inca times it served as a dormitory of sorts for young female virgins and their chaperons.  The wall behind Skip is the original Inca wall. 

 

 

We checked into the hotel, made sure our bags got to the correct room and dashed out to the plaza to see what the excitement was about.....but quiet and serenity had been restored.  We would have to wait 24 hours before another demonstration appeared.

 

 

What we did find was a Double Decker open air tourist bus picking up passengers.  We paid our fare and found a seat on the top deck, suddenly we were on a impromptu tour of Cusco!

 

 

 

A delightful part of the architecture of Cusco is the variety of  balconies, a lot of them offered out door restaurant seating.

 

 

 

 

We found the people of Cusco dressed in jeans, business attire or in their traditional costumes.

 

 

As in any city  commerce must go on, so the young lady waits for buyers for her bread.

 

 

 

The weaver threads her spindle to spin the yarn for her loom.

 

 

The nuns leave the Cathedral  preparing for their next duty.

 

 

 

The Violinist warms up his instrument at the Folkloric Dance Performance.

 

 

 

 

 Cusco is a historically rich country.  When the Spanish conquistador's marched on Cusco in the 15t  century, all the temples and important buildings were covered in gold.  Almost all the gold and silver was striped and shipped via Panama to Spain.

 

 

Then began the Spaniards need to destroy all things Inca.  Temples were razed and Catholic Churches and Spanish Mansions put in their place.   

 

 

As a result all over Cusco you are able today to find Inca stonework and walls supporting the Spanish Architecture.

 

 

The Cusco of today is a proud new democracy and its youth seem happy to pass out as many free hugs as they can.