Re: visiting Machu Picchu both afternoon and morning, a consideration for photographers: I was in the site from 11:30ish to 3 p.m. the in May on my first visit. For photographers, you may find the light in the afternoon really harsh and it was hard not to blow out the sky and clouds while keeping the ruins balanced. The light from 7:45 a.m. to about 10:00 a.m. the next day was much, much better. For photo enlargements or other uses, almost all of my morning shots are useable, whereas the afternoon shots are more just to prove I was there. I'm glad I had the morning visit for the best photos.
Sick. Injured. Away from home. Toss in tired and poor and you’d be right out of the Statue of Liberty. Being a single traveller can’t help. When I’m sick I want someone to share the experience
@ mlgb: At some point, I had read about Pisac’s Sunday mass, but I hadn’t fully understood what it involved and had completely forgotten about it, so as you say, seeing that, and seeing the festival dances were delighful surprises. 
And BTW, hadn’t you mentioned the horno in Pisac? Another thing I had forgotten and so came upon unexpectedly!
@ tripplanner001 &
@ yestravel:
I’m sure I would have enjoyed Pisac (and Chincero and more of the salt mines and the experimental terraces), but it simply wasn’t an option once I twisted my ankle. At least I saw parts of the Pisac ruins up close, including the buildings near the entrance and the Sun Gate. I’m glad you both enjoyed them.
@ amyb: Good advice for photographers!
@ xcountry: “When I’m sick I want someone to share the experience.” I decided to share later, once well enough to appreciate the loving attention and support.
- - - - -
OK, one long, last "installment":
Day 29 - 32: Cusco and then home
Day 29: Cusco
Glad to find that I was feeling much better, I managed part of a delicious breakfast in the Niños Hotel Meloc’s café and then – feeling the effects of altitude again – slowly walked the few blocks to Cusco’s lovely Plaza de Armas. Lined by some grand churches and two-story arcades, and with greenery and a gilded central fountain, it was obviously a very popular place. The arcades were filled with shops geared to tourists, and whenever I see that, I wonder what happened to all the businesses that would have been the traditional occupants of those buildings, and how the local people feel about the conversion of their central plaza to a tourism center.
I obtained some information from an iCusco office and then went back to my hotel to prepare to mail my various purchases to myself. The hotel gave me a box that was the perfect size and I proceeded to pack it and then seal it with some duct tape that I had with me. I thought just a bit more tape might be in order and stopped at the desk to see if they had any, and was told that someone at the post office would likely open the box to inspect it. I’m so glad she mentioned that, because I think I would otherwise have been very disconcerted to have a box-cutter-wielding woman charge at me upon my arrival at the post office!
She did indeed open my box, probed and poked its contents, and then proceeded to wrap it in multiple layers of plastic. She affixed an official label, took me to a scale to weigh it, and then led me to the counter where I could pay for postage.
It was only a few short blocks to fascinating Qorikancha where, among other things, I appreciated the remains of the temple where the summer solstice would have been marked, a display showing the constellations the Incas identified in the dark spaces of the Milky Way, and the gardens.
I relaxed over a beer at a nearby hotel and then went to the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo for an engaging performance of Andean music and dance. The center also has a small room in which mannequins display various traditional costumes of the region, some of which were quite impressive.
I enjoyed a long, slow walk back to my hotel, during which I noted – once again – how cold the highlands get after dark. A bowl of lentil soup and cup of mint tea beside the fireplace in my hotel’s café proved a very satisfying way to end the day.
Day 30: Cusco
With the city preparing for its Corpus Christi celebration, the Plaza de Armas was full of people. I visited la Iglesia de la Compañía, with its massive gilded alterpiece and ten busts of bare-breasted women (representing Pachamama) scattered among the many rather somber images of saints – such a contrast!
I then managed to get a balcony-side table on one of the square’s second floor restaurants, Tunupa, and settled in to enjoy the festivities.
Corpus Christi is a big deal in Cusco. Men from all over the region carry huge platforms on which stand richly garbed statues of saints and virgins, 15 in all. Accompanied by music and dance and crowds of celebrants, these statues are paraded around the plaza and up the (Incan) stairs to, and then into, the Cathedral, all with great pageantry and energy and joyfulness. I had planned my time in Cusco to include this festival, and am very glad that I did – it is, indeed, a remarkable occasion.
After several enjoyable hours, and a pleasant meal, I turned to the Museo Inka, housed in a Colonial mansion and holding some exceptional pieces, including a particularly poignant pair of mummies: a child looking beseechingly at an adult.
Many of the walls and building foundations of Cusco’s core are Incan, and as I was admiring some of the stonework around the shady little Plazoleta Nazarenas, I noticed a pair of men studying a particular section of wall – oh! there are images of snakes on some of those blocks!
Ready for a bit of a break, I stepped into the Fallen Angel – what a fascinatingly bizarre place! Feeling a bit like Alice after walking through the looking glass, I found myself surrounded by images of angels and fallen angels and artwork with erotic imagery. Seemed like a perfect place for a pisco sour.
The Museo de Arte Precolombino is a branch of the Lorca Museum (which I had greatly enjoyed in Lima), and like the Lorca, it holds some exceptional pieces. Unfortunately, much of the museum was closed when I was there, but its collections of works made of shell and wood, and some of its works in stone and ceramic, were open. Fabulous!
That museum is a bit uphill from the Plaza de Armas, so I was happy to see the lights of Cusco’s heart as I walked back down. And then back to my hotel for some tea by the fireplace and, later, sleep.
Day 31: Cusco
I celebrated the first day when I felt fully recovered from my dietary misstep with a delicious breakfast at my hotel, and then headed to the Plaza San Francisco, where the city continued its Corpus Christi celebrations by filling the entire square with stalls selling chiriuchi (more on that later). People were just beginning to set up their stalls, and I found it a fascinating display of industriousness and eager anticipation.
I roamed a few local markets and then went to the Plaza de Armas, where I was surprised to find preparations for a repeat of the procession. Thronged with people, I became caught in the surge of a crowd – an experience I dislike – and was greatly relieved when I finally found a way out.
The Museo Histórico Regional, another museum in a Colonial mansion, held an interesting collection of objects from the area’s pre-Incan days through current times.
By this time, the Plaza San Francisco was mobbed with people, and virtually every nook and cranny of surrounding streets overflowed with people who were enjoying their meals. I chose one of the restaurants on a terrace overlooking a small square and ordered my chiriuchi, a dish the features foods from the area: corn, cuy (guinea pig), chicken, sausage, a type of omelet, sea weed, fish eggs, pepper, and cheese. Every element has meaning, and there is a traditional arrangement of these ingredients. While some ingredients were cooked, the dish is served cold (or rather, at “room” temperature). The parts I tasted were very tasty, indeed – but I wasn’t about to touch the cheese, or anything that had touched the cheese!
With the procession, and its pageantry, well underway on the Plaza de Armas, I took a taxi to Sacsayhuamán, the Incan fortress on the hills above the city. I found it a very pleasant place to roam with its impressively massive walls and spacious open zones, complete with grazing llamas, and stunning views over Cusco and the hills that surround it and some of the snowcaps in the distance. It was very, very nice – and a welcome respite from celebratory crowds.
I had planned to walk back to the city, but my ankle was still bothering me and I was still having trouble breathing, so I went to the entrance and asked the ticket-taker to call a taxi for me. Even as he did so, one pulled up and quoted a reasonable price to get to the Plaza de Armas. After driving for a while, he backed into a one-way street and proceeded, in reverse, for what seemed a ridiculously long time until a car turned onto the street and came up behind us. At that point, he said it was the closest he could get me and pointed me in the right direction. How odd! A few blocks later, I came to the little square by the Museo de Arte Precolombino, so I knew where I was.
As night fell, the festivities on the Plaza de Armas wound down and the crowds began to dissipate. I walked around the square again and then slowly ambled back to my hotel, where I again enjoyed a bowl of lentil soup by the fireplace. And then, confirming that I would have to check out in the morning, I packed as much as I could before sleeping.
Day 32: Cusco
I savored my last breakfast at the Niños Hotel Meloc’s café, finished my packing, left my luggage for later retrieval, and headed back to the Plaza de Armas. I was impressed to find that the Plaza San Francisco showed almost no signs of the previous day’s chiriuchi feast – and to realize that it actually has a bit of a labeled botanic garden. The gilded fountain on the Plaza de Armas was now shrouded, I assume for some kind of work, and the square seemed remarkably quiet, but children were parading around the plaza (and obviously having fun -- except for a few who seemed to take the task with extreme seriousness), and so parts of some streets and walks were closed to even pedestrian traffic.
Now open to visitors again, the Cathedral held some beautiful treasures and intriguing elements – an exquisitely carved cedar pulpit; a place where young ladies left prayers to gain the attention of the men they favored, and a different place where young men left prayers that those women would cease their efforts; a painting of the Last Supper that (like other such paintings I’d seen in Peru) showed a roasted guinea pig on the main platter – how else to communicate that this meal was special? And all the saints and virgins that had been carried through the processions of the last two days were now within the cathedral’s main nave. It was a delight to be able to see them up close!
I then visited some of Cusco’s smaller museums:
· The Museo Casa Concha, aka the Machu Picchu Museum, held some informative displays of artifacts from Machu Picchu and records of Hiram Bingham’s efforts there. It also holds a place in its courtyard where one can look down quite some way to glimpse an Incan street far below.
· The Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo had but one single hall, but held some paintings that I’m glad to have seen.
· And the Museo de Arte Popular managed to cram an extraordinary number of pieces into its small space. I admit that I found some items of interest primarily for the questions I had about why a curator would have selected them, but others spoke clearly of the aesthetic talents of their creators.
With a last nod to stunning Cusco, I returned to my hotel, claimed my luggage, and awaited my pre-arranged taxi.
Day 32 (cont.): The journey home
My taxidatum driver soon arrived and I began the dreaded journey home:
· Drive to Cusco’s airport;
· Wait;
· Flight to Lima;
· Move from the domestic to the international terminal – which meant going outside, where I was nearly overcome by the stench of rotting fish. What was that about?
· Use remaining soles to buy chocolates for the people with whom I work;
· Wait;
· Flight to Miami and the hated negotiation of that airport’s terminals;
· Wait;
· Flight to Washington, D.C.;
· Wait for luggage;
· Taxi to my residence.
It took almost a full day to move from the hotel in Cusco to my door, and although I was able to nap a bit on a few of the flights, I certainly did not feel well rested when I finally reached home. My cats greeted me with great affection, and I was delighted to find that my catsitters had left me some fresh fruit and vegetables – and some cheese! An apple, some safe cheese, a glass of dry white wine, a few brief conversations with friends and family.... I was soon ready for some much needed sleep.
Final thoughts
As I said at the start, this trip was not perfect – but I would take it again in a heartbeat, even knowing the trials and tribulations I ended up encountering. The things I saw and experienced were, to me, well worth every one of those bumps and bruises and gasps for air. Spectacular scenery, awesome ruins, glorious textiles and crafts, scrumptious foods, and so many kind and helpful and welcoming people – wow!
My sincere thanks to those who helped me plan my trip, and many thanks to all of you who have joined me for this vicarious re-living of a fabulous journey to an amazing country. Fodorites rock!
I will remain available for questions, comments, etc., and would love to hear from lurkers and future readers, too.
And BTW, hadn’t you mentioned the horno in Pisac? Another thing I had forgotten and so came upon unexpectedly!@ tripplanner001 &
@ yestravel:
I’m sure I would have enjoyed Pisac (and Chincero and more of the salt mines and the experimental terraces), but it simply wasn’t an option once I twisted my ankle. At least I saw parts of the Pisac ruins up close, including the buildings near the entrance and the Sun Gate. I’m glad you both enjoyed them.
@ amyb: Good advice for photographers!
@ xcountry: “When I’m sick I want someone to share the experience.” I decided to share later, once well enough to appreciate the loving attention and support.
- - - - -
OK, one long, last "installment":
Day 29 - 32: Cusco and then home
Day 29: Cusco
Glad to find that I was feeling much better, I managed part of a delicious breakfast in the Niños Hotel Meloc’s café and then – feeling the effects of altitude again – slowly walked the few blocks to Cusco’s lovely Plaza de Armas. Lined by some grand churches and two-story arcades, and with greenery and a gilded central fountain, it was obviously a very popular place. The arcades were filled with shops geared to tourists, and whenever I see that, I wonder what happened to all the businesses that would have been the traditional occupants of those buildings, and how the local people feel about the conversion of their central plaza to a tourism center.
I obtained some information from an iCusco office and then went back to my hotel to prepare to mail my various purchases to myself. The hotel gave me a box that was the perfect size and I proceeded to pack it and then seal it with some duct tape that I had with me. I thought just a bit more tape might be in order and stopped at the desk to see if they had any, and was told that someone at the post office would likely open the box to inspect it. I’m so glad she mentioned that, because I think I would otherwise have been very disconcerted to have a box-cutter-wielding woman charge at me upon my arrival at the post office!
She did indeed open my box, probed and poked its contents, and then proceeded to wrap it in multiple layers of plastic. She affixed an official label, took me to a scale to weigh it, and then led me to the counter where I could pay for postage.It was only a few short blocks to fascinating Qorikancha where, among other things, I appreciated the remains of the temple where the summer solstice would have been marked, a display showing the constellations the Incas identified in the dark spaces of the Milky Way, and the gardens.
I relaxed over a beer at a nearby hotel and then went to the Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo for an engaging performance of Andean music and dance. The center also has a small room in which mannequins display various traditional costumes of the region, some of which were quite impressive.
I enjoyed a long, slow walk back to my hotel, during which I noted – once again – how cold the highlands get after dark. A bowl of lentil soup and cup of mint tea beside the fireplace in my hotel’s café proved a very satisfying way to end the day.
Day 30: Cusco
With the city preparing for its Corpus Christi celebration, the Plaza de Armas was full of people. I visited la Iglesia de la Compañía, with its massive gilded alterpiece and ten busts of bare-breasted women (representing Pachamama)
scattered among the many rather somber images of saints – such a contrast!I then managed to get a balcony-side table on one of the square’s second floor restaurants, Tunupa, and settled in to enjoy the festivities.
Corpus Christi is a big deal in Cusco. Men from all over the region carry huge platforms on which stand richly garbed statues of saints and virgins, 15 in all. Accompanied by music and dance and crowds of celebrants, these statues are paraded around the plaza and up the (Incan) stairs to, and then into, the Cathedral, all with great pageantry and energy and joyfulness. I had planned my time in Cusco to include this festival, and am very glad that I did – it is, indeed, a remarkable occasion.
After several enjoyable hours, and a pleasant meal, I turned to the Museo Inka, housed in a Colonial mansion and holding some exceptional pieces, including a particularly poignant pair of mummies: a child looking beseechingly at an adult.
Many of the walls and building foundations of Cusco’s core are Incan, and as I was admiring some of the stonework around the shady little Plazoleta Nazarenas, I noticed a pair of men studying a particular section of wall – oh! there are images of snakes on some of those blocks!
Ready for a bit of a break, I stepped into the Fallen Angel – what a fascinatingly bizarre place!
Feeling a bit like Alice after walking through the looking glass, I found myself surrounded by images of angels and fallen angels and artwork with erotic imagery. Seemed like a perfect place for a pisco sour. The Museo de Arte Precolombino is a branch of the Lorca Museum (which I had greatly enjoyed in Lima), and like the Lorca, it holds some exceptional pieces. Unfortunately, much of the museum was closed when I was there, but its collections of works made of shell and wood, and some of its works in stone and ceramic, were open. Fabulous!
That museum is a bit uphill from the Plaza de Armas, so I was happy to see the lights of Cusco’s heart as I walked back down. And then back to my hotel for some tea by the fireplace and, later, sleep.
Day 31: Cusco
I celebrated the first day when I felt fully recovered from my dietary misstep with a delicious breakfast at my hotel, and then headed to the Plaza San Francisco, where the city continued its Corpus Christi celebrations by filling the entire square with stalls selling chiriuchi (more on that later). People were just beginning to set up their stalls, and I found it a fascinating display of industriousness and eager anticipation.
I roamed a few local markets and then went to the Plaza de Armas, where I was surprised to find preparations for a repeat of the procession. Thronged with people, I became caught in the surge of a crowd – an experience I dislike – and was greatly relieved when I finally found a way out.
The Museo Histórico Regional, another museum in a Colonial mansion, held an interesting collection of objects from the area’s pre-Incan days through current times.
By this time, the Plaza San Francisco was mobbed with people, and virtually every nook and cranny of surrounding streets overflowed with people who were enjoying their meals. I chose one of the restaurants on a terrace overlooking a small square and ordered my chiriuchi, a dish the features foods from the area: corn, cuy (guinea pig), chicken, sausage, a type of omelet, sea weed, fish eggs, pepper, and cheese. Every element has meaning, and there is a traditional arrangement of these ingredients. While some ingredients were cooked, the dish is served cold (or rather, at “room” temperature). The parts I tasted were very tasty, indeed – but I wasn’t about to touch the cheese, or anything that had touched the cheese!
With the procession, and its pageantry, well underway on the Plaza de Armas, I took a taxi to Sacsayhuamán, the Incan fortress on the hills above the city. I found it a very pleasant place to roam with its impressively massive walls and spacious open zones, complete with grazing llamas, and stunning views over Cusco and the hills that surround it and some of the snowcaps in the distance. It was very, very nice – and a welcome respite from celebratory crowds.
I had planned to walk back to the city, but my ankle was still bothering me and I was still having trouble breathing, so I went to the entrance and asked the ticket-taker to call a taxi for me. Even as he did so, one pulled up and quoted a reasonable price to get to the Plaza de Armas. After driving for a while, he backed into a one-way street and proceeded, in reverse, for what seemed a ridiculously long time until a car turned onto the street and came up behind us. At that point, he said it was the closest he could get me and pointed me in the right direction. How odd! A few blocks later, I came to the little square by the Museo de Arte Precolombino, so I knew where I was.
As night fell, the festivities on the Plaza de Armas wound down and the crowds began to dissipate. I walked around the square again and then slowly ambled back to my hotel, where I again enjoyed a bowl of lentil soup by the fireplace. And then, confirming that I would have to check out in the morning, I packed as much as I could before sleeping.
Day 32: Cusco
I savored my last breakfast at the Niños Hotel Meloc’s café, finished my packing, left my luggage for later retrieval, and headed back to the Plaza de Armas. I was impressed to find that the Plaza San Francisco showed almost no signs of the previous day’s chiriuchi feast – and to realize that it actually has a bit of a labeled botanic garden. The gilded fountain on the Plaza de Armas was now shrouded, I assume for some kind of work, and the square seemed remarkably quiet, but children were parading around the plaza (and obviously having fun -- except for a few who seemed to take the task with extreme seriousness), and so parts of some streets and walks were closed to even pedestrian traffic.
Now open to visitors again, the Cathedral held some beautiful treasures and intriguing elements – an exquisitely carved cedar pulpit; a place where young ladies left prayers to gain the attention of the men they favored, and a different place where young men left prayers that those women would cease their efforts;
a painting of the Last Supper that (like other such paintings I’d seen in Peru) showed a roasted guinea pig on the main platter – how else to communicate that this meal was special? And all the saints and virgins that had been carried through the processions of the last two days were now within the cathedral’s main nave. It was a delight to be able to see them up close!I then visited some of Cusco’s smaller museums:
· The Museo Casa Concha, aka the Machu Picchu Museum, held some informative displays of artifacts from Machu Picchu and records of Hiram Bingham’s efforts there. It also holds a place in its courtyard where one can look down quite some way to glimpse an Incan street far below.
· The Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo had but one single hall, but held some paintings that I’m glad to have seen.
· And the Museo de Arte Popular managed to cram an extraordinary number of pieces into its small space. I admit that I found some items of interest primarily for the questions I had about why a curator would have selected them, but others spoke clearly of the aesthetic talents of their creators.
With a last nod to stunning Cusco, I returned to my hotel, claimed my luggage, and awaited my pre-arranged taxi.
Day 32 (cont.): The journey home
My taxidatum driver soon arrived and I began the dreaded journey home:
· Drive to Cusco’s airport;
· Wait;
· Flight to Lima;
· Move from the domestic to the international terminal – which meant going outside, where I was nearly overcome by the stench of rotting fish. What was that about?
· Use remaining soles to buy chocolates for the people with whom I work;
· Wait;
· Flight to Miami and the hated negotiation of that airport’s terminals;
· Wait;
· Flight to Washington, D.C.;
· Wait for luggage;
· Taxi to my residence.
It took almost a full day to move from the hotel in Cusco to my door, and although I was able to nap a bit on a few of the flights, I certainly did not feel well rested when I finally reached home. My cats greeted me with great affection, and I was delighted to find that my catsitters had left me some fresh fruit and vegetables – and some cheese!
An apple, some safe cheese, a glass of dry white wine, a few brief conversations with friends and family.... I was soon ready for some much needed sleep.Final thoughts
As I said at the start, this trip was not perfect – but I would take it again in a heartbeat, even knowing the trials and tribulations I ended up encountering. The things I saw and experienced were, to me, well worth every one of those bumps and bruises and gasps for air. Spectacular scenery, awesome ruins, glorious textiles and crafts, scrumptious foods, and so many kind and helpful and welcoming people – wow!
My sincere thanks to those who helped me plan my trip, and many thanks to all of you who have joined me for this vicarious re-living of a fabulous journey to an amazing country. Fodorites rock!
I will remain available for questions, comments, etc., and would love to hear from lurkers and future readers, too.
It took us 40 hours to get home from Lima. RIP Continental Airlines.
Of all the things you have written, describing Puno as “intensely sunny” is the one I most relate to. That’s exactly what it was. Excellent writing.
Of all the things you have written, describing Puno as “intensely sunny” is the one I most relate to. That’s exactly what it was. Excellent writing.
What an amazing journey to an amazingly country! It seems you were able to sample the country's incredible diversity. Simply loved tagging along with you. Thank you for the incredible opportunity to do so.
@ xcountry OK, you win the brownie for the travails of getting home. 40 hours? Argh! Wasn’t that sun in Puno something!?! It really brought home to me what atmosphere does to light. Thanks for reading along, and for your kind words.
@ tripplanner001: It has been my pleasure to have you along for the ride! I know I missed a lot of Peru – as you say, it’s an incredibly diverse country -- but I’m very pleased with the sample I was fortunate enough to experience.
Wasn’t that sun in Puno something!?! It really brought home to me what atmosphere does to light. Thanks for reading along, and for your kind words. @ tripplanner001: It has been my pleasure to have you along for the ride! I know I missed a lot of Peru – as you say, it’s an incredibly diverse country -- but I’m very pleased with the sample I was fortunate enough to experience.
@kja I was in Cusco for the Corpus Christi festival too! I spent about 2 hours watching the procession, on the side of the cathedral where they carried the statues up to the church. It was great! Some of my best memories and best photos came from that day. The kids were just amazing to watch!! They all definitely take their Corpus Christi very seriously!
Looks like we all had long hauls from Peru home. I went to the Amazon after Cusco, so to get home was: 5 hour boat ride from Heath River, 3 hour layover in Puerto Maldonado, 1 hour flight, 5 hour layover in Lima, 6 hour flight Lima to FLL, 3 hour layover, 3 hour flight FLL to Bos. To top it all off, I caught a parasite somewhere along the way, which hit on the Lima-Ft Lauderdale flight, so that made it even more "interesting".
Looks like we all had long hauls from Peru home. I went to the Amazon after Cusco, so to get home was: 5 hour boat ride from Heath River, 3 hour layover in Puerto Maldonado, 1 hour flight, 5 hour layover in Lima, 6 hour flight Lima to FLL, 3 hour layover, 3 hour flight FLL to Bos. To top it all off, I caught a parasite somewhere along the way, which hit on the Lima-Ft Lauderdale flight, so that made it even more "interesting".
Fantastic trip, thank you again for sharing it with us. And I'm very glad you got to the Sacred Valley portion before my trip, it really got me (even more, if possible) excited about the trip.
We'll had 1 night in Pisac and 2 in Ollantaytambo, so we'll get to visit both sets of ruins. Can you compare them? Is one worth more time than the other?
We'll only have 1 full day (and 2 nights) in Cusco, so the plan is to see Sacsayhuamán and the cathedral. Do you think we can fit anything else? Would Sacsayhuamán be a repeat after the other town ruins?
I could live on cheese and love to sample local cold cuts and cheeses where ever I go, but I got the message: no uncooked cheese. Especially that after Sacred Valley and MP we are going in the Manu area, with no pharmacy available anywhere near.
Hope your ankle got better by now. Where is the next trip?
We'll had 1 night in Pisac and 2 in Ollantaytambo, so we'll get to visit both sets of ruins. Can you compare them? Is one worth more time than the other?
We'll only have 1 full day (and 2 nights) in Cusco, so the plan is to see Sacsayhuamán and the cathedral. Do you think we can fit anything else? Would Sacsayhuamán be a repeat after the other town ruins?
I could live on cheese and love to sample local cold cuts and cheeses where ever I go, but I got the message: no uncooked cheese. Especially that after Sacred Valley and MP we are going in the Manu area, with no pharmacy available anywhere near.
Hope your ankle got better by now. Where is the next trip?
@ amyb: Wasn’t the Corpus Christi festival in Cusco wonderful? Sounds like you had the perfect position – lucky you! But OMG, I do not envy your trip home – it sounds like it would have been miserable under any condition; the addition of a parasite would, I think, make it truly awful. I hope you are feeling better and that your final moments didn’t color your experience of Peru.
@ mlgb: I, too, hope that my words encourage others to explore some of Peru’s lesser known sites. You really need to get to some of those long neglected corners of Lima! Seriously, I learned an enormous amount from the advice you generously offered as I planned my time in Peru -- I can’t thank you enough for your comments and recommendations! It has been my pleasure to have you follow this trip report – your comments have been much appreciated!
@ xyz99:
Because I saw only a small segment of the ruins in Pisa, I really can’t compare them to Ollantaytambo’s – I’m just very glad to have seen what I could of each. Whether you should make time for Sacsayhuamán while in Cusco really depends, I think, on your priorities. It’s an impressive site and affords some stunning views – but other places you will visit will also offer similar opportunities, if different enough to satisfy those of us who appreciate seeing the variations among a range of ruins that share much in common. Given my interest in artifacts, I’d want to be sure to spend some time in one or more of Cusco’s museums, but YMMV. And in any event, you would probably be wise to consider anything you do while in Cusco a bonus, as you might need to devote your time to adjusting to altitude. And OMG, do, really, avoid the uncooked cheese!
It’ll be a while before I decide where to head next. I’ll probably begin posting requests for help from the awesome Fodorite community sometime around December. In the meantime, I’ll look for posts from you about your experience of Peru -- and I sincerely hope that you enjoy it even a fraction as much as I did.
I hope you are feeling better and that your final moments didn’t color your experience of Peru.@ mlgb: I, too, hope that my words encourage others to explore some of Peru’s lesser known sites. You really need to get to some of those long neglected corners of Lima!
Seriously, I learned an enormous amount from the advice you generously offered as I planned my time in Peru -- I can’t thank you enough for your comments and recommendations! It has been my pleasure to have you follow this trip report – your comments have been much appreciated!@ xyz99:
Because I saw only a small segment of the ruins in Pisa, I really can’t compare them to Ollantaytambo’s – I’m just very glad to have seen what I could of each. Whether you should make time for Sacsayhuamán while in Cusco really depends, I think, on your priorities. It’s an impressive site and affords some stunning views – but other places you will visit will also offer similar opportunities, if different enough to satisfy those of us who appreciate seeing the variations among a range of ruins that share much in common. Given my interest in artifacts, I’d want to be sure to spend some time in one or more of Cusco’s museums, but YMMV. And in any event, you would probably be wise to consider anything you do while in Cusco a bonus, as you might need to devote your time to adjusting to altitude. And OMG, do, really, avoid the uncooked cheese!
It’ll be a while before I decide where to head next. I’ll probably begin posting requests for help from the awesome Fodorite community sometime around December. In the meantime, I’ll look for posts from you about your experience of Peru -- and I sincerely hope that you enjoy it even a fraction as much as I did.
Hmmm, good point about the artifacts. Of course, they must reside in museums these days.... If you had to pick just 1 museum in Cusco, which one would you pick? Based on your interests.
Cusco will be at the end of our time in the area (1 night Pisac, 2 Ollantytambo, 1 Aguas Caliente, 2 Cusco). We'll take altitude medication, but I hope we'll be (somewhat) acclimatized by then. Coming from Puno I know you did not have any issues, but I'm not sure how we'll react.
No cheese
Cusco will be at the end of our time in the area (1 night Pisac, 2 Ollantytambo, 1 Aguas Caliente, 2 Cusco). We'll take altitude medication, but I hope we'll be (somewhat) acclimatized by then. Coming from Puno I know you did not have any issues, but I'm not sure how we'll react.
No cheese
In Cusco, I'd throw the Machu Picchu Museum (aka Museo Casa Concha) into the mix. It's just a block off the Plaza de Armas and I thought it was very well done. I went after I was at Machu Picchu and it made good sense to me. The Museo Inka was good and there were some interesting pieces there, but the collection is housed in displays put together in the 1950s and with no consideration for climate control or preservation concerns. Poor lighting, bad labels (even in Spanish they were bad). I just couldn't get past that (I go to a LOT of museums at home)
@kja funny you mention the cheese. While we'll never know for sure, I suspect my parasite came from either a cheese which came with corn on the cob I bought off a street vendor in the Pisac market, or fresh brazil nuts that my guide chopped open with his trusty rusty cleaver in the Amazon. In any event, once I was tested and confirmed, it was nothing 10 days of Cipro and a month of pro-biotics couldn't cure! LOL! Props to the JetBlue flight attendant on the Lima-FLL flight, who quickly figured out my dilemma and did his best to make me comfortable. I will say though, it was the best corn on the cob I'd ever had!!! The kernels were massive! and so sweet!
@kja funny you mention the cheese. While we'll never know for sure, I suspect my parasite came from either a cheese which came with corn on the cob I bought off a street vendor in the Pisac market, or fresh brazil nuts that my guide chopped open with his trusty rusty cleaver in the Amazon. In any event, once I was tested and confirmed, it was nothing 10 days of Cipro and a month of pro-biotics couldn't cure! LOL! Props to the JetBlue flight attendant on the Lima-FLL flight, who quickly figured out my dilemma and did his best to make me comfortable. I will say though, it was the best corn on the cob I'd ever had!!! The kernels were massive! and so sweet!
In Cusco, I'd try to make time for Qoricancha (spelled a few different ways). If you aren't' going to make it to any other markets, there is also a covered market in Cusco that is a fairly level walk from the Plaza (Mercado Central de San Pedro).
You'll see a lot of references to San Blas but be aware that is quite a steep walk up from the Plaza. Also in that direction but not all the way is the famous 12-sided stone (on Hatun Rumiyoc) a few blocks from the Plaza.
http://www.perutreks.com/cusco_map.html
You'll see a lot of references to San Blas but be aware that is quite a steep walk up from the Plaza. Also in that direction but not all the way is the famous 12-sided stone (on Hatun Rumiyoc) a few blocks from the Plaza.
http://www.perutreks.com/cusco_map.html
@ xyz99:
If you decide to visit just one museum while in Cusco, I refuse to make a choice! But I will provide the following comments in the hope that they will allow you to make your own choice, based on your priorities!
· The Museo Inka seemed to me to provide the most extensive collection of Incan and local artifacts in the city. I wasn’t as bothered by the display conditions or signage as amyb, and so would consider this museum well worth considering.
· The Museo de Arte Precolombino holds some exquisite and well displayed (and marked) artifacts – but not specifically from the Sacred Valley, and -- and this is important! – only a few rooms were open when I was there.
· The Museo Casa Concha, aka the Machu Picchu Museum. held very little that I hadn’t already seen at Macchu Picchu. For me – a museum junkie – it was worth visiting given that I had a lot of spare time in Cusco. If you have a competent guide at Machu Picchu, I would think it superfluous.
And if you decide to visit just one ruin in Cusco, I agree with mlgb that Qoricancha would be a reasonable choiee. IMO, it was more intriguing and informative than Sacsayhuamán, but of course, it doesn’t offer views. Your call!
I obviously mis-recalled your itinerary – I’m glad Cusco will be at the end of you time in the area!
To be clear, I never became fully aclimated to the altitude. I’m grateful that I never experienced full-blown altitude sickness, but once above about 2,600 meters (and both Pisac and Cusco are above that), I was never able to breathe properly, and so was always tired and I always found it difficult to walk, even on flat stretches, and definitely struggled if I needed to climb at all.
@ amyb:
As mentioned upthread, my travel physician warned me very clearly against any cheese – or, for that matter, any dairy product that hadn’t been thoroughly cooked or otherwise clearly pastuerized. The dish you describe is, I believe, a varient of “choclo” – and if the cheese had been fully cooked, it should have been safe. But who knows!?! I had some corn off the cob from the type of corn you describe (OMG, so many different types of corn!) and agree that it was a special delight.
I’m sorry you had to experience that particular element of a trip to Peru, but I’m glad you made it through!
@ mlgb: Oooh, I wish I’d seen Hatun Rumiyoc! Whether because of altitude or sickness or just plan exhaustion, I didn’t explore Cusco as fully as I would have liked. Next time....
If you decide to visit just one museum while in Cusco, I refuse to make a choice! But I will provide the following comments in the hope that they will allow you to make your own choice, based on your priorities!
· The Museo Inka seemed to me to provide the most extensive collection of Incan and local artifacts in the city. I wasn’t as bothered by the display conditions or signage as amyb, and so would consider this museum well worth considering.
· The Museo de Arte Precolombino holds some exquisite and well displayed (and marked) artifacts – but not specifically from the Sacred Valley, and -- and this is important! – only a few rooms were open when I was there.
· The Museo Casa Concha, aka the Machu Picchu Museum. held very little that I hadn’t already seen at Macchu Picchu. For me – a museum junkie – it was worth visiting given that I had a lot of spare time in Cusco. If you have a competent guide at Machu Picchu, I would think it superfluous.
And if you decide to visit just one ruin in Cusco, I agree with mlgb that Qoricancha would be a reasonable choiee. IMO, it was more intriguing and informative than Sacsayhuamán, but of course, it doesn’t offer views. Your call!
I obviously mis-recalled your itinerary – I’m glad Cusco will be at the end of you time in the area!
To be clear, I never became fully aclimated to the altitude.
I’m grateful that I never experienced full-blown altitude sickness, but once above about 2,600 meters (and both Pisac and Cusco are above that), I was never able to breathe properly, and so was always tired and I always found it difficult to walk, even on flat stretches, and definitely struggled if I needed to climb at all.@ amyb:
As mentioned upthread, my travel physician warned me very clearly against any cheese – or, for that matter, any dairy product that hadn’t been thoroughly cooked or otherwise clearly pastuerized. The dish you describe is, I believe, a varient of “choclo” – and if the cheese had been fully cooked, it should have been safe. But who knows!?! I had some corn off the cob from the type of corn you describe (OMG, so many different types of corn!) and agree that it was a special delight.
I’m sorry you had to experience that particular element of a trip to Peru, but I’m glad you made it through!
@ mlgb: Oooh, I wish I’d seen Hatun Rumiyoc! Whether because of altitude or sickness or just plan exhaustion, I didn’t explore Cusco as fully as I would have liked.
Next time....Re the cheese thing..on my first trip in 2009 there were ladies selling the boiled corn (which is choclo) and cheese (queso) so it would be "choclo con queso" on the road down to the Olly train station. I said "sin queso por favor" and lived to talk about it (less the other effects of corn). Second trip in 2012 they were gone (probably relocated by Officialdom).
I avoid fresh cheese when traveling but I've eaten hard cheeses in Peru (and some semisoft cheese in particular dairying areas when bought from a refrigerated case). There is a particularly nice one in Chachapoyas and Cajamarca region is famous for their dairies.
Things are changing at a rapid pace in the tourism sector and I'm so glad I went that first time with the line of ladies in Ollantaytambo (and Hearts Cafe was just a little storefront and not a two-story restaurant!)
You do have to go a little off-piste to get away from the crowds now, even in Lima...
Still hoping to make it to Apurimac some day...
Unless you are some kind of athlete training at altitude or hiking the IT, don't stress too much about not "acclimating". Just walk slowly and as rest as needed. I know kja liked to have a big evening meal with some wine, but it usually is recommended to eat lightly at night, at least for the first few days. If you have trouble breathing at night, ask for some oxygen.
I avoid fresh cheese when traveling but I've eaten hard cheeses in Peru (and some semisoft cheese in particular dairying areas when bought from a refrigerated case). There is a particularly nice one in Chachapoyas and Cajamarca region is famous for their dairies.
Things are changing at a rapid pace in the tourism sector and I'm so glad I went that first time with the line of ladies in Ollantaytambo (and Hearts Cafe was just a little storefront and not a two-story restaurant!)
You do have to go a little off-piste to get away from the crowds now, even in Lima...
Still hoping to make it to Apurimac some day...
Unless you are some kind of athlete training at altitude or hiking the IT, don't stress too much about not "acclimating". Just walk slowly and as rest as needed. I know kja liked to have a big evening meal with some wine, but it usually is recommended to eat lightly at night, at least for the first few days. If you have trouble breathing at night, ask for some oxygen.
Great info from a lot of sources here, thank you all.
amyb, good advice about the time for photography at MP. I'll use the afternoon with the guide for orientation and learning, and the next morning for photography and maybe a hike to Sun Gate.
kja, Qorikancha is now definitely on the list.
We have a full day, and would love to visit: Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum (hopefully more than just a few rooms will be open that day) and the cathedral. Can we fit them all in one day? Plus Hatun Rumiyoc, of course.
If the main interests are architecture, unique artifacts that show artistry and human ingenuity, and photography, where to plan more time? For the Cusco views from Sacsayhuaman, is the morning or the afternoon sun better?
I'm trying to decide which is the one I would skip if I had to. Plus, I would love to just have the time to stroll through the streets of San Blas.
I know, an extra day would've been great, but it was the choice between more Cusco or more Amazon jungle, and we are big nature/wildlife lovers.
amyb, good advice about the time for photography at MP. I'll use the afternoon with the guide for orientation and learning, and the next morning for photography and maybe a hike to Sun Gate.
kja, Qorikancha is now definitely on the list.
We have a full day, and would love to visit: Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, the Pre-Columbian Art Museum (hopefully more than just a few rooms will be open that day) and the cathedral. Can we fit them all in one day? Plus Hatun Rumiyoc, of course.
If the main interests are architecture, unique artifacts that show artistry and human ingenuity, and photography, where to plan more time? For the Cusco views from Sacsayhuaman, is the morning or the afternoon sun better?
I'm trying to decide which is the one I would skip if I had to. Plus, I would love to just have the time to stroll through the streets of San Blas.
I know, an extra day would've been great, but it was the choice between more Cusco or more Amazon jungle, and we are big nature/wildlife lovers.
@ xyz99: I’m sorry, but I really don’t think I can answer your questions. Whether you can visit all of those things in one day depends on your preferred pace of travel, your interests, and how altitude affects you. One of the reasons I wrote such a detailed trip report was so that readers could use that information to make their own decisions. And as already noted I’m not a photograher, so I have no idea when your sun would be best. If you don’t get to any other Peruvian food markets, that might be worth fitting in – they are very colorful and, IMO, interesting. But you can decide once there, can’t you?
Whether you can visit all of those things in one day depends on your preferred pace of travel, your interests, and how altitude affects you. One of the reasons I wrote such a detailed trip report was so that readers could use that information to make their own decisions. And as already noted I’m not a photograher, so I have no idea when your sun would be best. If you don’t get to any other Peruvian food markets, that might be worth fitting in – they are very colorful and, IMO, interesting. But you can decide once there, can’t you?
