CUZCO, PERU

                                  A High Andean City

     Flying over the Andes, old Inca roads were easily visible and seemed to be all over the mountains. After deplaning we all walked to the terminal at our normal pace when suddenly everyone noticeably slowed down.  Ah, the altitude! (11,444-feet) While we waited for luggage to be unloaded some Peruvian musicians entertained us, and that gave us a chance to catch our breath.

     The cobblestone streets in Cuzco are hilly, very narrow and one way. Most streets had narrow stepped sidewalks. Because of the elevation it is not uncommon for visitors to suffer a bit of altitude sickness, known as soroche. We were greeted at the hotel and immediately offered a cup of mate de coca or coca tea which tasted like most any other herbal tea. We drank a lot of it while in country and had no problem with the altitude.

     Cuzco was originally laid out roughly in the shape of a puma (jaguar). Originally the city was named Saca Huma or head of puma. Founded in the 11^th century its age-old culture was very different from the way of life in the 20th century. Cuzco is now the hub of South American travel.  It’s difficult to get lost in Cuzco, as the city spirals out like wheel spokes from the Plaza de Armas, but it is very easy to get tired, because of the altitude and the steep streets. I never could make it uphill to the hotel without really gasping for air and taking baby steps!  It is here that Inca royals buried earth from every region they ruled as a way of symbolically uniting their Empire.

     The cobblestone city was once the center of the Inca Empire. Nestled in the Andes, the city has a sophisticated water system and miles and miles of roads.  The Incas believed Cuzco was the source of all life.  Inca myth says children of the Gods settled here to provide light and culture to a dark world. Cuzco remained the supreme city of the Inca Empire for over 200 years. It is the archaeological capitol of South America, a cultural treasure of humanity.

    Cuzco has inter-mingled the cultures of native Quechua Indian, conquering colonial Spanish, and modern Mestizo. Most of the city’s 330,000 people are Quechua. Cuzco, rich in history, tradition, and legend, is the continent’s oldest continually inhabited city.

    After settling into our hotel we walked down to the Plaza de Armas—most Latin and South American cities have such a place that serves the same purpose as our Texas courthouse squares. The plaza showcases a church in many Spanish cities. We enjoyed a cup of tea on a balcony overlooking the plaza. There was some sort of a celebration going on so we had a great viewing spot to watch the parade. Later on the plaza

Church on Plaza (Square)

we enjoyed a conversation with some 11-12 year old shoe shine boys who wanted to practice their English. At a store near the plaza I found some commercially packaged coca tea bags which I bought home to share with friends.

    The plaza seems to be a magnet for hawkers, in this case many of them were children and some were very insistent. The plaza, half the size today that it was in Inca times, is framed by the Cathedral and the La Compania, two of the city’s several colonial churches. Construction of the cathedral began in 1550 and took nearly a hundred years to complete. In the center of the Plaza flies the red and white Peruvian flag and beside it the rainbow flag of the Incas. Festivals take place in the Plaza.

     The walkable but hilly city has several museums. Although days are warm and sunny, the temperature really drops about 5:00 PM when the sun starts to go down.

Cuzco is a fascinating city. We visited on each end of our trail hike and thouroughly enjoyed our stays in this charming city.