Peru Part 1 ~ Cusco & The Sacred Valley

Our final destination is Machu Picchu, but we begin our adventure in Cusco. Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and is in the central southeast region of Peru. We spend 2 days in Cusco to attempt to acclimate to the altitude. Cusco is 11,152 ft above sea level and for some of us the altitude takes effect almost instantly.  We experience mostly headaches and shortness of breath. Sleep is difficult the first night...

Unfortunately I am already sick on arrival to Cusco.  I think I picked up a bacteria from something I ate in Lima.  I have a fever and generalized malaise.  I am dehydrated and very weak. The altitude only intensifies things for me.  Lucky for me I am traveling with a bunch of nurses and Kristina gives me an IV with some fluids and within a few hours I am feeling much better.  We stay at a small bed & breakfast the first night. It is called Second Home Cusco.  The owner is amazing and I highly recommend this place to anyone traveling through the area.  On arrival to the B&B we are greeted with cocoa tea. Cocoa tea is thought to help with altitude sickness. It is mild in flavor, but has a lot of caffeine.  This tea will be part of our morning routine for the next 7 days.

We spend two days in Cusco and the surrounding area known as the Sacred Valley. Cusco is a great little town packed with lots of culture.  The quechua women are dressed in bright costume and carry their babies in brightly colored blankets. The quechua are direct descendants of the ancient Inca civilization.  The streets in Cusco are extremely narrow and are made up of mostly cobblestone. The buildings have bright doors with cut stone and adobe.

Here are just a few of the photos I took in Cusco....

Such a cutie...

I tried the Alpaca and the Guinea Pig.  Alpaca tastes like lamb and guinea pig tastes like chicken. Let's just say I won't be craving either of the two.

roof top dining in Cusco

We spend our second day in Cusco touring the Sacred Valley. The Sacred Valley is a valley along the Urubamba River, nestled in the Andes mountains. It is an area with a mild climate and very fertile soil. I can honestly say this road trip offered some of the most breathtaking views that I have ever seen .  We go to Ollantanyambo, Salinas, Chincheros and the Pisac Market, stopping many times along the way.

"propina, propina, propina"

hand weaving alpaca gear

Salinas Salt Mines

Next post coming soon...Part 2 - The Inca Trail & the trek to Machu Picchu