Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru

The Inca Capital

From the experience of the previous day of listening to Bach in Lima, I made my way back to the airport for a flight to Cusco high in the Andes mountains early the following morning. This was where the ‘semi-arranged’ tour was supposed to start. By prior arrangement I would spend a day or two in Cusco, then join a trip to Machu Picchu and from there on to other areas of southern Peru. I had made reservations at a small hotel in Cusco, wanting the luxury of having a room all to myself for one night. I moved from sea-level in Lima to nearly 3,400 meters above sea-level in less than 2 hours, and realized the predicament the moment I set foot on the tarmac at the airport. I shuffled to the terminal building, and after collecting my pack, hailed a taxi to take me to my lodgings. It was mid-morning when I arrived, and the weather was fabulous. Having settled in, I set out to explore the city – easier said than done. Everything had to be done at a much slower pace than I had been averaging in Lima, and it was much more difficult to catch my breath after even only a few steps up any set of stairs (of which there are thousands throughout the city).

Steps, thousands of steps…

Cusco is an old city, and once the capital of the Inca empire. It is no wonder then that it is also the starting point for most “Andean Experience” tours that daily take thousands of tourists to the various amazing sites, not just around Cusco, but also further afield. The cobblestone alleys and roads wind their way up the hillsides and will leave any newcomer breathless within moments. The central square, Plaza de Armas, is lined with small shops and several religious buildings, including the Cathedral of Cusco. Also known as the Square of the Warrior during Inca times, many of the Spanish-era buildings that line the periphery of this plaza were constructed on top of more ancient Inca structures, including the palace of the Inca ruler.

Plaza de Armas in the evening

Take the time to enjoy

My meanderings of the afternoon took me through the plaza and past many of the churches and other old structures. Certain alleys were lined by shops selling the same products I had seen plenty of in Lima; other alleys teemed with tourists as they were making their way to hostels or restaurants. As the sun began to go down, the temperature started to drop, and I searched for a place where I might enjoy a nice meal in warm surroundings. With the meal finished, I retraced my steps to my hostel, but decided to take a small detour up a narrow alley, and what seemed to be a staircase of a thousand steps, to another small plaza, San Blas. Breathless, I made my way past a nondescript church and a fountain, and to a faux waterfall at the far end of the plaza. A final set of stairs led me to the top of the water curtain, and when I turned around, I was truly left breathless by the sight of Cusco spread down below and across to the hills beyond.

Cusco at night from San Blas plaza

The lights of the city winked in the dark night, and the quiet conversations of small groups of people scattered around the plaza and fountain created an atmosphere often only seen in movies. A few small shops were still open, their lights spilling onto the cobblestones, creating alternating pools of light and dark; the odd squeal of laughter punctuating some of the conversations. The nondescript church I had passed was actually the San Blas church, the oldest Spanish-era church in Cusco, and I could see its outlines more clearly now from my vantage point. It is said that this church, built in 1563, has an intricately carved wooden pulpit, yet I cannot vouch for this as I did not have a chance to enter, either then or the following day.

Narrow streets and alleys criss cross the city of Cusco.

Despite the dropping temperature, I stayed for a little while, enjoying the view and the cool weather before resuming my walk. The area around the church is probably the most colourful, with small alleys winding through the neighborhood passing by homes, hostels, restaurants, small bars and pubs, and many other facilities. I wandered through these small streets past shops and hostels to another hill that overlooks Cusco from an even better vantage point. Had I continued another kilometer or so, I would have reached the top and a church with a wonderful view, but I did not know this at the time of my walk, and with the cold, I finally decided that it was time to descend back into the city, find my way back to my hostel, and call it a night. The altitude, the temperature, and the long walk of the day had exhausted me, but I was eager to start exploring again the next day.