There is always a sense of adventure as you step off of a plane into a foreign country. When arriving in South America I felt like I was stepping into my own Indiana Jones movie. While my wife, Marj, and I weren’t searching for hidden treasure, we were spending seven days in Peru and hiking to visit the lost city of the Incas.
After getting through customs we headed out into the throng of people waiting outside of the security gates and looked for the ride our hotel sent for us. As we started the drive to the hotel the first thing I noticed was the constant use of car horns by drivers. It must be a cultural thing because in the U.S. we only use it as a substitute for inappropriate hand signs or language. They used it to say hello, to let someone know they were turning, and to tell people to get out of the way. It added to the constant buzz of the grimy streets in Cusco with their tourists, stray dogs, and Quechua-speaking touts.
Under a beautiful blue sky we arrived at Torre Dorada. While located a good distance from the city center, it is one of the most welcoming hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Nowhere has the saying “home away from home” applied more. The owner, Peggy, and her staff will do whatever it takes to make sure your stay is perfect. Rooms are centered around common areas that hold collections of books, TVs, and 24 hours supplies of hot water for tea. The hotel also provides car transportation to and from the city anytime you call. This is a great benefit because it is too far and dangerous to walk to the plaza area. They arrange for tours, set up train travel, and even brought me oxygen one night when I was having problems with the altitude.
After checking in and getting a full description of the city we headed out to get some lunch and explore. For lunch we ate at Heidi’s in the San Blas District. Our first taste of Peruvian food let us know our palettes weren’t to be disappointed on this trip. For only $5 we were served tomato soup, a beef and potato dish, and apple cake. Because the dollar is so strong in Peru, most three-course meals didn’t cost more than $10 per person.
After lunch we walked the cobblestone alleys to the main square, the Plaza de Armas. Consider it the Central Park of Cusco minus the trees. It is a vast, beautiful space in the middle of a crowded and rushed city anchored by a beautiful cathedral that dates back to the Spanish reign of Peru. We had to stop several times to catch our breath. At 11,000 feet you get winded a lot quicker than at sea level. To combat this we picked up a bag of coca leaves. The Incas chewed them to help a variety of medical issues but their purpose today was to reduce the effects of altitude sickness.
After a briefing on our upcoming Inca Trail hike we had dinner at a small restaurant just off the plaza called Greens that served organic food. Marj had trout and I had baby lamb chops. After dinner we headed back to the hotel to rest for our next adventure- a trip to visit the Sacred Valley.
Click on photos for larger image:
Plaza de Armas
Cathedral
A steet in Cusco
