From 08.07.: Mandatory break in Cusco

08.07. to 22.07.
Supertramp - that's the hostel in Cusco - for me it has become a small Davos in Peru...

Davos with a view of Cusco and a hammock

The trip to Aguas Calientes and my not always satisfying diet have weakened my immune system.
Under normal circumstances, I would have gotten away with a cold, but on Saturday, July 15th, I received the diagnosis of laryngitis from an emergency doctor.
After a week without improvement, I just wanted an address to visit on Monday, which would have been possible by taxi. But the receptionists did the right thing. The doctor thoroughly examined me.
Although the circumstances were quite South American again: that evening there was live music and asado at the hostel. Just before her arrival, a plate of delicious antipasti was brought to me, so I sat in the reception chewing with full cheeks when the doctor wanted to start the examination. His facial expression was indeed a bit perplexed - a patient chewing with full cheeks who called the doctor...?
I sit like on a platter, in a large shop window that should let light into the reception - but now I sit there and have to discreetly look away. But in general, I don't really care. And when the doctor revealed that my lungs were clean, I was relieved and ready for any medical action. He immediately prescribed an antibiotic for me, which I should take three times a day for a week.

But one thing worked out really well again and has guardian angel quality:

This could have happened anywhere in the province, where there is not just an emergency doctor standing outside the door, where I could have come across a hostel that doesn't offer a kitchen, but where I would really have had to rely on pollo. Everything fits here and the healing process is underway.

The Supertramp hostel is an eco-hostel with very good cuisine. Although, like in all the hostels I have encountered in Peru, there is no shared kitchen where guests can cook something, instead they rely on the street kitchens and restaurants in the city. And here, pollo is the number one choice...

But here I am spoiled with great salads, invigorating chicken soups, and even breakfast with oatmeal and fruits. The vegetables are fresh and not overcooked, and I have introduced the kitchen to the recipe of 'hot milk with honey and rum'. I had the Swiss roommate get the rum for me and now I get my miracle medicine almost every evening, which can only take effect when taken together with the medication.

Today I felt good enough to leave Davos for a few hours. It worked to walk to the city. So I treated myself to a cozy day on a bench on the Plaza de Armas, ensuring rest and enjoying the change.
This didn't take long. Immediately, I attracted the attention of all the shoe shine boys because my hiking boots were not in their Sunday best. I politely declined.
Then a jewelry saleswoman sat down next to me on the bench and showed me her limited selection. I actually made a purchase, the deal was done, but she continued to sit and started a conversation. I went along with it. I could understand her Spanish quite well and classified this chat as practical Spanish lessons. The tourist police came by more frequently than before, which made me suspect that they would have immediately asked the lady to get up if I had shown any displeasure. But everything was okay.
She talked about her three children, her husband who left her eight years ago and left her without any security, her jewelry supplier who did not provide the goods on consignment, but only against cash payment. Then she told me that her family was killed by a Peruvian terrorist organization. Maybe her husband was on the wrong side.
Sendero Luminoso, known to us as Shining Path, is a Marxist-Leninist party that was active here in the 60s to 80s and was classified as a terrorist organization by the EU until 2016. My saleswoman grew up in the Andean highlands not far from here and suffered greatly from the isolation by Lima. No education and if so, indigenous-looking people had no chance of getting a job. The party took advantage of this and mobilized people to achieve the great revolution. But why did the whole family become victims? According to Wikipedia, 70,000 people died, including involvement by the government...
And then it got weird: she wanted to have 500 (!) soles from me. If she had said 50, but 500 is quite a lot, and it came completely unexpected. 130 euros!!! I gave her 20 dollars, which is 60 soles. I explained to her that I had a tight budget and had only had breakfast that day, and I also told her about my frugal way of life. She listened with interest but continued with demands or wishes. I smiled at her and said: NO.
Then she wanted to meet me again tomorrow and invite me to her apartment. I politely declined and told her that I would be back at the Plaza de Armas tomorrow...
Whatever she told me may be true. If she had said all of this before trying to sell her jewelry, the deal would not have been made. But now it was done and she could continue in a moderate and rather factual tone...
Then, without much preparation, she said goodbye quite quickly and almost hastily.
Only when she was gone did I suspect that she might have quickly taken some money from me - but everything was okay.
I then changed position, because the sun was gone by then, I dozed off a bit and then took a taxi back to the hostel in the late afternoon.

Before that, I even witnessed two freshly married couples, one of them was picked up from the church in a stretched VW convertible.

The parasol is quickly handed over, the chilled champagne with four fogged glasses is ready on a round table, the bottle protected by a suitable opening in the middle of the table to prevent full braking or rapid turns

Did the beetle designer really want to provide the model for a red 'just married' heart?

My plan: next Wednesday I will continue heading north. The Vespa is safe, well cared for, and protected at the campground. I sent an email there and immediately received a reassuring reply.

There is little or nothing planned for the next few days. Just wandering around the city, but taking a taxi back. Maybe visit the market and enrich breakfast, maybe visit the Machu Picchu Museum - in any case, sit on the Plaza de Armas, observe people, and adjust my sitting position according to the movement of the sun.

23.07.

Today was more of a recovery day. A good breakfast with fruit and oatmeal, but even though the night was calm - no guests coming or going - I lacked the energy for activities. Also, it's deep winter here. The sun shines cloudless from the sky and emits warmth, if not heat, in the shade and thus in the hostel it is cold. There is no half-shade. So all that's left is the bed, taking advantage of its temperature.
In the afternoon, I want to see how the Vespa is doing at the camping ground. There are many stairs and later some switchbacks to climb, but I turn around halfway. A new challenge for tomorrow.
Here I am welcomed with asado and live music and hot water for tea. And then back into a horizontal position. Davos sanatorium!

24.07.
I spared my strength, took a slow walk to the city, dropped off laundry, met my jewelry saleswoman at the Plaza de Armas, but stopped the beginning conversation with a reference to my voice, which is not yet there, then slowly made my way back to the hostel. Tomorrow I will decide if I can leave on Wednesday.

25.07.

Throughout the day, my battery has settled at 80%. That's not enough to drive through the mountains towards Nasca already tomorrow on Wednesday. So I extended my stay for another three nights and hope that I can start on Saturday morning.
Today was similar to yesterday. Soaking up the sun and energy, many stairs to the city in the afternoon and back again, long break on the Plaza de Armas.

26.07.

Another relaxed sanatorium day. The lunch with chicken soup and a large plate of salad catapulted me to the campground where the Vespa is located.

With a delicious mango dressing

Afterwards - with a break and a vitamin-rich orange-banana mixed drink - I took another walk to the city center, suddenly had a craving for Cadbury's caramel chocolate afterwards, and then tackled the climb back up to the hostel in small steps.
Maybe I can continue my tour on Saturday.

27.07.
Pride goes before a fall...
A stomach upset keeps me in bed today. On Saturday, I finally want to move on.

28.07.

The appetite is back. Two crispy rolls with homemade jam and a pancake pass the endurance test - successfully!.
Today is Peru's Independence Day, which the hostel kitchen takes as an opportunity to organize an asado. I get an appetizer and a main course. I tolerate both well, the strength is returning.
I have looked at the next stage, which is indicated with 190 km, but estimated to take about 5 hours. There will be passes between 3,800 and 4,500 m and also valleys that are only 1,800 m high. So it's going to be challenging. The jets will probably have to be changed several times.
That's why I will gather strength tomorrow and only start on Sunday.

29.07.

My battery has returned to its normal speed and proven it today. My visit to the Vespa at the Quinta Lala campground was greeted by her immediately starting up - so I can start tomorrow. But I will still take it slowly tomorrow and only drive 70 km, which will take about two hours.
Today I also booked the sharp eyes of our receptionist, because he was the only one who could decipher the millimeter measurements on the jets. The values are neatly noted down and if I have to change the jets in the next few days due to the differences in altitude, I won't risk using the wrong one. The hostel staff already see me as a family member, and when I told them that I'm traveling with the Vespa, they were overjoyed. Finally, it's going on and I'm looking forward to a nice ride through the Sacred Valley.

30.07.

It's not meant to be. Cusco doesn't want to let me go.
Cusco is located in a valley. If you want to go north, you have to struggle up the slopes. The Vespa is brave, giving everything, but then it is completely exhausted and can't go any further. My navigation system has joined it and is busy recalculating the route for the rest of the afternoon.
So I let fate take its course, drive to the old town, and finally find the 'Flying Dog' hostel, which is also located on an incline and where the Vespa can make it exactly.
Here I am now, there shouldn't be a secure parking space for the Vespa, but the hostel manager allows it to be parked in the reception area.

Here it is safe, warm, and dry.

Tomorrow I won't do any big experiments, I'll order a taxi, which will then have the task of leading me out of the city via smaller slopes.
That would be a shame...