Cusco - Center of the Universe (March 15th & 16th, 2022)

After another night on the bus - we covered just over 500km in 11 hours - we arrived in Cusco at 8am with a temperature of around 12 degrees and light rain. Slightly tired, we were taken directly from Peru Hop (through very narrow streets) to our hotel, Antigua Casona San Blas. Upon arrival, we are lucky enough to be able to immediately check into our room and take advantage of the wonderful breakfast offering.

After refueling, we go back to the room: showering, warming up, having our laundry done, and just relaxing and sleeping briefly in bed. Slightly refreshed, we set off at around 3pm for our Free Walking Tour (conducted by Inka Mikly Way Tours, who also offer tours in other cities in Peru). We walk for about two hours in a larger group through the streets of Cusco and let the city enchant us. Cusco is approximately 3,000 years old and has an incredibly long history. Even during Pre-Inca and especially during Inca times, Cusco was the self-proclaimed 'Center of the Universe' of the dynasties. Cusco also played an important role in the Spanish conquest, which is why the city shines in the most beautiful colonial style. One beautiful building and one beautiful cathedral/church (of which there are 69 in Cusco alone) follow the next. After the really great tour, we decide to go back to the hotel and have dinner there, as we are simply too tired and frozen to go out again. An exhausting but very impressive day comes to an end.

After 11 hours of sleep, we finally manage to get out of bed and start the day again with a great breakfast. Today, we decide to simply live the day and explore the city on our own, hopping from coffee house to market to coffee house.

We start with a visit to Mercados San Blas, which is only a few meters from our hotel. The small market hall mainly consists of food stalls, and we also give in to a freshly prepared smoothie. After refueling, we continue our hike up the mountain (yes, that's still possible at an altitude of 3,400 meters) and find a great bar/coffee shop with an incredible view of the city (https://limbusrestobar.com/). After a short stop, we walk through the narrow, colorful, and artistic streets and suddenly find ourselves in a courtyard full of painters, where we buy another souvenir in the form of a painting for our apartment from a nice old man.

We decide that we haven't seen enough markets and art yet, so we make our way to Mercado San Perdo, the largest market in Cusco. It's buzzing with people (despite Covid, up to 3,000 people are allowed in the hall at the same time) and we quickly become overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle. After buying half a kilo of nuts (for our upcoming hikes), we stroll through the trendy night district and return to the hotel.

At 5pm, we went to the briefing at the office of our tour operator, Salakantay (https://www.salkantaytrekking.com/), to be perfectly prepared for our trip to Machu Picchu on March 18th and 19th. The 30-minute session with our guide was not only informative, but also created a great anticipation for the trip. Somewhat tired and full of great impressions, we make our way back to the hotel and enjoy a great dinner at the vegetarian restaurant next to our hotel, Green Point (https://greenpointcusco.com/es/inicio.html) (which we were recommended multiple times). Although we waited almost an hour for our appetizers (two soups), the food was really good and the combinations were unique. Cusco has quickly captured our hearts - let's keep it up. We are looking forward to 3 more days in this amazing city.

The Daily Two:

Insight: Cusco is an incredibly beautiful city. It not only impresses with its architecture and is a great starting point for many breathtaking excursions, but also has such a wonderful flair with narrow and colorful streets. The selection of great restaurants and coffee shops is unmatched in Peru. Cusco has just as much charm as any European city.

Moment of Happiness: A good cup of (Costa Rican) coffee, some coca tea, a great view over Cusco, and even the sun peeking out - today couldn't have been better.